Chapter 4: The Woman Behind the Call
“It’s not supposed to be possible…”
Adrian’s voice was barely louder than a whisper.
But everyone heard him.
The ballroom that had been filled with laughter, music, and expensive conversations now felt like a courtroom waiting for a verdict.
Nia watched his face carefully.
She had spent years learning Adrian’s expressions.
The small movements.
The controlled breathing.
The way his jaw tightened when he lied.
This was different.
This wasn’t anger.
This wasn’t embarrassment.
This was fear.
Vanessa stepped closer.
“Adrian.””
He didn’t look at her.
“Who was that?””
She swallowed.
“I don’t know.””
Nia noticed the answer came too quickly.
Too perfectly.
“You don’t know?””
Vanessa looked at her.
“No.””
Nia glanced at the phone in Adrian’s hand.
“Then why did you look like you just saw a ghost?””
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“Because you don’t know what you’re talking about.””
A weak answer.
The kind Adrian used when he was buying time.
Nia almost smiled.
Almost.
Three years of marriage taught her something important.
Adrian never panicked when he was innocent.
He panicked when someone found the one thing he thought he had buried.
Evelyn stepped forward.
Her elegant posture was gone.
The woman who had ordered Nia to leave minutes earlier now looked uncertain.
“Adrian,” she said quietly.
“Tell me what happened.””
He looked at his mother.
Then away.
“Nobody needs to know this.””
Evelyn’s expression hardened.
“Nobody?””
She pointed around the ballroom.
“Your wife was humiliated in front of hundreds of people. Vanessa announced a pregnancy. You are standing here with a medical document saying something impossible happened.””
Her voice dropped.
“So yes. Somebody needs to know.””
Adrian looked down.
For a moment, Nia thought he might finally tell the truth.
Then his phone buzzed again.
Everyone froze.
Another message.
Adrian opened it.
His eyes moved across the screen.
Nia watched his hand tighten.
“What did they send?””
He locked the phone.
“Nothing.””
Nia shook her head.
“You’re still doing that.””
“Doing what?””
“Pretending you can control the situation.””
The words hit harder than she expected.
Because Adrian knew they were true.
Vanessa looked between them.
“You two need to stop fighting.””
Nia turned toward her.
“You’re worried.””
Vanessa’s face changed.
“I’m pregnant.””
“That’s not what I said.””
Nia stepped closer.
“You’re not worried about me exposing Adrian.””
Vanessa said nothing.
“You’re worried about something else.””
Vanessa’s fingers tightened around the ultrasound photo.
“I don’t know what you think you discovered, but you’re wrong.””
Nia looked at the photo.
Then at her.
“Maybe.””
A pause.
“But if I’m wrong, why are you shaking?””
Vanessa immediately looked down at her hands.
And for one second, she realized everyone could see it.
She hid them behind the ultrasound.
Too late.
Evelyn noticed.
“What is going on?””
No one answered.
The security employee slowly backed away, sensing he had walked into something much bigger than a charity event.
Adrian finally spoke.
“Everyone needs to leave.””
A few guests exchanged confused looks.
Nia laughed softly.
“Now you want privacy?””
Adrian looked at her.
“This isn’t a game.””
“No.””
Her voice became colder.
“It stopped being a game when you let another woman spill wine on me and announced her pregnancy like I was a stranger.””
The room went silent.
Adrian looked down.
For the first time, he looked ashamed.
But Nia refused to let that confuse her.
Shame was not the same as remorse.
Vanessa suddenly grabbed Adrian’s arm.
“We need to talk.””
Adrian pulled away.
“Not now.””
Her eyes widened.
“Not now?””
The panic in her voice surprised everyone.
“Adrian, if she knows—”
She stopped.
Immediately.
Too late.
Nia turned.
“If I know what?””
Vanessa froze.
Adrian stared at her.
“Enough.””
But Nia had already heard it.
A sentence cut in half.
A secret almost spoken.
“What am I supposed to know?””
Nobody moved.
Then Adrian’s phone rang again.
This time, he answered immediately.
“Stop calling.””
A woman’s voice came through.
Nia couldn’t hear the words.
But she watched Adrian’s face.
His anger disappeared.
His fear returned.
“Where are you?””
A pause.
Then:
“No. You promised you would never come near us again.””
Nia’s heart started beating faster.
Us.
Not me.
Not Vanessa.
Us.
Adrian listened.
Then his eyes lifted toward Nia.
And she knew.
Whoever was on that phone had just mentioned her.
“Why are you asking about my wife?””
The entire ballroom went still.
Nia stared at him.
My wife.
The words sounded normal.
But the fear behind them wasn’t.
Adrian ended the call.
Slowly.
Too slowly.
“Who was that?”” Nia asked.
He didn’t answer.
“Adrian.””
Still nothing.
Then Evelyn spoke.
“Was it her?””
Adrian looked at his mother.
“What?””
Evelyn’s face had gone pale.
“Was it the woman from three years ago?””
Nia felt the air leave the room.
Three years ago.
A woman.
Adrian looked at Evelyn like she had just revealed something she wasn’t supposed to know.
And that was the moment Nia realized something.
May you like
Everyone had secrets.
Even the people who claimed they were protecting her.
