Chapter 4: The Unveiling

I moved through the night like a silent wraith, following the familiar figure of my husband as he navigated the dark streets with a sense of urgency that was all too rare in his interactions with me. The car ate up the miles, the city lights blurring into a stream of color as we left the bustle behind, heading towards a house that held a secret I had only discovered in death.

The house was a quaint, two-story structure with a well-manicured lawn and curtains that were always drawn, shielding its secrets from the world. It was the place Jayden had lived in before we were married, a fact he had shared with a casual shrug, mentioning it had been rented out since we moved into our own home. Now, as I watched him approach the door with a key from his chain, I couldn't help but wonder at the lies that had become the foundation of our marriage.

Inside, the house was a contradiction of warmth and coldness. The fireplace crackled merrily, casting dancing shadows on the walls, but the air was heavy with a tension that was almost palpable. Yve Sinclair, Jayden's ex-girlfriend, the woman he had called his lost, everlasting love, was curled up on the couch, her eyes wide with fear as she looked at the door.

She was the woman he had rescued from drug dealers three months before, the reason for his late nights and distant behavior. The realization was a bitter pill to swallow, especially when I had been so blind to it all.

Jayden burst through the door, his voice shaky as he called out, "Yve?" The only other time I had seen him this scared was when his father died. Yve was huddled in the corner of the couch, trembling. When she heard my husband's voice, she scrambled up and threw herself into his arms like a scared bunny. My husband's body tensed for a moment before reaching out and embracing her.

He stroked her hair with one hand, murmuring comfort in a low voice, "It's okay. Don't be afraid. I'm here." Yve clung to him, tears streaming down her face. "Where have you been? I was so scared without you here!"

Jayden offered a warm explanation. "Sorry, I got caught up with the autopsy results for that dismemberment case." Yve's eyes flickered as she pulled back slightly. "Oh? Did you find anything?" she asked.

"We found out the victim was pregnant. It looks like a revenge killing, but we haven't identified her yet. No leads so far." "A pregnant woman… That's awful…" She said it, but her eyes sparkled with something that felt fake, almost smug. The hypocrisy was disgusting.

She pretended to show sympathy while clearly fishing for information about the case! Facing Yve, my husband spilled everything about the case even though he would usually keep things quiet. It was so unfair. Was this the difference between someone he loved and... not?

Just because he loved her, his usual strictness vanished. Just because the one asking was Yve Sinclair, he seemed to be very eager to share everything like a dam breaking. "The murderer cut the victim's belly open, took out the baby and replaced it with drugs inside her uterus. So, we think it might be someone we missed catching three months ago, deliberately taunting the police."

Yve gasped, her voice trembling in fear. "No way! That's… way too terrifying! Did you find the culprit?" "Not yet," my husband said with a frown, looking worried. "We think it might be someone from that group we busted a while back. I'm worried the murderer might target you if they know you're alive."

"Stay inside for a while," he instructed gently. "If anything strange happens, call me right away." Yve nodded obediently.

Trying to change the subject, she asked, "Jay, you come here every day to keep me company. Doesn't your wife mind? She is your wife, after all. Didn't she mention being pregnant before?"

The mere mention of me made my husband's expression turn cold. However, when he looked back at Yve, his expression softened again as if he did not want to scare her. "Why bring her up? If it weren't for her, my father wouldn't...." He stopped with a frown. "You should get some rest, it's late already."

"But I'm scared…." Yve whined.

"Don't be," he soothed. "I'll stay here until you fall asleep before leaving."

I was floating in the air, watching my husband whisper by Yve's bed, his voice gentle and soothing. His eyes held a tenderness I had never known before. A picture of porcelain perfection, they seemed sculpted for each other.

A knife twisted in my gut, a hurtful realization shattering my world. I had always been the outsider. But Jayden, my dear husband… the woman you were so worried about... was not the angel you think she was.