Chapter 6: The Name on the Screen
Sarah stared at the message.
The words blurred.
Daniel noticed her expression.
“What happened?””
She didn’t answer.
“Sarah?””
Slowly, she turned the phone around.
Daniel read the message.
The color drained from his face.
“What woman?””
Sarah watched him carefully.
“You tell me.””
“I don’t know.””
“You’re lying.””
“I’m not.””
She looked at him.
The worst part was that she couldn’t tell anymore.
Every answer had become a question.
Every explanation had become another secret.
“Who works with you at the office?””
Daniel hesitated.
That hesitation was enough.
Sarah stepped back.
“There is someone.””
“No.””
“You hesitated.””
“Because I knew you would misunderstand.””
Sarah gave a quiet laugh.
“Everyone says that right before they explain something terrible.””
Daniel ran his hand through his hair.
“Her name is Rachel.””
“How long?””
“Sarah.””
“How long?””
He looked down.
“Eight months.””
The room became silent.
Eight months.
The same amount of time someone had been building a case against her.
The same amount of time Daniel had been acting differently.
Late meetings.
Locked phone.
Sudden work trips.
Sarah remembered every moment she had ignored.
Every excuse she accepted.
“Did you have an affair?””
Daniel’s silence answered.
Sarah closed her eyes.
The pain was different from anger.
Anger burned.
This felt like something breaking.
Emma appeared in the hallway.
“Mommy?””
Sarah immediately wiped her face.
She knelt.
“Hey, sweetheart.””
“Are you leaving?””
The question destroyed her.
Sarah pulled her into her arms.
“No.””
Emma whispered.
“Daddy said grown-ups leave when they’re unhappy.””
Sarah looked at Daniel.
His face changed.
“What?””
“When did you tell her that?””
Daniel looked horrified.
“I didn’t.””
Emma hugged her rabbit.
“Grandma told me.””
Sarah stood slowly.
Enough.
No more excuses.
No more confusion.
She picked up the folder.
“I want to see everything.””
Daniel frowned.
“What?””
“Every document. Every message. Every piece of evidence you gave your mother.””
“Sarah—”
“No.””
She looked directly at him.
“You wanted the truth. Now you’re going to get it.””
Daniel sat quietly.
Then he reached into his bag.
He pulled out his laptop.
“I have something.””
Sarah watched him.
“What?””
“A message from my mother.””
He opened the screen.
His hands shook.
“She sent it the night before you came home.””
Sarah stepped closer.
On the screen was a conversation.
Olivia:
*Tomorrow is the day. When Sarah arrives, don’t let her take Emma.*
Daniel looked at Sarah.
“I thought she meant because of the custody issue.””
Sarah kept reading.
The next message appeared.
Olivia:
*Once Sarah sees the papers, she’ll react exactly how we need.*
Sarah’s breathing slowed.
“We?””
Daniel scrolled.
Another message appeared.
This time, from someone else.
A number without a name.
Sarah leaned closer.
Then she saw the words.
*Everything is ready. After Sarah loses custody, the house will belong to Daniel.*
Sarah stepped back.
The room spun.
The house.
The custody.
The report.
It was never only about Emma.
Someone wanted everything.
Daniel looked sick.
“I didn’t know.””
Sarah looked at him.
“Maybe you didn’t.””
She picked up her phone.
“But you helped them.””
Then the front door opened.
Neither of them had heard the key turn.
A familiar voice came from the entrance.
“Daniel?””
Olivia.
She walked inside.
Then stopped when she saw the laptop screen.
Her expression changed.
For the first time, Sarah saw fear.
Olivia whispered:
“You weren’t supposed to find that.””
And behind Olivia stood a woman Sarah had never seen before.
A woman holding a folder.
May you like
A woman Daniel recognized immediately.
“Rachel…” he whispered.
