Chapter 13: The Truth Lauren Was Hiding
I stared at Michael.
“Lauren’s house?””
He looked away.
That was all the confirmation I needed.
Not shock.
Not confusion.
Recognition.
“Why would my mother’s letter be at Lauren’s house?””
Michael didn’t answer.
“Why?””
His voice was barely audible.
“I don’t know.””
I laughed.
A tired, empty sound.
“You always say that when the truth is too ugly.””
“Sarah, listen to me.””
“No.””
I grabbed my coat.
“Every time you say listen, you’re about to explain why I should forgive something unforgivable.””
He followed me toward the door.
“Don’t go alone.””
I stopped.
The irony almost made me smile.
“You’re worried about me being alone?””
“Yes.””
“After spending six months secretly meeting another woman?””
His face tightened.
“I know what I did.””
“No, Michael.””
I looked at him.
“You know you got caught.””
The difference hurt him.
I could see it.
But I didn’t care anymore.
Because I had spent years caring about his feelings while he treated mine like obstacles.
Jason appeared in the hallway.
“What happened?””
I showed him the message.
His expression changed immediately.
“Lauren’s house?””
Michael looked at him.
“Stay out of this.””
Jason shook his head.
“You don’t get to say that anymore.””
I walked outside.
This time, Michael didn’t stop me.
Maybe because he knew he had no right.
Maybe because he was afraid of what we would find.
The address was only fifteen minutes away.
A quiet neighborhood.
Too quiet.
A place where people hung Christmas lights and waved at neighbors.
A place that looked normal.
Just like my marriage had.
Lauren’s house was dark.
The front door was slightly open.
I looked at Michael.
“Did you know she wasn’t home?””
“No.””
“Did you know she left?””
“No.””
For once, I believed him.
Not because he deserved it.
Because his fear looked real.
I pushed the door open.
“Lauren?””
No answer.
The house looked untouched.
A coffee mug sat on the kitchen counter.
A blanket was folded on the couch.
A Christmas candle was still burning.
Then I saw something.
A photograph on the table.
Michael and Lauren.
Together.
My stomach twisted.
But then I noticed the date.
Two months before I ever found their messages.
Something was wrong.
Lauren had been planning something.
Not just an affair.
A conversation.
I picked up the photograph.
Behind it was a note.
“Sarah, if you’re reading this, I couldn’t tell you everything.””
I froze.
Michael stepped closer.
“What does it say?””
I ignored him.
The note continued.
“I know what I did was wrong. I know you hate me. You have every reason to.””
My fingers tightened.
“But Michael lied from the beginning.””
I looked up.
Michael’s face went pale.
The note continued.
“He never told me the truth about you. But he also never told me the truth about himself.””
A sound came from upstairs.
A floorboard.
Someone was here.
Michael immediately stepped in front of me.
I almost told him not to.
Then I remembered something.
Despite everything…
he had spent the last few hours trying to uncover the truth too.
We moved upstairs.
Slowly.
A bedroom door was open.
Inside, papers covered the bed.
Documents.
Photos.
Copies of emails.
Lauren had been investigating.
I picked up the closest page.
It was a timeline.
Dates.
Names.
Money transfers.
At the top:
“Michael Mercer Investigation.””
My heart raced.
“She was investigating him.””
Michael stared.
“Why?””
I looked at him.
“You tell me.””
Before he could answer, a voice came from behind us.
“I was trying to find out if he ever loved me.””
We turned.
Lauren stood in the doorway.
Her eyes were red.
Her face looked exhausted.
Not like the woman I imagined.
Not like a villain.
Like someone who had lost everything too.
Michael stepped back.
“You lied to me.””
Lauren laughed quietly.
“Me?””
Her eyes moved to him.
“You married a woman because of her father’s money.””
Michael’s face hardened.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.””
“I know everything.””
She walked into the room.
“I found the old files.””
She looked at me.
“I found out he met you years before he claimed.””
My chest tightened.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I was scared.””
“Of him?””
She nodded.
Then she looked at Michael.
“He threatened to destroy my career.””
Michael scoffed.
“That’s ridiculous.””
Lauren pointed toward the documents.
“Then explain the emails.””
I picked them up.
One email was from Michael.
The words were clear.
“Keep your mouth shut about Sarah.””
Another:
“You don’t understand what’s at stake.””
I looked at Michael.
He looked trapped.
Lauren stepped closer.
“I thought I was helping him leave you.””
Her voice cracked.
“I thought I was helping someone trapped in a bad marriage.””
She looked at me.
“I was wrong.””
The room went silent.
Then she handed me a small envelope.
“My mother found this in my house after Michael searched through my things.””
I looked down.
My name.
My father’s handwriting.
Another letter.
But this one wasn’t from my father.
It was from my mother.
May you like
And the first line made my entire body freeze.
“Sarah, if Michael is standing beside you when you read this, do not trust him.””
