Chapter 5: The Family Friend
Nicole sat frozen at the kitchen island.
The photograph rested between them.
A tiny piece of paper that somehow carried more destruction than any argument ever could.
Daniel didn’t yell.
That was what terrified her.
If he screamed, if he threw something, if he demanded answers in anger, maybe she could fight back.
But Daniel was calm.
And calm meant he was already accepting the truth.
“How long?”” he asked again.
Nicole looked away.
“Daniel…”
“How long?””
Her shoulders dropped.
“Almost a year.””
The answer hit him harder than he expected.
Almost a year.
Twelve months of lies.
Twelve months of pretending.
Twelve months of Marcus walking into their house and shaking his hand.
Daniel placed the photo down.
“Almost a year.””
Nicole nodded.
“I never planned for it to happen.””
“You said that already.””
“I mean it.””
Daniel looked at her.
“People always say that after they get caught.””
Nicole wiped her tears.
“I was lonely.””
Daniel stared.
“You keep saying that like loneliness forced you.””
She looked hurt.
“You don’t know what my life felt like.””
“No.””
He pointed at the stairs.
“But I know what Maya’s life felt like tonight.””
Nicole went silent.
Daniel continued.
“She stood in this kitchen while her own mother accused her of being pregnant.””
“I was trying to protect her.””
He looked confused.
“Protect her?””
“Yes.””
“From what?””
Nicole hesitated.
Then whispered:
“From the truth.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No. You were protecting yourself.””
Nicole looked down.
For the first time, she didn’t argue.
The silence admitted everything.
Daniel walked to the window.
Outside, the city lights reflected against the glass.
A world that kept moving while his own life had stopped.
“When did you know?””
Nicole looked up.
“About the pregnancy?””
“Yes.””
“Six weeks ago.””
“And you hid it.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
She swallowed.
“Because I didn’t know what to do.””
Daniel turned around.
“You had one job.””
Her eyes filled.
“What?””
“Tell the truth.””
The words were simple.
But they hurt.
Nicole stood.
“Do you think I’m proud of this?””
“No.””
“Do you think I don’t hate myself?””
Daniel looked at her.
“I don’t know what you feel anymore.””
That was worse than anger.
Nicole covered her mouth.
“Daniel…”
He looked at the stairs.
“I need to talk to Maya.””
Panic crossed Nicole’s face.
“No.””
He frowned.
“No?””
“Not yet.””
“Why?””
“Because she hates me.””
Daniel stared.
“She has every right.””
Nicole shook her head.
“You don’t understand.””
“No, I don’t.””
“She’ll never forgive me.””
Daniel’s expression softened slightly.
“Maybe she won’t.””
Nicole looked devastated.
“But you know what?””
“What?””
“She deserved the chance to decide that herself.””
Upstairs, Maya sat with Noah in silence.
She had heard enough.
Not every word.
But enough.
She heard the name Marcus.
She heard “almost a year.””
She heard her mother crying.
And somehow, the betrayal hurt differently now.
Because this wasn’t just about a pregnancy.
It was about every family dinner where Marcus sat across from them.
Every birthday where he smiled.
Every time Maya trusted the adults around her.
Noah looked at her.
“Is Marcus bad?””
Maya looked away.
“I don’t know.””
“But Dad hates him.””
Maya didn’t answer.
A few minutes later, Daniel opened the bedroom door.
Maya immediately stood.
“Dad.””
He looked exhausted.
Not angry.
Just broken.
“Noah, can you give us a minute?””
The boy nodded and walked to the hallway.
Daniel sat beside Maya.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then Maya whispered:
“I’m sorry.””
Daniel looked at her.
“For what?””
“For causing this.””
His face changed instantly.
“No.””
“Dad—”
“No.””
His voice was firm.
“You need to hear me.””
Maya looked at him.
“You did nothing wrong.””
Her eyes filled.
“I tried to tell you.””
“I know.””
“I thought you believed me.””
“I should have believed you immediately.””
Maya wiped her tears.
“Why didn’t you?””
Daniel looked down.
Because the answer hurt.
“Because I trusted your mother.””
Maya nodded slowly.
“I trusted her too.””
That was the hardest part.
Daniel placed a hand over hers.
“I’m going to fix this.””
Maya looked at him.
“How?””
He didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t know.
Downstairs, Nicole stood alone in the kitchen.
Her phone buzzed.
She looked at the screen.
A message from Marcus.
*Daniel knows, doesn’t he?*
Her heart stopped.
Another message appeared.
*Tell me what you told him.*
Nicole stared.
Then another message arrived.
*Because if he knows everything, we’re both finished.*
Nicole’s hands started shaking.
She looked toward the stairs.
Toward Daniel and Maya.
Then back at the phone.
Because suddenly she realized something.
Marcus wasn’t afraid of losing her.
He was afraid of losing himself.
And that meant there was something she still didn’t know.
Something Marcus had never told her.
The phone buzzed one more time.
This message was different.
Short.
May you like
Cold.
*Ask Daniel why he never told you the truth about Marcus.*
