Chapter 6: The Messages Behind My Back
Nobody spoke.
The phone screen glowed in my hand.
A folder with my name.
My first instinct was denial.
Maybe it was something innocent.
Maybe Bianca had saved pictures.
Maybe there was an explanation.
But after everything I had seen tonight, I knew better.
I opened it.
Inside were screenshots.
Messages.
Notes.
And a document.
Maya stepped closer.
“What is it?””
I didn’t answer.
Because the first message already explained too much.
*Bianca: He still believes everything I tell him.*
My stomach turned.
The message was sent to someone named Daniel.
I scrolled.
*Daniel: How long can you keep pretending?*
*Bianca: As long as I need to.*
I felt my hand shake.
Maya saw my face.
“Dad?””
I kept scrolling.
*Daniel: What about the girls?*
There was a pause before Bianca’s reply.
*Bianca: They’re manageable.*
I stopped.
The word burned.
Manageable.
Not loved.
Not protected.
Managed.
Like they were problems to control.
Lily came closer.
I immediately locked the screen.
She didn’t need to see more.
“Dad…”
I crouched down.
“Go sit with Maya.””
“But—”
“Please.””
She nodded.
Maya took her hand.
When they walked away, I turned back to Bianca.
“Who is Daniel?””
She said nothing.
“Who?””
Her eyes narrowed.
“You’re really doing this?””
I laughed once.
A cold, empty sound.
“You have a folder full of messages proving you lied to me, and you’re asking if I’m really doing this?””
She looked away.
That was the first time I saw her without the mask.
Not a mother.
Not a wife.
Just someone caught.
“I made mistakes.””
I stared at her.
“Mistakes are forgetting an appointment.””
My voice lowered.
“Mistakes are burning dinner.””
I held up the phone.
“This is a choice.””
She stepped closer.
“You don’t know the whole story.””
“Then tell me.””
Silence.
“Tell me everything.””
She looked at the floor.
And for the first time, she looked small.
But I didn’t feel sorry for her.
Because I knew what my daughters must have felt.
Small.
Afraid.
Trapped.
“I was angry,” she said.
“At what?””
“At you.””
I frowned.
“Me?””
“Yes.””
She looked up.
“You always cared more about them.””
The words shocked me.
Not because she said them.
Because she believed them.
“My daughters?””
“You never saw me.””
I stared at her.
“So you punished them?””
“No.””
“Yes.””
She shook her head.
“You don’t understand.””
“No.””
I stepped closer.
“I don’t.””
My voice became quiet.
“And I don’t think I ever will.””
Behind me, Maya spoke.
“Dad.””
I turned.
She was holding the phone.
Her face was pale.
“There’s another message.””
“What?””
She looked at Bianca.
Then at me.
“It’s from Daniel.””
I walked over.
“What does it say?””
Maya hesitated.
Then read it.
“Did Marcus find out about the recordings?””
The room froze.
Bianca closed her eyes.
Maya continued.
“Bianca replied…”
She stopped.
“What?””
Maya looked sick.
“She replied this morning.””
I stared at the screen.
“What did she say?””
Maya swallowed.
“She said…”
Her voice became barely audible.
“I’m handling it.””
Nobody moved.
Because suddenly the timeline changed.
This wasn’t just something Bianca had hidden.
This was something she knew might be discovered.
And she had prepared for it.
My phone buzzed again.
A new message.
Same unknown number.
But this time there was a photo attached.
I opened it.
And my blood ran cold.
Because the picture showed Bianca standing outside my house earlier that morning.
Holding a bag.
Waiting for someone.
May you like
Under the photo was one sentence:
*Marcus, you need to know who she was planning to leave with.*
