Chapter 5
Ethan proved the first part by giving Rebecca everything.
His phone.
His laptop.
His email passwords.
His bank statements.
His deleted messages.
He did not complain.
He did not ask me to trust him.
He did not say privacy.
That was the only reason I let him stay in the hospital waiting room instead of telling Daniel to drag him out.
By the next morning, Rebecca’s investigator found the first forged message.
It looked like it came from Ethan.
Vanessa, I know this is painful, but once Emily is declared unfit, Mom and I want you involved. Lily deserves a stable mother.
I read it three times.
My hands went numb.
Ethan stood beside the window, pale.
“I never wrote that.”
Rebecca nodded.
“The metadata agrees.”
He turned.
“It does?”
“It came from a device logged into your account, but not your phone or laptop. Different IP. Same one used to access Patricia’s home Wi-Fi.”
Ethan sank into the chair.
“She used my account.”
“Likely,” Rebecca said.
“She knew my passwords.”
Daniel muttered, “Of course she did.”
Ethan covered his face.
“My whole life. She’s always had access. Bank account when I was in college. Email for paperwork. She said families don’t hide things.”
I looked at him.
“And you let that become our marriage.”
He dropped his hands.
May you like
“Yes.”
His honesty did not heal me.
