Chapter 7: The Photograph From My Bedroom
I couldn’t breathe.
The photograph shook slightly in Daniel’s hand as he stared at it.
Then he looked at his mother.
Then back at the picture.
“Where did you get this?””
Margaret didn’t answer.
That scared me more than if she had screamed.
Because for the first time since she arrived, she looked completely caught.
Dr. Hayes stepped closer.
“I received it in an envelope with no return address.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Who sent it?””
“I don’t know.””
His fingers tightened around the photo.
“But the note attached said one thing.””
Everyone waited.
Dr. Hayes looked uncomfortable.
“It said, ‘If you don’t show this to Daniel before the baby is born, someone else will get hurt.’”
A cold feeling moved through my entire body.
I looked at Margaret.
She immediately looked away.
Daniel noticed.
“Mom.””
Margaret shook her head.
“No.””
“What does that mean?””
“It means someone is trying to frame me.””
Daniel held up the picture.
“Then explain why you’re in my wife’s bedroom.””
The silence was unbearable.
I looked at the photograph again.
It was taken from the corner of our bedroom.
I was lying on the bed.
My pregnant stomach visible beneath the blanket.
And Margaret was standing near the dresser.
Watching me.
“I didn’t know you were there,” I whispered.
Margaret finally looked at me.
“I was checking on you.””
I stared.
“At three in the morning?””
Her lips pressed together.
Daniel’s face hardened.
“You were in our bedroom while she was sleeping?””
“I heard noises.””
“What noises?””
“I was worried.””
“No.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“That’s not an answer.””
Margaret looked hurt.
“I came here because I love you.””
“Mom.””
“I spent my whole life protecting you.””
Her voice cracked.
“And now you’re choosing her over me.””
Daniel shook his head.
“This isn’t about choosing.””
“It is.””
“No.””
He pointed at the picture.
“This is about you being in my house, in my bedroom, while my wife was asleep.””
Margaret’s eyes became cold.
“You think you know everything.””
That sentence made my skin crawl.
Because it sounded less like a defense.
More like a warning.
Dr. Hayes looked between us.
“I think we need to focus on getting you to the hospital.””
She helped me stand slowly.
Every movement sent pain through my stomach.
Daniel immediately came beside me.
“I’m sorry.””
I looked at him.
Those two words almost broke me.
Not because they fixed anything.
But because they were the first time he admitted something was wrong.
We moved toward the front door.
Then Margaret spoke.
“You’re making a mistake.””
Daniel stopped.
“What?””
She stared at him.
“You think this is over because you found one picture?””
Nobody answered.
She continued.
“You don’t know who your wife really is.””
I felt anger rise.
“Stop.””
She looked at me.
“You’re scared because you know what I know.””
“What do you know?””
Margaret smiled.
And that smile made my stomach twist.
“Ask Daniel why he never told you about the woman who called him six months ago.””
I turned toward Daniel.
“What woman?””
His face changed.
Just slightly.
But I saw it.
“Daniel?””
He looked away.
And that hurt more than anything.
May you like
Because suddenly I realized there was another secret.
One he had kept from me.
