My Valentine Surprise Exposed the Secret My Husband Was Hiding Chapter 07

My Valentine Surprise Exposed the Secret My Husband Was Hiding Chapter 07

A year of secret marriage, and I’d never once heard Zane mention an ex-girlfriend. Just like he had no clue the company he worked for belonged to my family.

We barely went out. I was always worried about running into someone I knew—and apparently, so was he.

So most of our “connection” happened in bed. I honestly thought we were solid.

Why else would I have shown up unannounced, trying to surprise him?

Zane stayed on his knees, begging. “Babe, I swear I’ll be good to you from now on. Just please don’t tell your dad about this.”

“Susie’s had it rough. Her family dragged her down her whole life. She only did what she did to take care of them.”

Even now, he was still making excuses for her. She’s had it rough, she’s had it rough—over and over again. It was honestly pathetic.

Brenda had officially had enough. She stormed over and slapped him again.

“I’m ashamed to call you my son. Listen to yourself—do you even hear the garbage coming out of your mouth?”

“What is it about this Susie that’s got you so wrapped around her finger? You’re practically begging to defend her.”

She was furious. You could tell she wanted to crack his skull open and see what was inside.

“She’s had everything handed to her her whole life,” Zane shot back, pointing at me. “Of course she doesn’t know what Susie’s been through.”

“Susie didn’t choose to be born into that family. She’s a victim too. She sacrificed herself for her family. How many people would do that?”

“Why are you all ganging up on her? What did she even do wrong?”

He said it like he truly believed it—like I was the one who’d condemned Susie to that life.

I looked at Susie, sitting on the floor with her head down, sniffling. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“So growing up poor gives you a free pass to sleep with your sponsor’s husband?”

“Ask her yourself—was my mom ever bad to her? Her tuition, her living expenses, her family’s medical bills—all covered by my mother.”

“She was getting five thousand a month from my mom during college. Still not enough? She had to be the other woman just to make ends meet?”

Zane opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He stood there for a long moment, silent.

Then he finally said, “Your parents were already having problems. Your dad’s the one who went after her. Susie didn’t have a choice. You don’t get to blame her for that.”

“If you want to blame anyone, blame your father. He’s the one who forced her into it.”

No wonder Susie had my dad wrapped around her finger. I mean, look at this—even now, Zane was still defending her.

Guess everything I said went in one ear and out the other. If anything, he seemed even more protective of her now.

“Zane, snap out of it!” Megan jumped in. “She’s obviously making this up. Don’t let her fool you. Susie’s not like that.”

Before she could finish, Aunt Patty clamped a hand over her mouth and yanked her back. “Shut up, you idiot. Both of you are idiots.”

Everyone else in the room could see right through her by now. But Zane was too deep in it to notice.

Brenda looked at me with guilt in her eyes. Real guilt. Real pain.

“Rory, I’m so sorry. I failed as a mother. I didn’t raise him right.”

“I meant what I said yesterday—the moment you walked through that door, I knew you were a good person.”

“No matter what you decide to do about those two, I won’t blame you. I just feel awful that you got dragged into this mess.”

Her words hit me harder than I expected. My throat tightened. My eyes stung.

I just nodded.

Zane? I was done with him.

But that didn’t mean he and Susie were getting off scot-free.