Chapter 8: The Cruel Truth

Shirley’s POV:

"Are you absolutely sure you want us to look into all of your husband Steven's assets?" The detective leaned back in his chair, studying me. His voice was calm, almost too calm. Like he'd done this a thousand times before. Maybe he had.

I froze. I had known this moment would come, but I wasn't ready for it. I thought I was prepared, but now, with the question hanging in the air, I felt exposed. My skin prickled with unease.

I didn't answer right away. I just nodded slowly, too numb to speak. I had to know. I had no choice.

"Alright," he continued, "we'll get back to you in three days with the full details. Any other requests? We can pull up his tax records, past relationships, anything you need."

I hesitated. Could I really do this? Could I really dig into everything? But I knew I had to. I had no choice but to face whatever was coming.

"Yes," I finally whispered, my voice barely above a breath. "Please, also check his spending records. All of them. Every single purchase for the past year. I need the full breakdown."

"Got it," he said, writing something in his notebook. "How would you like to pay? We can do credit, check, or cash. And don't worry—we can keep this entirely discreet."

I glanced down at my hands. My wedding ring felt heavier than ever. I wasn't sure why I still wore it. But I couldn't bring myself to take it off. Not yet.

"I'll pay by check," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "But... I don't want Steven to find out about this. It's between us, okay?"

He gave a reassuring nod. "No problem. We're professionals. Your privacy's our priority."

I stood up, my legs feeling unsteady as if the weight of my decision had already begun to pull me down. I walked out of the office, the door clicking shut behind me with a finality that echoed in my chest.

It wasn't until I reached the car that I realized I was holding my breath. I took a deep inKnight, feeling the cold air fill my lungs. Everything in me screamed to run, to pretend this was just a bad dream, but I couldn't. I needed to know the truth. Even if it destroyed me.

I drove to the kindergarten to pick up Abby. When I saw her little face light up as she ran toward me, I almost forgot everything. The worries, the questions, the fear—it all melted away for a moment.

"Mommy! Look what I made!" She handed me a drawing, her eyes wide with excitement.

I glanced at the picture she had drawn of our family—a perfect little scene with three stick figures. Steven, Abby, and me. It was so simple, so innocent. I smiled, my throat tight.

"It's beautiful, sweetie," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I love it."

As we walked to the car, Abby chattered about her day, completely unaware of the storm raging inside me. I smiled and nodded, but my mind was elsewhere.

What if Steven was out there right now, having dinner with someone else? What if he had already moved on, and I was too blind to see it? The thought made my stomach churn. The fear, the doubt—it was suffocating.

But instead of going home, I drove to the mall. I didn't want to face an empty house. I couldn't. Not with all these questions spinning in my head. And if I was being honest with myself, part of me was angry—angry that Steven had been so careless with everything, and angry that I had been too trusting.

I stopped at the toy store. Abby had been begging for a limited edition toy for weeks. It was expensive, something I had told her we couldn't afford. But now, standing in the aisle, I felt something change inside me.

Why should I keep sacrificing when Steven had clearly stopped caring? The money in our account—his money—was long gone. And here I was, worrying about every dollar when he was probably out there, spending it on someone else.

Abby's eyes lit up when she saw the toy, and for a moment, I felt something close to joy. She squealed, running to grab it, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you, Mommy! Thank you!" Her little arms wrapped around me, and I held her close, feeling her warmth against me. It was the kind of hug that made me forget, even for a second, about everything else.

But the warmth didn't last long. The truth was still there, lurking in the back of my mind. As I paid for the toy, I felt a flicker of something deep within me. Rage. Betrayal. But mostly, fear.

How had I let it go on like this? How had I ignored the signs? All the late nights, the half-hearted apologies, the way he started pulling away. I had convinced myself it was nothing. But now, I couldn't deny it anymore.

The detective was going to get back to me soon. And when he did, my world would either shatter or be rebuilt. But right now, all I could do was wait. The truth was coming, and there was no turning back.