Sarah's POV

Later that night, after a dinner that was barely enough for all of us, I sat on the edge of the bed in the kids’ room. The room was small, and the walls were old and peeling.

Ethan and Lily crawled under their thin blankets, their bodies curling close to each other for warmth. I leaned back against the wall, and watched them settle in.

Ethan didn’t pull his blanket all the way up. Instead, he turned and looked at me, his eyes too serious for a child his age. “Mom, you don’t look happy,” he said, reaching out a small hand. “Why?”

The question hit me like a physical blow. I felt a lump of hot coal in my throat as I gripped the edge of the old mattress so hard my fingers hurt. “Why do you say so, Eth?” I asked, forcing a calm tone.

Lily shifted closer to me, her small face tilted up as she studied me closely. “You couldn’t eat at the table, Mom,” she said in her tiny voice. “You just stared at your plate like you were scared of it.”

I stayed silent, while Ethan nodded slowly, like he was putting pieces together and said. “And you were fumbling with your food.”

He was only a child, but he saw everything.

Lily reached out and held my hand. Her fingers were warm, while mine were shaking. I pulled my hand back gently and forced a sharp, fake smile.

“You see,” I said quickly, “Mommy was just meditating on something important.”

I felt my eyes brim with tears. “And trust me, Mommy is really happy, okay?” I muttered, staring at the floor. But they didn’t look convinced. Worry sat plainly on their little faces.

“Listen, Eth,” I said slowly, my voice barely above a whisper, “I have to go now. Put Lily to sleep if you can. Be a good big brother, okay?”

He nodded, though his eyes stayed on me.

I leaned down and kissed them both on the forehead, stood up, and turned toward the door.

“Goodnight, Mom,” Ethan and Lily said at the same time.

“Good night,” I replied softly, switched off their light and stepped out.

The moment I shut the door behind me, my body gave up. I burst into tears, slamming my hands over my mouth so the sound would not reach them. My back hit the door and I slid down to the floor, sobbing silently. My whole body was shaking. How could I explain to these children that their home was about to break into pieces? How could I tell them their world was cracking right under their feet?

Then, Ethan’s voice drifted through the door. “And the dragon said, the sky is blue in the day and dark in the night…” He was telling Lily a bedtime story, the same one I used to tell him when he was smaller.

I pressed my forehead against the door and let the last of the tears fall. Then I lifted my hands and wiped my face slowly, once, then again, until my skin felt tight and dry. I drew in a deep breath through my nose and held it there, forcing my chest to steady as I pushed myself up, and stepped away from the door.

I walked into my bedroom. Sean was already on the bed, lying on his side, his back facing me. He looked peaceful, but my mind was screaming.

Five years ago, when I was pregnant with Lily, life felt different. He used to put Ethan to sleep himself. He used to wait for me so we could fall asleep together, his hand wrapped around mine. Not until he blamed my signature for his failed contract. He said my signature wasn’t found in the system, that it was my fault we were poor. No clear reason. No explanation. Just blame.

Could it all have been lies? Did he get that contract? The thought hurt so badly that I forced myself to speak.

“Sean,” I called out, staring at his still back. “So tell me… what is the business trip really about?” I asked, but the room remained silent. Only the sound of the wind outside filled the room. “Sean!” I called out again, moving closer to the bed but he didn’t move.

My heart started racing like a drum. I moved to the side of the bed, touched his shoulder, and realized he was deeply asleep. He was snoring lightly with his phone clutched tightly in his right hand, even in sleep.

I stared at his handsome face, pain and anger twisting inside me. Valerie Shawn’s perfect smile, and the black card filled my mind. I rose slowly and went to the wardrobe.

I opened it silently, searched through the pockets of his old coats with trembling fingers until I found his debit card. My heart began to ache again. It had the same name and the same code Valerie used to pay for the dresses at the boutique. I placed it aside and began searching the lower wardrobe. I moved files and papers, but they were mostly old bills and irrelevant documents.

Then, I saw his heavy metal file box, tucked away in the back. I tried to lift the lid, but it was locked with a code I didn't even know. That was the moment I knew there might be evidence of his lies and deceit inside it.

I had been with Sean for seven years, seven years of my life, and I never imagined I would become a spy in my own home, searching for evidence of my husband’s lies.

I glanced at him to be sure he was still asleep, then carried the box to the floor, sat down, and began testing codes. I tried his birthday, the kids' birthdays, and some other codes but it still wouldn't open.

Sean suddenly turned on the bed, his body shifting under the sheets. I froze and stared at him for a few seconds. I stood up slowly, my heart slamming against my ribs, reached for the light-switch and turned it off immediately.

I sat in the dark, my breath coming in short, scared gasps, waited for minutes until I heard his steady snoring again.

Then I turned on my phone, dimmed the light, and tried more codes.

Finally, I typed 7780, his debit card code and it opened. My hands trembled so badly I almost dropped the phone.

I looked at Sean again, and he was still deeply asleep.

I began going through the files. At first, they were unknown business papers. But as I kept looking, I saw papers for houses, cars, and lands worth millions of dollars, all in his name. Then, I saw hard copy photos of him in expensive hotels, drinking wine in clubs, and wearing suits that cost more than our apartment. I flipped through them until I reached the last one, and there it was. A picture of him and Valerie, the same elegant lady who came to Lumière House, standing in front of a private jet. My heartbeat dropped instantly. I increased my phone brightness just a little and looked closely at the photo.

The Sean in the picture looked like a billionaire. He looked much more real than the poor Sean laying in my bed. Tears began dropping from my eyes. They fell onto the photo, making it wet. I immediately slipped the picture into my clothes and kept looking.

At the bottom of the box was a familiar file: VANT APEX GROUP.

My hands shook as I opened it carefully. I felt like I was going to faint, the words blurring before my eyes.

It stated that I, Sarah Miller, agreed to transfer my rightful ownership and position as CEO of Vant Apex Group to Mr. Sean Miller, my husband. My signature sat neatly at the bottom. I did sign it, but I remembered that day, he had told me my signature was needed... nothing serious, just for support, because I was his wife to help him get a contract. And then told me it was a "failed contract" later that week, blaming my signature for it.

The truth hit me like a train as I continued reading through the file. I saw the name, Vesper Vant, my late mother's best friend before she traveled out.

She had sent me the invitation to become CEO of her company, Apex group, five years ago, knowing I'd be the perfect fit.

The terms were clear: a 10-year trial period, and if I did well, the position would be mine fully. But Sean had intercepted it, and tricked me into signing away my rightful place.

He'd stolen my future. He'd stolen my children's future. He'd been living as a billionaire for five years, while I slaved away at Lumière House, my feet aching from standing all day. The pain of betrayal cut deep – Vesper had trusted me with this chance, and I'd let Sean take it all away.

I felt like the room was closing in on me then the worst thing happened. I heard a sound from the bed.

“Sarah…” Sean’s voice was deep and clear in the quiet room. I looked up, frozen. Sean was sitting up on the bed, staring straight at me in the dim light of my phone.

Sarah's POV

"What are you doing on the floor?" Sean asked quietly, his voice hitting me like a cold splash of water.

I swallowed hard, my mouth dry and useless. Behind me, the metal file box sat open, papers spread like a crime scene... proof of his double life.

"I...I couldn't sleep," I said, forcing the words out of my throat, my hands twisted together. "I am....I..I keep thinking about how life's been unfair to us."

He remained silent, his gaze drifting through the room, the dark shadows, the open wardrobe, the floor near my feet. It landed on my hands, clenched into tight fists. For one terrifying second, I was sure he'd spotted the gold seal on the Vant Apex Group file... and heard my heart screaming the truth.

Then, instinct took over. I had to hide it.

I moved quickly, leaning forward as if my legs had truly given out. My knee struck the box, nudging it into the wardrobe's shadows while I coughed loudly to cover the sound. As I shifted, I swept a stack of files under the curtain, hiding them from view.

Sean swung his legs off the bed and stood up. He instantly clicked the light on-harsh yellow light hitting my eyes, making me wince. My breath caught in my chest as he stood tall, staring down at me, face unreadable. Not angry, not soft... just alert. Like a man yanked from a dream he wasn't ready to leave.

"You have to be strong Sarah, okay?" he said, sounding concerned. But his tone didn't match his eyes... cold and searching.

"I told you, I can't sleep," I repeated, keeping my voice low and small.

He took a step closer to me. Then another, floorboards creaking beneath him. My heart pounded harder with each step. I braced myself, waiting for him to spot the file peeking from under the curtain, waiting for everything to blow up.

But he didn't look down. Instead, he reached out his hand toward me. "Come on," he said. "Get up off the floor."

I stared at his hand like it was a trap. I didn't want to take it. Every instinct in my soul screamed at me to run, to scream, to push him away... but I couldn't. Not now. Not when suspicion was hanging in the air like thick smoke.

I placed my trembling hand in his. His fingers closed around mine firmly, too firmly as he pulled me to my feet with a sudden strength that reminded me how much power he had always held over me. He guided me toward the bed, his grip never loosening.

"You scared me," he said as he sat me down on the mattress. "I woke up and you weren't here."

I said nothing. I couldn't trust my voice.

He sat beside me, turning to face me. For a long moment, he just looked, his eyes tracing my face, catching on my tight jaw and the tears I was fighting back. Then his expression shifted, softened... or maybe he just made it look that way.

"You've been worrying too much, Sarah," he murmured, raising his hand to my face. His thumb brushed lightly beneath my eye, wiping away a stray tear. "I told you, everything will be okay."

Before I could move or pull away, he leaned in and kissed me.

It wasn't a rough kiss, that was the part that frightened me the most. It was slow and deliberate. His hands felt warm as they rested on my back, pulling my tired body closer to his. I felt frozen, and stayed rigid while he deepened the kiss, acting as if his touch could erase the five years of lies.

His fingers slid down to the hem of my clothes, tugging gently at the fabric.

"Sean," I whispered, turning my face away so he couldn't reach my lips.

He paused. His forehead rested against mine, his breath warm on my skin as he asked, "What's wrong?"

I forced myself to breathe. I had to play the part. "I don't feel well," I said quickly. "My head hurts so much. I think... I think I'm coming down with something. I feel a fever starting."

He studied me again. For a second, I saw a flicker of suspicion in his eyes, like he was trying to see through my mask.

"I've just been thinking," I added. I let my voice tremble on purpose. "About money. About how we will pay for medicine if I get worse. The kids need so much, Sean. The rent is almost due, and the fridge is empty."

That did it. The mention of money acted like a cold wind. He pulled back immediately. His face hardened, the 'softness' vanishing in a second.

"I told you," he said sharply, standing up and walking away from the bed. "I'm broke."

The word 'broke' felt like acid in my ears. I knew he had millions, if not billions. I'd seen the papers.

"I don't have anything to give you right now," he continued, pacing the room. "Maybe after this trip... if things go well, I might have a little money then."

'A little!' He was talking about a few dollars while he carried a black card that could buy the whole street.

I looked up at him. Disgust twisted deep in my stomach, making me want to throw up again. Tears burned my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. He noticed the wetness in my eyes anyway.

"Hey," he said, his voice dropping again, into that fake, calm tone. "Why are you crying now?"

I shook my head and looked at the wall. "I'm just tired, Sean. I'm just so tired."

He sighed, sounding annoyed that I was being difficult. He came back to the bed and sat beside me. "You worry too much, Sarah. I keep telling you, things will change. You just have to trust me."

'Trust.' The word echoed painfully in my mind. How could he say that word?

He kissed my forehead once, like he was sealing a lie. "I have to get back to bed," he murmured. "Big day tomorrow." He lay back down, turned his back to me, and within minutes, his breathing slowed, steady and even. He was asleep.

I didn't sleep. I couldn't.

I sat there, staring at the back of his head. My body was buzzing with a mix of fear and pure rage. Very carefully, I stood up without making a sound, and moved back to the wardrobe like a ghost.

My hands moved fast now, fueled by panic. I returned every single file to its exact position, and made sure they were in the same order I found them. I wiped the box with my sleeve to remove any marks. I closed it, locked it, and slid it back into the dark corner where it belonged. I checked the floor for any stray papers, checked the bed, and checked the wardrobe. When I was done, there was no sign I had ever touched anything.

Only then, did I lie back down. But even then, my eyes stayed open.

Morning came much too fast. I woke to the sound of running water in the bathroom. Sean was already in the shower. I lay perfectly still, heart pounding against the mattress.

He hummed a happy song, zipped his bag, fastened his watch... sounding like a man with a clear conscience as he stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in a crisp shirt, looking confident. He went straight to the wardrobe.

I watched him through my eyelashes, pretending to be half-asleep. He knelt down. My breath stopped in my lungs.

He pulled out the metal box and placed it on the floor in the middle of the room.

What is he doing? my mind screamed.

He frowned as he unlocked it, flipping through the files slowly, his fingers moving with deliberate care. The papers I had carefully put back only hours ago lay exposed beneath his hands. He said nothing.

Then he straightened and turned toward the bed.

"Sarah." His voice was sharp enough to cut. I opened my eyes and met his stare.

"Did you touch this box?" he asked, his gaze locked onto mine.

I stayed perfectly still. The room seemed to hold its breath with me. Did he notice something was missing? Was he counting the files?

My hand slid instinctively toward my stomach under the blanket. My fingers brushed against the fabric of my nightshirt. Then, I felt it. The thin, sharp edge of a photograph. My heart dropped into my stomach as the realization slammed into me.

The photo. I'd slipped it into my clothes last night to get a clear view of it, and in the panic to put the files back, I'd left it on me.

My pulse roared in my ears as Sean stared at me, waiting for an answer.

Had he already noticed the photo was gone? Or was he about to find out? I couldn't tell. And that terrified me most.

Sarah's POV

Slowly, carefully, I blinked, pretending to wake. I let my gaze stay unfocused, as if the world were still soft and blurred around the edges. "What box?" I asked quietly, forcing a sleepy softness into my voice.

He just stared, not answering. Instead, he squatted on the floor and began flipping through the files again. His fingers moved slowly, and deliberately. He was counting the papers without letting me see, checking to make sure everything was still there, maybe.

I swallowed hard, my throat painfully dry.

The photograph lay flat against my stomach beneath my nightclothes, hot and sharp against my skin. With every breath, fear flickered-terrified he'd notice the photograph shift.

"Sarah," he said quietly, without looking up from the box. "You were on the floor last night. Right here."

I nodded, careful to keep my expression neutral. "I told you, Sean. I couldn't sleep. I felt dizzy from thinking a lot and needed to sit down."

He looked up then, his gaze settling on me. It felt like he was searching my mind. I dropped my eyes deliberately, afraid he'd see the fear and anger burning in my them.

"You know I get confused when I think too much," I added, forcing a small, tired breath. "You know that, don't you?"

A heavy silence settled over the room, long and frightening. Sean stood up slowly, the box still open at his feet.

"You worry too much," he said again. But this time, it didn't sound like his usual reassurance. To me, it sounded like a warning, stop looking for things.

My fingers curled beneath the blanket as I pressed the photograph tighter against my skin. One thing struck me with terrifying clarity: if he found it on me, there would be no second chance. He would know I'd discovered his double life-Valerie, the Apex Group, all of it.

He would never let me leave this house with the kids. He might even kill me without hesitation, coldly, as if I were nothing more than a loose end.

Suddenly, he reached down, pulled a few documents from the box and closed the lid with a sharp snap. The sound made me flinch. Then he carried the box back to the wardrobe and shoved it into a dark corner.

"Listen, Sarah, it's fine... I gotta go now, gotta catch my bus for the business trip. Just take care of the kids." He said, forcing a husbandly tone.

He stood up and shoved the documents he'd pulled from the box into his expensive suitcase, zipping it shut with a sharp pull. He didn't touch me. No kiss. No whispered 'I love you.' Nothing. Just his bag in his hand, and he was gone.

I froze, listening to the heavy thud of his boots on the floor, the front door swinging open... and then slamming shut.

I let out a long sigh of relief. My whole body went soft, and I lay there for a moment, just breathing. The fear was gone-but in its place was a hot burning anger.

Sean didn't even notice I wasn't getting ready for work. He didn't care about me, nor the kids. He only cared about meeting Valerie in the lavish world he'd built on my signature, a world that should've been mine.

I pulled out the photo, my fingers crushing it as I glared at their smiling faces. Sean's arm around her, then I felt it-the chill spreading in my chest like ice water. My love for him hadn't just faded, it had frozen solid.

What a wicked man! my mind screamed. What a monster!

The sound of the bedroom door opening pulled me back to reality. I quickly pushed the photo deeper under my pillow. Ethan and Lily walked in, looking small and confused.

"Good morning, Mom. I..." Ethan started.

"Why didn't Dad answer us, Mom?" Lily interrupted, her little lip trembling. "We said goodbye to him in the hallway, but he just kept walking."

Hearing it worsened my anger. It felt like a knife in my heart. My own children were being ignored by their father because he was too busy living a double life with another woman. I carried Lily up, holding her close to my chest.

"Dad's rushing to catch a bus, baby," I said, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. I forced a smile, avoiding their eyes. "He probably didn't hear you properly. He has a lot on his mind."

She nodded, then Ethan asked, "Mom, are you staying home with us today?" Looking up at me with his big, thoughtful eyes. "Did the shop let you stay home for the weekend?"

His question shattered me. My little boy noticed I was home, he noticed I wasn't getting ready for work. But the man I'd given seven years of my life to didn't. Sean didn't even look at me long enough to notice I wasn't preparing for work, something I did every weekday without fail, always out the door by seven.

I felt my eyes begin to sting with tears. I tried to hold them back, but they spilled anyway, hot and salty.

Ethan and Lily exchanged a look, fear flickering across their faces as they realized I was crying. Lily lifted her small, soft hand and gently wiped at my tears. I turned my face away, not wanting them to see how broken I felt.

"Why are you crying, Mommy?" Lily asked, her voice trembling, as if she were about to cry too. Ethan looked at me, his eyes shining with tears now. "Mom," he said softly, "tell us... what's happening? Did anyone hurt you?"

I was shaking, but I forced a smile that pulled painfully at my face. "Mommy's just shedding tears of joy," I said, my voice cracking. I hated lying to them, but they were too young for the truth. "My boss gave me two days off to stay home with you guys. I'm just so happy I don't have to go to the boutique."

The children paused and glanced at each other.

"Mom, it's good news! You're supposed to be smiling, not crying," Ethan said. A small smile crept onto his face.

"Yeah!" Lily laughed. "Good news means happy faces, right?"

I nodded sharply. "I am smiling inside, babies," I said, pulling them both into a hug. "I'm just so happy to be with you. We can play games. We can sit together. I won't leave you today."

Lily's eyes lit up. "Can we make pancakes with the little bit of sugar we have left?"

"Yes," I promised. "We'll do everything together."

We sat together on the bed for a moment, wrapped in a small pocket of peace. Their little bodies were warm against mine, and I held them close, feeling the weight of my need to protect them from the storm I knew was coming.

Then a sound cut through the air.

Bzzz. Bzzz. Bzzz.

It was the sound of a phone vibrating-too loud in the stillness of the room. My gaze went to the small table beside the bed, and my heart skipped a beat. My phone was there on the chair not ringing.

But there was another phone on the table, and it was Sean's.

"Damn," I muttered, jumping to my feet.

"What is it, Mom?" Ethan asked, looking surprised.

"Dad forgot his phone," I said, reaching out to pick it up.

I stared at the screen, my breath catching as the world seemed to stop.

'Sweet Valerie.' A wink emoji flashed beside her name. My hand shook violently as the phone buzzed relentlessly like a heartbeat, scorching against my skin. My chest tightened, and for a second, I thought I might drop it or scream.

The phone stopped buzzing for a second, then it started again. She was not giving up. She was waiting for her 'Sean.'

I looked at Ethan and Lily. They were watching me, unaware that the name on the screen was the woman living in our shoes, flaunting everything that was supposed to be ours.

My eyes fixed on the green button. One press and Valerie would know I was alive. One press, and Sean might find out I'd seen everything.

My fingers hovered, trembling. Could I risk it?