All Chapters of The Secret We Kept: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

I pushed open the door to the private dining room and found a man in a black jacket waiting inside.He had pleasant features, an average build, and the polished, dependable look people stereotypically associated with government workers—the kind of steady, high-quality catch on the blind date market.By the time I came back to myself, Kaleb Duffy was already on his feet, pulling out my chair like a perfect gentleman. Once we were seated, he got straight to the point and began introducing himself.He was twenty-eight, held a management position at a publicly traded company, owned a luxury condo downtown, drove a nice car, and had been in two serious relationships.On paper, everything about him was just right.I listened quietly the whole time, yet an inexplicable sense of boredom welled up inside me, probably because I hadn't wanted to come in the first place.Before the holidays, Isabel Calloway, my mother, had constantly nagged me about finding a boyfriend. When she realized nag

Diego arrived looking like he'd driven straight through the storm. Cold air clung to him, and flecks of snow still dusted his hair and shoulders.He took one look at me and asked, as though he'd expected this all along. "You caught a cold?"Without answering, I simply stepped aside and let him in. I sat on the couch while he headed straight for the kitchen, as familiar with my apartment as if it were his own.He boiled water, then effortlessly carried me back to the bedroom and tucked me beneath the blankets until only my face was exposed.He pressed a cooling patch against my forehead. Then he fed me my medicine.My nose stung as I fought back tears. The tightness in my chest only grew worse.For some reason, I found myself thinking back to two years earlier, when I'd just started my first job.Money had been tight, so I'd rented a cheap apartment in an older neighborhood while I got on my feet. The walls were paper-thin.Every night, strange noises drifted through the buildin

Diego frowned. "Is that really why you're ending it?"I looked at him without a trace of emotion. "Isn't that enough?"The truth was, he'd heard every word of that conversation. He just didn't think his mother had done anything wrong.As far as he was concerned, she'd done nothing wrong. Everything she'd said was true, and I knew he'd heard it.I spent the next two weeks keeping my distance, partly because I wanted to see what he would do, and partly because I still loved him. The little boy I'd spotted across a crowd all those years ago had somehow kept my heart ever since.That day, we parted on bad terms. Neither of us reached out afterward.Still, I believed every relationship deserved a proper goodbye. So I texted him that we were over.That same afternoon, he got on a plane and showed up on my campus that afternoon.I stared at him in shock.Without saying a word, he pulled me into his arms and held me tight. His voice was hoarse as he whispered against my ear, "Gemma, y

As if showing me off was the whole point, Ellie smiled at me. "Gemma, is this the blind date Linda introduced you to? You two look great together."As she spoke, she slipped her arm through Diego's and beamed up at him. "Don't you think so, Diego?"His eyes lingered on my face for a brief moment before a smile tugged at his lips. "Looks-wise, they're a pretty good match."The implication couldn't have been clearer: Kaleb and I were both painfully ordinary.Ellie burst into laughter, making no effort to hide the contempt in her eyes as she looked us over.I smiled right back. "You two make a great match too."Her eyes lit up with amusement. "Oh? In what way? Although I think Diego and I are pretty compatible in every way."The smile on my lips widened. "A scumbag and a homewrecker. You were made for each other."Ellie's smile froze. A second later, her face twisted with anger, all pretense gone. "What the hell is wrong with you, Gemma?!"I let out a cold laugh. "Who started thi

The next few days passed quietly.Then, on the third day, my mom stopped me. She hesitated for a long moment before finally asking, "Gemma, tell me the truth. Were you really dating Diego?"I froze. Frowning, I asked instinctively, "Who told you?"Before she could answer, the doorbell rang.Linda stood outside. For the first time, she dropped the kind, affectionate mask she'd always worn around me."Gemma, haven't I always treated you well? I've loved you like my own daughter since you were little. And this is how you repay me? How could you date Diego? What makes you think you're good enough for Diego?"I don't know what kind of spell you've cast on him, but you're ending this relationship today."My mom didn't hesitate for a second. "Why exactly is Gemma not good enough for Diego? Sure, Diego's accomplished. But Gemma isn't lacking either. For all you know, he was the one chasing her."Warmth spread through my chest.Before the argument could spiral any further, I stepped in