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?

Sarah's POV

The phone in my hand stopped buzzing. The name 'Sweet Valerie' disappeared, leaving only the notification of two missed calls.

My heart was beating so hard I thought Ethan and Lily could hear it. Valerie, that was the name of the customer from Lumière House. The woman with the perfect hair and the expensive dresses. The woman who was using my husband's black card.

"She thinks I'm dead," I whispered to myself. "And Sean told her that."

"Mom? Why are you holding Dad's phone like that?" Ethan asked. He walked closer, looking worried. "Is he coming back?"

I quickly put the phone face down on the nightstand, forcing my hands to stop shaking.

"No, Ethan. He just forgot it. He must be in a big hurry for his trip."

"He always forgets things," Lily said, pulling on my night clothes. "Can we make the pancakes now? I'm really, really hungry."

"Yes, baby. Come on, let's go make some delicious pancakes," I said, my voice low.

I walked into the kitchen with Ethan and Lily. The moment they stepped in, they started playing. Ethan tapped a spoon on the counter while Lily chased him around the small table, their little laughs filled the kitchen.

I watched them for a moment. Something inside me felt off, like I was standing there, but my mind was somewhere else.

"Hey, be careful," I said.

"Okay, Mom!" they said together.

Then they went right back to playing, giggling again.

I turned to the counter and grabbed a bowl, my hands felt stiff as I poured flour into it. A small cloud of white dust rose into the air.

I opened the sugar jar and scraped out the last spoon.

"Mmm... the last one," I muttered.

"What's the last one?" Ethan asked, climbing onto a chair to watch me.

"Sugar," I said, stirring the batter. "We need to buy more as soon as possible."

"Oh," he said, losing interest and jumping back down.

I turned on the stove and placed the pan on it. When it got hot, I poured the batter in. Soon, small bubbles started forming on the pancake.

I stared at them.

If I had answered that phone call... everything would be different.

Sean would know that I know everything. He would know I was watching him.

My stomach tightened. If Sean found out I knew his secret, he would hurt me. I was sure of it.

What if he took the kids away from me? Or worse.

No... I had to be careful. I had to stay quiet and think about my next move.

But how could I fight him?

Who could help me?

My thoughts raced with all the terrible possibilities.

"Mom!" Ethan's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Something is burning!"

I blinked and looked at the pan.

"Oh shit!"

Smoke curled up from the pancake, the edge had already turned black.

I quickly flipped it over.

Lily looked up at me with wide eyes.

"Is it burned?" she asked.

"A little bit," I said.

Ethan wrinkled his nose. "It smells funny."

I forced a small smile. "It will still taste good."

"Here you go," I said, putting the small pancakes on their plates.

"Aren't you eating, Mom?" Ethan asked. He looked at my empty plate.

"I'm not hungry, honey. I had a big snack early this morning with your dad," I said with a sheepish smile.

It was the same lie I told almost every day.

While Ethan and Lily ate at the dining table, I went into my room and sat on the edge of the bed. Sean's phone was still faced down on the nightstand, where I'd kept it minutes ago. I picked it up.

It buzzed instantly, as if it had been waiting for me to touch it. A new message from Valerie appeared on the lock screen, making the thump of my heart quicken. I leaned closer to read it.

{I'm at the airport lounge. The private jet is ready. Don't keep me waiting, Sean! I want to be on the beach by sunset.}

Private jet. Beach. Sunset. My heart sank.

I looked around the room. The wallpaper was peeling, the drawers were almost empty, only a few old clothes were inside. The bed was thin and lumpy, one pillow sagged in the corner.

Nothing in this room felt like home. Everything was old, small, and barely enough-but the man I was stuck with in this room was flying off on a private jet.

"He's giving her everything... and leaving us with nothing," I whispered. He was taking from us, giving it all to her.

I put the phone down carefully, my hands shaking.

"Enjoy it while it lasts, son of a bitch," I murmured, tears nearly filling my eyes.

Suddenly, I heard a car horn outside. It wasn't a normal car, It was loud and deep.

My pulse jumped. At first, I thought it was him, coming back for his phone.

But then I knew he wouldn't come back in a car-not one like the horn I just heard. So I wouldn't find out the truth... that he was a thief, a greedy husband, a man I could no longer trust.

I walked to the window and moved the curtain just a little bit. A sleek black car was parked at the curb. A man in a suit got out. It was the same huge guy I had seen with Mr. Adrian at the shop yesterday, the guy that shoved me away like a vegetable.

My breath caught. Why was he here?

Then, a knock came on the door. Not a loud bang like Ms. Harlows', but a polite, firm knock.

I moved quickly.

"Ethan, stay with your sister in the bedroom," I said. My voice was sharp.

"Who is it?" Ethan asked me, looking worried.

"Just a friend from work. Go. Now."

I waited until their bedroom door closed. Then, I walked to the front door, checked the lock, and opened the door just a crack. The huge man stood there, eyes calm but unreadable.

"I'm Roody... Mrs. Miller?" he asked.

"I know you," I whispered. "Why are you here?"

"Mr. Adrian Vale sent me," he said, holding out a small envelope.

"He saw what happened at your work. He knows you were suspended. He wanted me to tell you... no one should be treated that way."

"No... no... it's... it's fine. Besides, I was already suspended before I ran into him," I muttered, slowly taking the envelope from him. It felt heavy in my hands as I stared at it.

"Why does he care? He doesn't even know me."

Roody glanced down the hallway, then back at me.

"Mr. Adrian Vale is a good person. He doesn't need to know you before looking out for you."

"I see... that's so nice of him."

Roody's gaze softened slightly.

"Yeah."

I tightened my grip on the envelope. "And you? Do you care for anything? Even if it's water"

"No," he said, cutting me off without a hint of hesitation.

I studied him, my chest heavy. "Thank you," I said finally. "Send my regards to Mr. Adrian."

Roody gave a small nod. "Goodbye, Sarah," he said. He turned and walked away before I could ask another question.

I closed the door and locked it. I leaned my head against the wood.

Adrian Vale wasn't just a handsome customer. He was a good man... but the envelope in my hand made my heart race. What was inside?

I stared at the envelope, my hands trembling. Slowly, I sank onto the couch and carefully tore it open...