The Shocking Truth

Chapter One

The first thought that hit me after my phone went missing during my vacation was returning home to my husband, Luke, and surprising him.

We hardly talk, he was always complaining of being busy , so I thought this would be the best way to surprise him. I hadn't told him I was returning early, so I thought I'd just go and catch him off guard, show up unannounced, just to see the look on his face.

But when I got home, there was no one. The house was silent. No sounds of him, no sign of him whatsoever. It felt off, weird. I called out his name; no answer. I really didn't think too much about it, assuming that he was off somewhere with work or something.

I came into the living room and saw it for the first time,bhis second phone. It lay on the couch, just sitting there. I knew it was his, because I'd seen him use it before. He always kept it hidden, but there it was, like he forgot it. I thought this would be a good chance to call my best friend Sophia and tell her I was back. After all, we had said that we would catch up once I was back.

I knew my friends number, Sophia's number by heart, so I picked up the phone and pressed her name. But just as it came on screen, I froze. Her name was in the phone, but it wasn't listed under "Sophia." It was listed under "Honey." Long moments, I stared at the phone and my heartbeat spiked. Honey? I didn't comprehend it. Why would Luke store her number like that? It didn't add up.

I was in a daze. I didn't know what to think, and it wasn't just the name itself that disturbed me, this sixth sense felt that something just wasn't right. My hands shaking, I set the phone down, knowing not whether to call her or just forget about it.

Precisely, I couldn't get it off my mind. I felt from within me that I should have known what was happening. So I picked up the phone again and started going through the messages. My mind was filled with thoughts, but I needed to know.

I scrolled through and came upon a conversation between Luke and Sophia. My heart seemed to stop in time. The messages weren't casual messages. They were. different. Then I saw one that made everything in my world come crashing down.

"Don't worry, I won't fall in love with her. Once I am able to achieve what I want from her father's connections, I'll divorce her." He sent to her.

I could hardly breathe. My hands shook even more as I read it again. Those words felt like a punch to my stomach. What?

I stood there, trying to comprehend what I had just read, tears starting to well in my eyes. Luke, my husband-to-be, my trusted husband, had used me. He wasn't even interested in me, he had married me because of what he could get from my father. At that moment, my heart broke. I wanted to scream, but could not. My legs were numb; my body cold felt rooted to the spot as I stood there.

Just then, when I was trying to digest all that he had said, I heard the opening of the door. Automatically my gaze turned in that direction, and I saw Luke and Sophia coming in together. They were holding on to each other, laughing, and just as they were about to kiss, they both stopped in shock at seeing me standing there.

Everything went silent for a moment. She abruptly pulled away from Luke, the color in her face pale as ice. Luke was surprised but had a hint of guilt in his eyes. I stood there; my heart torn into pieces, I said nothing. The silence between us was like forever.

What. what's going on?" I managed to ask in a voice less than a whisper. I couldn't look at them any longer-not at eye level. The betrayal was too much to handle.

Luke and Sophia exchanged a nervous glance with each other, but neither spoke. I didn't need to hear the lies anymore. I knew it all already.

I had been living a lie.