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Chapter 7

Author: Jennifer Yates
I didn't want to say these things to a child, but I needed proof. I asked Rylee what had been happening to her.

She told me that every time I left the house, a man would come and carry her away, locking her in a dark room.

She was scared and wanted to find Nydia, but Nydia always smiled and told her everything was okay.

Right now, I almost wished I could just get rid of Nydia for what she'd done. This was her own daughter, and she actually hurt her like this.

Rylee kept talking. Though she was still so young, her words were clear and structured. I got a general idea of what had been going on.

As soon as the news about the class reunion was sent out, the group chat exploded. It had been years since we last saw each other. A lot of people were looking forward to the gathering.

As the class president was checking the list of people who could come, I glanced at it and saw my old roommate's name—Peter Spencer.

Nydia walked over with a confused look as she stared at the message on her
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  • Her Well-Hidden Secret   Chapter 5

    "The camera was specially modified, and it's rare to find something like this on the market. Where did you get it?" Winston asked, his gaze fixed on the device.I had also started to realize that the forces behind Nydia were much bigger than I had originally thought. Getting out of this situation alone would be nearly impossible.I told him everything.Winston's expression darkened further. He looked at the camera and then back at me."There's been a major case in the city recently, and we've been trying to track down a big player behind it, but we couldn't find any solid leads. After hearing what you said, I have a feeling these two might be connected."A chill ran through me.Nydia had only ever worked at a small company. She was bold, yes, but I never imagined she would be involved in something like this.Winston continued, "You probably aren't aware of this, but according to our investigation, the person backing them has a disturbing interest in children."My stomach turned.

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  • Her Well-Hidden Secret   Chapter 2

    Ever since we started dating, I had never once gone through Nydia's phone. After all, everyone is entitled to their privacy.But for some reason, tonight, I felt an inexplicable urge to take a look.I tried a few passwords—my birthday, her birthday, and even Rylee's—but none of them worked.Nydia walked in and saw me fiddling with her phone. Her expression darkened slightly."What's this? After all these years of marriage, have you finally decided to start playing detective?" she teased, then casually unlocked the phone and handed it to me.On the screen was a chat with someone saved as "Ms. Wright", with a profile picture of a woman. The messages consisted of files and timestamps."That's Ms. Wright from our company. She's been eyeing me for a promotion and has been piling on the work. Satisfied now?" Nydia explained.I gave the chat a quick glance, then chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.She gently punched me in the chest as I apologized. "I'm sorry. How about

  • Her Well-Hidden Secret   Chapter 1

    After returning from my business trip, I pushed open the door and froze when I saw my wife, Nydia Cooper, on the couch. My face instantly turned red. There she was, dressed lightly, her posture inviting as she lounged on the sofa. When she noticed me, she gave a shy smile. My throat felt dry. Nydia and I had been married for seven years now. Back when we had just graduated college, we'd shared an intense, inseparable time together. But once I started my master's program, I was often away, living on campus. It wasn't until six months ago, after completing my PhD and starting my job, that we finally settled into a more typical married life. Nydia got up from the couch as I approached her, holding a small cake I'd brought back. "Don't put it on the table—it wouldn't look nice," she said nervously, waving her hand. Scratching my head, I didn't understand her reasoning but complied, still holding the cake as I walked away. Having just gotten off the plane, I was exhau

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