Chapter 7: The Man At The Other End Of The Phone
The voice on the phone was calm.
That was what scared me the most.
Not anger.
Not shouting.
Not threats.
Just calm certainty.
Like the man already believed he had control.
I tightened my grip around my phone.
“Who are you?””
A small laugh came through the speaker.
“You know who I am.””
I looked at Emma.
She was frozen.
Her face had lost all color.
“Ryan,” she whispered.
The silence on the other end disappeared.
“Hello, Emma.””
She stepped back like hearing his voice physically hurt her.
“Don’t call this number again.””
Ryan ignored her.
“You told him everything?””
I looked at her.
“Everything?””
Emma shook her head quickly.
“No.””
Ryan laughed.
“You still haven’t changed.””
My jaw tightened.
“Listen carefully. You are calling my family, and I want to know why.””
“My family?””
His voice became colder.
“That’s interesting.””
I stared at the phone.
“What does that mean?””
“You really believe that child has nothing to do with me?””
The room went silent.
Emma grabbed my arm.
“Daniel, don’t listen to him.””
But my heart was already racing.
“What are you saying?””
Ryan didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said:
“I’m saying Emma never told you the whole truth about when we separated.””
I looked at her.
“Emma?””
She looked terrified.
“Ryan is lying.””
“Is he?””
My voice sounded different.
Even to me.
Emma’s eyes filled with tears.
“Daniel, please.””
I turned away.
“Not now.””
That hurt her.
I could see it.
But I needed answers.
Ryan continued.
“She left me while we were still legally married.””
I frowned.
“What?””
Emma shook her head.
“I filed for divorce.””
“After you left.””
“No.””
Her voice cracked.
“Ryan, stop.””
But I couldn’t stop listening.
Because there was a piece missing.
A piece she had hidden.
“You were still married when you met him, weren’t you?””
I looked at Emma.
She didn’t answer.
That was enough.
My chest tightened.
“How long?””
“Daniel…”
“How long were we together before your divorce was final?””
She looked down.
“Six months.””
I stepped back.
Six months.
Six months of our relationship built on something I didn’t know.
Ryan spoke again.
“She always tells people the version where she is the victim.””
My anger rose.
“You don’t get to act like you’re innocent.””
“I never said I was.””
His tone changed.
“I’m saying she has secrets.””
The call ended.
I stood there staring at my phone.
Emma whispered my name.
“Daniel.””
I didn’t look at her.
“Did you ever love me?””
The question escaped before I could stop it.
Her face broke.
“Of course I did.””
“Then why did you hide so much?””
“I was scared.””
“Everyone is scared.””
I turned toward her.
“But not everyone puts their newborn baby on a bathroom floor.””
She started crying.
And this time, I didn’t know if I wanted to comfort her.
I wanted to.
That was the worst part.
Because despite everything, she was still the woman I had promised forever to.
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From Ryan.
I opened it.
There was a picture attached.
My heart stopped.
It was a photo of Emma.
Pregnant.
Standing outside a courthouse.
With Ryan beside her.
The date was visible.
Three days before she told me she wanted to start our family.
Under the picture was one sentence.
*Ask her why she never told you she was still trying to fix our marriage.*
I looked up.
Emma was watching my face.
She knew I had seen it.
“Daniel…”
I held up the phone.
“Tell me this is fake.””
Her silence answered before her words did.
May you like
And then she whispered:
“It’s not the only thing I hid.””
