Chapter 2: The Mark on the Sheet
I woke up at 5:47 a.m.
For a few seconds, I forgot where I was.
Then my back reminded me.
The sofa.
The wedding dress hanging over a chair.
The decorations still covering the room.
The memory came rushing back.
My wedding night.
The night I gave my bed to my mother-in-law.
I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes.
Daniel and I were supposed to greet relatives in the morning before everyone left. I knew I should wake him.
I wanted to believe everything had a reasonable explanation.
Maybe Evelyn was truly drunk.
Maybe Daniel was just overwhelmed.
Maybe I was reading too much into everything.
I climbed the stairs quietly.
The hallway was dark.
Our bedroom door was slightly open.
I smiled faintly.
Maybe Daniel had woken up already.
I pushed the door open.
And froze.
The first thing I saw was Daniel.
He was lying on his back.
The second thing I saw was Evelyn.
She was lying beside him.
Too close.
My fingers tightened around the door handle.
For several seconds, I couldn’t move.
The room was silent except for the sound of their breathing.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to wake them both.
But then my eyes moved to the bed.
To the white sheet.
And I stopped.
Something was stuck there.
Near the edge of the blanket.
At first, I thought it was a piece of fabric.
Then I stepped closer.
My stomach dropped.
It was a small, folded piece of paper attached to the sheet.
Not accidentally.
Placed there.
Carefully.
My hands trembled as I reached for it.
I looked at Daniel.
Still sleeping.
I looked at Evelyn.
Still sleeping.
Then I pulled the paper away.
The moment I unfolded it, my breath disappeared.
It was a photograph.
An old photograph.
The edges were worn, like it had been carried around for years.
And in that picture was Daniel.
But he was much younger.
Standing beside a woman I had never seen before.
On the back of the photo, someone had written a sentence.
A sentence that made my entire world tilt.
*“Ask your husband why he never told you about Sarah.””*
I stared at the name.
Sarah.
Who was Sarah?
I felt a wave of confusion.
Then anger.
Because whoever left this there wanted me to find it.
They wanted me to know.
I turned the photo over again.
The woman beside Daniel was smiling.
She looked happy.
Comfortable.
Like she belonged in his life.
Like she was someone important.
I heard movement behind me.
I quickly put the photo in my hand.
Evelyn opened her eyes.
For a moment, we stared at each other.
The drunk woman from last night was gone.
Her eyes were clear.
Completely clear.
“You’re awake,” she said.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
I swallowed.
“Yes.””
She sat up slowly.
Then she looked at the photo in my hand.
And smiled.
Not a surprised smile.
A satisfied one.
“You found it.””
My heart pounded.
“What is this?””
She adjusted her hair.
“You should ask Daniel.””
“Who is Sarah?””
The smile disappeared.
“Someone he chose to forget.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“What does that mean?””
Before she could answer, Daniel moved.
“What are you two doing?””
His voice made both of us turn.
He sat up.
His face changed when he saw the photo.
Not confusion.
Fear.
Real fear.
“Where did you get that?””
I stared at him.
“You tell me.””
Daniel stood up quickly.
“Give it to me.””
I stepped back.
“No.””
His expression became desperate.
“Please.””
That single word made me pause.
Because Daniel never sounded desperate.
Not with me.
Not with anyone.
“What is Sarah?”” I asked again.
He looked away.
Evelyn crossed her arms.
“Tell her.””
Daniel looked at his mother.
“Mom, stop.””
“Why?”” Evelyn replied.
“You were going to keep lying forever?””
The room became painfully quiet.
I looked between them.
“Someone explain.””
Daniel ran a hand through his hair.
“There was someone before you.””
I waited.
“One person.””
The way he said it made my stomach twist.
“Who?””
He didn’t answer immediately.
That was the answer.
A few minutes later, I was standing downstairs with the photograph still in my hand.
Daniel followed me.
“Please let me explain.””
I turned around.
“Explain what? That my husband had a whole part of his life I knew nothing about?””
“It wasn’t like that.””
“Then what was it like?””
He opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
I laughed bitterly.
“You know what hurts the most?””
He looked at me.
“Not the photo. Not Sarah.””
I held up the picture.
“It’s that I married someone who made me feel like I knew him.””
His face fell.
Before he could respond, Evelyn walked downstairs.
She held a cup of coffee.
Calm.
Almost peaceful.
“You deserve the truth,” she said.
I looked at her.
“Why?””
She took a sip.
“Because Sarah was supposed to be Daniel’s wife.””
The cup nearly slipped from my hand.
“What?””
Daniel’s face turned pale.
“Mom.””
But Evelyn continued.
“She was the woman he loved before you.””
I stared at Daniel.
He didn’t deny it.
And that silence hurt more than any confession.
Then Evelyn placed another envelope on the table.
An envelope I had never seen before.
“This is why I let you sleep on the sofa last night.””
My eyebrows pulled together.
“What?””
She smiled faintly.
“Because I wanted you to find out before you became trapped.””
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a document.
The first line made my blood run cold.
*“DNA Test Results.””*
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And beneath it was a name I recognized.
Daniel’s.
