Chapter 2: The Folder Under the Hospital Bed
Andrew closed the hospital room door behind him.
The hallway noise disappeared.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Brenda stared at the folder in his hand like it was a weapon.
Maybe to her, it was.
Because secrets only feel safe until someone else is holding the evidence.
“Andrew,” she said softly, suddenly changing her tone.
“You’re misunderstanding everything.””
I almost admired how quickly she transformed.
The angry woman from the hallway disappeared.
Now she looked wounded.
Confused.
Innocent.
“I’m misunderstanding?”” Andrew asked.
His voice was quiet.
That made it more powerful.
“You lied to me for months.””
Brenda shook her head.
“It wasn’t like that.””
Andrew laughed bitterly.
“Then explain it.””
She looked at me.
Not him.
Me.
“You did this,” she said.
I frowned.
“Did what?””
“You manipulated him.””
Andrew stared at her.
“You’re blaming Laura?””
Brenda crossed her arms.
“She wanted revenge.””
I stepped forward.
“Revenge would have been exposing you publicly. I didn’t do that.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“Then why send it?””
“Because your husband had the right to know.””
Andrew looked down.
For a second, I saw sadness on his face.
Not anger.
Sadness.
That was worse.
“How long?”” he asked Brenda.
She looked away.
“How long were you seeing him?””
She didn’t answer.
And that silence answered everything.
Andrew sat down slowly on the hospital chair.
“I thought I was crazy.””
Brenda’s expression changed.
“What?””
“I thought I was imagining things.””
He opened the folder.
“I thought maybe I was just being insecure.””
He pulled out several papers.
“I found these in your bag after you left.””
Brenda’s face went pale.
Andrew handed one sheet to me.
At first, I didn’t understand what I was seeing.
Then I did.
My fingers became cold.
It was a financial document.
A transfer agreement.
A property purchase.
And at the bottom were two names.
Mark.
And Brenda.
“What is this?”” I asked.
Andrew looked at me.
“I was hoping you could tell me.””
I read the page again.
A piece of land.
A valuable piece of land.
One that belonged to Crestview.
My husband had transferred ownership rights.
Without my knowledge.
Without the board knowing.
Without my signature.
I felt the room spinning.
The affair suddenly felt smaller.
Still painful.
Still unforgivable.
But smaller.
Because this was not only betrayal.
This was theft.
Brenda watched my reaction.
“You don’t understand.””
I looked at her.
“Then explain.””
She hesitated.
Andrew stood.
“No. She should explain everything.””
Brenda started crying.
Real tears.
Or at least they looked real.
“Mark promised me things.””
I stared at her.
“What things?””
She wiped her face.
“He said the company was basically his now.””
My chest tightened.
“He said that?””
“Yes.””
Andrew looked disgusted.
“He told her that?””
Brenda nodded.
“He said you were slowing him down.””
The words hurt.
Not because I believed them.
Because I knew Mark had been thinking them.
“He said once the company was fully under his control, he would take care of me.””
I looked at the document again.
“By giving you company property?””
She said nothing.
That was enough.
My phone rang.
I looked at the screen.
Mark.
For a moment, I considered answering.
Then I did.
“Hello?””
“Laura,” he said quickly.
“Where are you?””
His voice was too calm.
That scared me.
“I’m at the hospital.””
A pause.
“Why?””
I looked at Andrew.
Then Brenda.
“Because I’m learning things about my husband that I wish I had never known.””
Silence.
Then Mark laughed softly.
A fake laugh.
“Laura, don’t start imagining things.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Imagine?””
“Yes. Brenda probably told you something emotional.””
I looked directly at Brenda.
She looked terrified.
“She didn’t tell me anything, Mark.””
Another pause.
“Then why are you there?””
I smiled slightly.
Because he knew.
Somehow, he already knew.
“You sound worried.””
“Laura.””
His voice became colder.
“Come home.””
Not please.
Not can we talk.
Come home.
Like an order.
After twenty-eight years together, I suddenly heard him differently.
Not as my husband.
As someone trying to control a situation.
“I’ll come home,” I said.
His breathing relaxed.
“Good.””
“But I’m bringing the documents.””
The silence that followed was immediate.
“What documents?””
I ended the call.
Andrew looked at me.
“You need to be careful.””
“I know.””
“No,” he said.
“You don’t.””
He pointed toward the folder.
“Because I found something else.””
My eyes moved to him.
“What?””
He reached into the folder and pulled out a small envelope.
“I found this hidden behind our bedroom drawer.””
Brenda whispered:
“Andrew, don’t.””
He ignored her.
He handed it to me.
On the front were four words.
Words that made my blood run cold.
“For Mark and Brenda only.””
I opened the envelope.
And inside was a photograph.
A photograph showing my husband, Brenda, and someone else.
Someone I recognized immediately.
Someone who had been living under my roof for the past year.
May you like
My mother-in-law.
Ofelia.
