Chapter 2: The Secret Behind The Party
I stayed frozen beside the bedroom door.
For several seconds, I convinced myself I had misunderstood.
The music downstairs was too loud.
The walls were too thick.
Maybe Marcus had said something else.
Maybe he wasn’t talking about me.
But then I heard the woman’s voice again.
“She still doesn’t know?””
My hand tightened around the doorknob.
That voice.
I knew that voice.
It belonged to Tara.
“She can’t,” Marcus replied.
His voice was quieter now.
“She would ruin everything.””
My heart started beating faster.
I opened the door slowly.
The hallway was empty.
I stepped out.
I wasn’t trying to spy.
That was the lie I told myself.
The truth was simpler.
I needed to know why my husband was hiding things from me.
I walked toward the stairs.
The party lights from below reflected against the wall.
I stayed behind the corner where they couldn’t see me.
Marcus and Tara stood near the kitchen.
The guests were still laughing.
Nobody noticed them.
Nobody noticed me.
Tara held a glass in her hand.
“She’s been asking questions lately,” Tara said.
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
“I know.””
“What are you going to do?””
“I don’t know.””
“You have to decide.””
My fingers went cold.
Decide what?
Marcus looked around.
“I wanted tonight to be perfect.””
Tara laughed quietly.
“Perfect? Marcus, this was never going to be perfect.””
“Keep your voice down.””
“You’re the one who invited them.””
Them.
That word stayed in my mind.
Who were they?
Why had I been sent upstairs?
I stepped forward slightly.
Then Marcus spoke again.
“I just need more time.””
Tara shook her head.
“You’ve had two years.””
Two years.
My breath caught.
Two years for what?
I backed away before they could notice me.
I returned to the bedroom and closed the door.
My hands were shaking.
Two years.
I sat down and tried to put everything together.
The strange phone calls.
The way Marcus sometimes left the room when certain names came up.
The way Tara always changed the subject when I asked about his family history.
I had ignored so many small moments.
Because love makes you explain away things you would immediately recognize in someone else’s relationship.
An hour passed.
Then the bedroom door opened.
Marcus walked in.
He looked tired.
Not guilty.
Tired.
Like I was the problem he had been carrying.
“Are you okay?”” he asked.
I stared at him.
“Are you?””
He paused.
“What does that mean?””
“You tell me.””
His face changed.
“Maya…”
“Who are they?””
Silence.
A terrible silence.
Marcus looked toward the window.
“Who told you?””
I laughed softly.
“So there is something to tell.””
He sat down.
“Maya, please.””
“No.””
My voice surprised even me.
“No more please. No more asking me to disappear. I want the truth.””
He looked at his hands.
“There are things you don’t understand.””
“Then explain them.””
“It’s complicated.””
“That’s what people say when the truth sounds worse.””
He looked up.
His eyes were filled with frustration.
“You think I wanted this?””
“I think you wanted your birthday party more than you wanted to respect me.””
“That’s unfair.””
“Is it?””
He stood.
“Maya, tonight wasn’t about you.””
The words landed like a slap.
I stared at him.
“You’re right.””
His expression softened slightly.
“It wasn’t.””
I nodded.
“It was about hiding me.””
“Maya—”
“No. I need you to answer one question.””
He waited.
“Why did Tara tell me those people didn’t want to see me?””
Marcus didn’t answer.
And that was my answer.
I walked past him.
I opened the bedroom door.
“Where are you going?””
“Downstairs.””
His face changed.
“You can’t.””
I turned around.
“Why?””
He had no response.
I walked downstairs.
The room became quiet.
Not completely.
But enough.
Enough for people to notice.
Enough for me to see their expressions.
Some looked surprised.
Some looked uncomfortable.
And some looked like they had been waiting for this moment.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Maya…”
I smiled politely.
“Hi, Daniel.””
He looked away.
That hurt.
Because Daniel had always been kind to me.
I looked at Marcus.
“What is happening?””
Nobody spoke.
Then an older man near the fireplace stepped forward.
I had never seen him before.
He held a photograph in his hand.
“Maya?””
I looked at him.
“Yes?””
He swallowed.
“You really don’t know, do you?””
My heart sank.
“Know what?””
The man looked at Marcus.
Then back at me.
“I’m sorry.””
The room went completely silent.
“I thought she knew.””
Marcus immediately stepped forward.
“Stop.””
But it was too late.
I looked at the photograph in his hand.
A photograph he was holding like it was something dangerous.
“Who is that?”” I asked.
The man looked down.
Then he said the name.
A name I had never heard before.
May you like
A name that changed everything.
“Your husband’s first wife.””
