The Truth She Couldn't Hide

Silence fell over the private room.Gwen, who had been dead drunk just moments ago, sobered up by half. She stared at me in utter disbelief.Our former class representative hurried to smooth things over. "Lucien, you've had too much to drink. You can't joke about something like that.""Exactly. Gwen was only joking about what she said earlier. You can't get back at her by making up something like this. It'll only hurt your marriage."The classmates around me chuckled awkwardly and patted me on the shoulder, doing their best to lighten the suffocating atmosphere.I raised my glass, drained it in one gulp, and leaned back lazily in my chair as I drawled. "I wasn't joking. For the past seven years of our marriage, Gwen would call out Nikolas' name whenever she's hammered. She moaned his name every single time we slept together. "Even the virtual pet chicken in her game was named NikkiBoo. We've been sharing a bed while dreaming of different people for seven years. So, was it really

Gwen fell silent for a moment before raising her voice. "What's it to you? He's not your child. Who are you to question me?"Of course, she wouldn't answer. Or rather, I knew she didn't dare.When she'd gotten pregnant, she'd been so afraid I'd find out that she'd made up an excuse about being sent away by the company for training. I remembered it clearly because I'd postponed our wedding by an entire year because of that.She was so good at keeping her condition hidden that I never found the slightest sign that she'd given birth even after we got married.I probably would have remained in the dark forever if I hadn't accidentally discovered those prenatal checkup reports while helping her put away her clothes.That thought brought a cold smile to my lips as I stubbed out my cigarette. "You're right. I'm in no place to question you," I said. "I was only worried that, to keep me from finding out, you might've secretly abandoned the child. After all, that's still a life. If you'd re

After ending the call, I pulled out a chair and made myself comfortable.Meanwhile, Gwen carefully helped the injured Nikolas to his seat and gently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "Nikolas, I'm so sorry you got dragged into this, but don't worry. I'll make Lucien pay for what he's done."Nikolas smiled faintly and reached up to ruffle her hair. "It's okay. I initially thought Luc was just a little petty. I never imagined he had a violent streak. Gwen, listen to me. Divorce him. If it comes to that, I'll take care of you."Gwen didn't hesitate to nestle herself into Nikolas' arms and nod eagerly in response to his declaration.I almost laughed.She was the cheater, and the one who bore another man's child. Yet, she had somehow painted herself as the victim. Meanwhile, I, the real victim, was forced to sit there and watch the two of them openly flaunt their affair right in front of me.The irony of it all was almost unbearable.I cleared my throat and absentmindedly

The video showed Nikolas carrying a swaddled infant as he sneaked into a public restroom. Five minutes later, he walked back out as if nothing had happened. The only difference was that the baby in his arms was gone.The footage ended there, but no one in the room needed to see any more. Everyone understood that the little boy in my arms was the very baby Nikolas had abandoned in that restroom seven years ago, Nikolas and Gwen's biological son.Gwen broke down right then and there. She lunged at Nikolas, pounding her fists against him as she screamed through her tears, "Why? Why? I loved you so much! I trusted you with our child, and you threw him away!"Nikolas collapsed onto the floor without saying a word, allowing her fists to rain down on him."I'll answer that for him," I said calmly, sparing a disdainful glance at the hysterical Gwen. "The man you worshipped as the love of your life was nothing more than a degenerate gambling addict."Then, I began telling everyone what had

During the month I spent in Goldenvale, Gwen sent me dozens of text messages and called me more than ten times a day. Her messages amounted to the same thing—her begging for my forgiveness and asking to reconcile.However, my resolve to divorce her never wavered.So, it ended with me blocking her number.Soon, the day of the divorce hearing arrived. Elio and I boarded a flight back to Bayport.I nudged him awake and asked, "Is the lawyer you found for me any good?"Elio, who was still half asleep, smacked his lips before mumbling groggily, "Relax. She's one of the country's best lawyers… and she's gorgeous too."For some reason, the backpacker I'd met in Goldenvale flashed through my mind's eye once more. I even caught myself wondering if, by some miracle, she might be that lawyer.And as fate would have it, I saw her standing outside the courthouse on the day of the hearing."It's you! So, you had a wife!"Her name was Maisie Fielding and her smile was sweet enough to brighte