I Can Smell Every Lie, and My Husband Reeked of Betrayal Chapter 05

I Can Smell Every Lie, and My Husband Reeked of Betrayal Chapter 05

“Shannon—can you move your appointment this afternoon? Wren’s running a fever. Chloe’s alone at the hospital and can’t handle it.”

Thursday, noon. When the screen lit up, I thought I was seeing things.

The OB appointment was at two, and we’d set it a week ago. He’d put the reminder in the calendar himself. I watched him hit save.

Now he wanted me to move it.

Because another woman’s daughter had a fever.

I stared at the text for a long time. I typed something out and deleted it. Then typed again. Deleted that too.

In the end, I reply one word.

Shannon: [Fine.]

Five minutes later, he sent another text.

Finn: [Are you mad at me? I’ll come home tonight and stay with you.]

I didn’t reply.

I drove to the hospital by myself.

The probe was ice-cold against my belly. The baby’s heartbeat flickered on the screen.

The doctor said everything looked normal.

“Where’s your partner? You came alone?”

“He’s busy.”

“Oh.” She gave me a longer look. “Some tests at the next visit need your partner’s signature. Don’t forget to bring him.”

I didn’t go home after that.

I drove to Finn’s office instead. I wanted to see if he was really at the hospital.

The receptionist beamed. “Shannon! Mr. Carter’s in his office.”

His office. He said he was at the hospital.

Upstairs, I pushed his door open.

The first thing I saw was Chloe sitting in Finn’s chair, Wren cradled in her arms.

The little girl’s cheeks were flushed, a cooling patch stuck to her forehead.

Finn crouched in front of them, peeling an orange.

The three of them looked like a real family.

He heard me and looked up. Panic flickered across his face.

“Shannon? Why are you here?”