Her Well-Hidden Secret

After returning from my business trip, I pushed open the door and froze when I saw my wife, Nydia Cooper, on the couch. My face instantly turned red.

There she was, dressed lightly, her posture inviting as she lounged on the sofa. When she noticed me, she gave a shy smile.

My throat felt dry.

Nydia and I had been married for seven years now. Back when we had just graduated college, we'd shared an intense, inseparable time together. But once I started my master's program, I was often away, living on campus.

It wasn't until six months ago, after completing my PhD and starting my job, that we finally settled into a more typical married life.

Nydia got up from the couch as I approached her, holding a small cake I'd brought back.

"Don't put it on the table—it wouldn't look nice," she said nervously, waving her hand.

Scratching my head, I didn't understand her reasoning but complied, still holding the cake as I walked away.

Having just gotten off the plane, I was exhausted. All I wanted was a hot shower, and the cake in my hand felt more like a burden. Spotting a spot on the TV cabinet, I moved to set it there.

In that brief moment, I missed the panic flashing across Nydia's face.

As I placed the cake down, something in the drawer beneath the TV caught my attention—a faint, mysterious red light.

Instinctively, I reached out to investigate, but Nydia hurried over and wrapped her arms around me.

"Oh, come on. You just got home, and that's all you care about?" she teased, playfully tapping my chest.

With her warm embrace and soft fragrance enveloping me, I let go of my curiosity. Scooping her up, I carried her straight to the bedroom.

After an intimate moment, Nydia fell asleep. I kissed her cheek and quietly left the room.

Returning to the TV cabinet, a sense of unease nagged at me. Something about it felt off.

I opened the drawer and found a tiny camera inside.

"What are you doing?"

Nydia's voice came from behind me. I turned, holding the camera in my hand.

"What's this?" I asked, feigning ignorance while studying her expression.

Her face paled, and tears began to shimmer in her eyes.

"It's just a security camera," she explained. "You're gone so often, and it's just me and Rylee at home. I installed it for safety."

Her words carried a hint of reproach as she looked at me with wounded eyes.

Pulling her into my arms, I nodded.

It made sense. Nydia and I had attended the same university, marrying shortly after graduation. We had Rylee within six months.

With my graduate studies out of town and frequent work trips afterward, she'd been left to care for Rylee alone. It was reasonable for her to take precautions.

Seeing my silence, Nydia sniffled and gazed up at me with watery eyes.

"Do you think I'd have bad intentions or something?"

I quickly shook my head, stroking her back gently.

"Of course not. I know you too well—you're the timid one here," I said with a chuckle before asking where Rylee was.

At the mention of our daughter, Nydia's eyes darted away uncomfortably.

"My mom called this morning and said she missed her," she explained. "So, I asked her to take Rylee for a little while. She'll be back in a few days. You've been so busy with work that I didn't want to bother you."

I nodded but felt something was off.

Nydia's mother had passed away years ago. Her current stepmother, Lauren Smith, was not someone who'd naturally miss her step-grandchild.

Confusion swirled in my mind, but I shook it off.

Nydia's explanation sounded plausible. She was a mother, after all, and what mother would harm her child?

I chalked my doubts up to the fatigue of constant travel.

Shrugging off my unease, I reasoned that with Rylee away, Nydia and I could finally reconnect as a couple.

That evening, I made a reservation at a romantic restaurant, hoping to surprise Nydia.

Taking out my phone, I sent her a message.

The moment I hit send, I heard her phone ring from the other room.

I smiled to myself, thinking that she was still as forgetful as ever.

I picked up her phone to bring it to her, but just then, notifications started flooding the screen.