The Sign Language He Faked, The Family He Hid Chapter 05

The Sign Language He Faked, The Family He Hid Chapter 05

I looked at Grant’s ashen face and nodded.

“Yes.”

“I’ve been able to hear since before our anniversary.”

The live chat instantly exploded with comments.

My brother reacted first, reaching for the controls.

I caught his hand before he could shut anything down.

“Didn’t you want me to clear everything up in front of everyone?”

“I’m not finished.”

I turned back to the camera.

“The first thing I signed was, ‘Camille Dawson used to be my best friend.”

“Grant told you I had known about her pregnancy three years ago and had agreed that Stella would be our

goddaughter.”

“The second thing I signed was that the child was innocent and people should stop attacking her.”

“He told you that everything involving Camille and Stella had happened with my permission.”

“I never said any of that.”

The live chat flooded with questions.

Grant reached for the microphone.

“Elise, you just got your hearing back. You’re emotionally unstable right now.”

“Let’s end the livestream and talk about this at home.”

I stepped back before he could take the mic.

“Why do we need to talk about it at home?”

“So at home, you’re still the one who gets to tell everyone what I said?”

His hand stopped in midair.

Mom finally rushed in front of the camera.

“Elise, are you sure you haven’t misunderstood?”

“We hid the truth because we were afraid you wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

I looked at her.

“On our anniversary, you said the cake had already been delivered to the hotel.”

“You said you’d all go over once I was asleep.”

Mom went pale.

My brother blurted out, “You heard that too?”

“I didn’t just hear it.”

“I went to the hotel.”

I pulled out my phone and played the video I’d recorded that night.

On–screen, Stella had her arms around Grant’s neck as she clearly called him Daddy.

Mom held Stella.

My brother held up his camera.

Camille stood beside Grant.

And on the ballroom’s big screen, the video montage showed all of them sharing Stella’s first three years.

The supposed airport goodbye photo appeared too.

The next clip showed Camille leaving the airport and later living in the next city over while receiving private maternity care.

The live chat erupted.

[Is Stella really Grant’s daughter?]

[So the whole story about Camille leaving the country three years ago was fake?]

[They took advantage of his deaf wife to hide his affair baby for three whole years?]

[Everything he just “interpreted” was a lie!]

Camille immediately covered Stella’s face.

“Don’t film her.”

I signaled the crew to switch off the side camera covering them.

“She’s three years old.”

“I won’t reveal her identity or show her face.”

“But you don’t get to use her innocence as a reason to make me lie for every adult involved in this.”

Grant’s voice began to shake.

“Elise, I can explain.”

“Camille had just found out she was pregnant. She was emotionally unstable.”

“The doctor said she couldn’t handle any more stress.”

“We only wanted to wait until the baby was born safely, then reveal the truth to you a little at a time.”

I looked at him.

“And after she was born?”

“After she turned one month old?”

“After she turned one? Two? Three?”

He had no answer.

My brother finally forced the livestream offline.

But it was already too late.

Countless viewers had saved complete screen recordings.

I looked down, slipped off my wedding ring, and placed it on top of the fraudulent sign–language script.

Grant immediately grabbed my wrist.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting a divorce.”

His hands moved before he seemed to realize it.

[Don’t do anything rash.]

I looked at the hands I had once depended on more than anything.

“Grant, I can hear now.”

“I don’t need you to speak for me anymore.”

I pulled my hand free.

Just before I walked out of the room, I heard Stella crying behind me.

“Daddy, why did she say you lied to her?”

Grant didn’t answer.

And this time, I didn’t stay behind to swallow another one of his lies.