Ten Years, One Lie

The day my overseas assignment finally ended, I kept my return a secret from Marielle Knox and spent thirteen hours flying home. We'd argued only a few days earlier. Marielle wanted me to keep building my career abroad, but I was determined to come home and marry her. Even as I was about to board, she was still trying to talk me out of it over the phone. "Weston, don't throw away your future for me. As long as we love each other, it doesn't matter whether we get married." Hearing that only made me more certain. The moment I landed, I went straight to a jewelry store, bought a diamond ring, and called my childhood best friend, Chase Davis, to tell him about my proposal plan. A baby was wailing on his end of the line. Chase tried to soothe the child and snapped at me, "Weston Brown, wake up! You've been long-distance for five years, and she keeps putting off the wedding. She obviously doesn't want to marry you. "Marriage is where love goes to die. Ever since my wife had the baby, I've been losing my mind!" I was about to argue when I saw Chase walk out of a baby store, holding a child. "My wife's here. Talk later." He hung up in a hurry and waved toward the curb. A black luxury sedan pulled up in front of him. The door opened, and a woman took the baby from his arms and rocked him with the ease of someone who'd done it a thousand times. Sunlight fell across her profile, and the sight stung my eyes. The wife my best friend had kept secret for two years was Marielle—the girlfriend I'd spent five years loving from the other side of the world. Chapter 1 My hand shook as I called Marielle, my heart pounding. As long as she didn't answer, everything I'd just seen wasn't real. A second later, Marielle—still holding the baby—pulled out her phone. She clearly hesitated for a few seconds. Then she rejected the call. My phone went silent at the exact same moment. I was standing just around the corner behind them, close enough to hear every word. "Honey, you're on baby duty tonight. I've been carrying Owen around all day. My arms are about to fall off." Chase had always been proud. In all these years, hardly any woman had ever caught his eye, and this was the first time I'd seen him so attentive and gentle. Marielle leaned in and kissed him on the lips, her voice sugary sweet. "My poor husband. Go home and get some rest." Husband. That one word shattered the last of my illusions. The ring box in my hand seemed to burn, as if it were mocking me for how stupid I'd been all these years. Chase had been secretly married for two years. He never once posted a picture of his wife, yet he was always telling me to break up with Marielle. And every time I brought up marriage, Marielle always had some reason to put it off. She said she didn't want to hold back my career. She told me to go after my dreams. Only now did I understand. Her idea of "not holding me back" was marrying my best friend and having his child. The moment their car pulled away, a message from Marielle came in. The wording was serious, but every line was full of concern. "I was in a meeting and couldn't pick up. Stop staying up so late to call me. It breaks my heart." Five years of long-distance, and she still kept track of the time difference perfectly. Her lies were seamless. On countless nights, Marielle had dragged herself out of bed in the small hours to video call me, and the background was always dark. I'd hated that she was losing sleep for me, but she always patiently told me it didn't matter. She'd always supported me in building my career abroad. She never once complained. Thunder cracked across the sky. Resentment and humiliation surged through me until my eyes burned. My phone rang. It was Chase. "Weston, tomorrow's my son's first birthday. You're his godfather, so don't forget the gift! "My wife and I loved what you sent when he was born." Every word was another knife in my heart. The rain kept drizzling down, as miserable as I felt. Tomorrow was my tenth anniversary with Marielle. I'd planned to propose to her that day. Back at the hotel, I called Marielle five more times. I wanted to hear her explain it herself. She rejected all five calls in a row. On the sixth try, she finally picked up, but this time she sounded impatient. "Weston, I already told you to get some sleep. Whatever it is, it can wait." My voice came out hoarse. "Tomorrow's our tenth anniversary. Isn't there anything you want to say?" The line went instantly silent. I waited. I waited for her to admit that she'd married Chase. To explain why she'd lied to me for so long. All I got was a flimsy excuse. "I'm sorry, Weston. Work's been crazy lately, and I forgot our anniversary. "I have to work late tomorrow too, so I can't video call. Next year, I promise I'll fly out and spend it with you." Even now, she still couldn't come clean. I didn't push her any further. I just deleted my request to transfer back home and wrote a new application instead. Marielle, there wouldn't be a next year for us. Chapter 2 I got in touch with an old friend from high school, Grant Ellison, and found out where Owen's first-birthday party was being held. Grant sounded stunned. "Weston, how did you and Marielle end up breaking up? We all thought you two were getting married. Never thought she'd end up with Chase..." All I could do was laugh bitterly. Even I didn't know when Marielle and I had broken up, let alone when the two of them had gotten married. One was the best friend who'd watched my relationship with Marielle grow from the very beginning. The other was my first love, the girl I'd been with for ten years. A few years ago, when I'd lost faith in our future and worried about Marielle being on her own back home, she'd sworn to me, "Weston, I'll wait for you to come back and marry me. You're the only one I'll ever love." I'd never doubted her feelings for me. I couldn't believe it. When had she started betraying me and sleeping with my best friend? Grant's words only cut deeper. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth to keep my anger down. "Funny thing is, back in school those two couldn't stand each other, and now they're crazy about each other..." As he talked, he sent me a link to one of Chase's social media accounts. Chase and I had never kept secrets from each other, yet I'd never seen this account before. The pinned post was a live photo. A man's large hand gripped a woman's slender, pale wrist so tightly the veins stood out. The caption read: "Finally slept with the girl I've wanted since I was a kid. Now I can die happy." The post had over a hundred thousand likes, and the comments were full of people congratulating them. I was the only one who noticed the date it was posted. That was the day Marielle and I had a huge fight over something petty. I'd called her all day long. She'd vanished for the entire day, her phone switched off. It was Chase who'd called to reassure me. "Marielle's out getting drunk at a bar. Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her for you." Two days later, Marielle flew out to see me. She'd always been spoiled and proud, yet for once she was the one who apologized first. Red-eyed, she'd kissed me frantically and said she was sorry hundreds of times. Only now did I understand. She hadn't come to me that day because she was finally giving in. She'd come because she felt guilty after sleeping with Chase. The second pinned post was a marriage certificate with the details blurred out. Even so, I recognized Marielle's silhouette at a glance. The caption read: "Shotgun wedding! Thank you, universe!" At that point, it hadn't even been a year since Marielle's miscarriage. I'd been eaten up with guilt ever since. I'd been so busy with work that I hadn't taken care of her, and we'd lost our baby. Seeing her so depressed, and with the pressure of work and our relationship piling up, my own mental state spiraled until I tried going on antidepressants. Marielle comforted me. "Weston, it's not your fault. We can have another baby someday." Chase even took time off work and flew out to stand by me. "Weston, everything's going to be okay," he told me. During that time, they'd been unbelievably patient with me and put up with every bit of my pain. Now I knew it had all come from guilt. Chapter 3 I couldn't hold back. I swept everything on the desk onto the floor. Betrayal and humiliation flooded through me until I felt almost numb. Chase and I had grown up together. We'd been best friends who told each other everything. When we were sixteen, he'd watched Marielle chase after me with everything she had. I was the top student. Marielle was the "problem kid." When Chase found out Marielle and I were together, he was dead set against it and went after her every chance he got. He made a bet with her: she had to make the honor roll before she'd be good enough to date me. Marielle studied like her life depended on it. Two months later, she actually made it. When she walked up to me holding her report card, I happily pulled her into my arms. Marielle hugged me back and shot Chase a defiant look. His face instantly turned ugly. He couldn't say a word. Back then, I'd completely missed the disappointment and resentment in his eyes. After college, Marielle decided to start her own company, but she didn't have enough capital. She said she wanted to build her own career and be a strong, independent woman, not some man's accessory. I wanted to make her dream come true. Without telling her, I took out a 500,000 dollars loan and had Chase invest it in her company under his own name. Chase called me an idiot, but he gave Marielle the money in the end. From then on, the way Marielle looked at Chase changed. She always said Chase was her guardian angel. After that, whenever he argued with her, she didn't fight back the way she used to. To pay off the loan as fast as possible, I volunteered for the overseas assignment in Port Calvane. The conditions there were brutal, but the pay was the best the company offered. The day I left, I held on to Marielle at the airport so tightly that for a moment I didn't want to go. But she firmly pried my fingers loose and pushed me toward the gate. For five years abroad, I thought about Marielle every single day. She always reassured me, "Weston, your career comes first. Don't throw away a great future for me." We fought about it more than once. I'd had a vague sense that she didn't want me to come back. Sometimes I couldn't help wondering whether she'd found someone else and didn't want to see me. Every time we fought, I went to Chase to vent. He'd say, "Weston, don't be stupid. She's never even thought about marrying you!" I'd thought he was on my side, sticking up for me. I never realized he was clearing the last obstacle out of his way. A notification suddenly popped up on my phone. My transfer request had been approved, and my supervisor wanted me to report for duty as soon as possible. I replied, "Understood," and booked a flight to Wrenmouth. Chapter 4 Early the next morning, I got two messages. Marielle: "Happy tenth anniversary! Your gift's been shipped by air. Don't forget to sign for it." Chase: "Owen's first birthday is today. Where's his gift, godfather?" I didn't reply to either of them and muted them both. That evening, I showed up early at the party, using the address Grant had given me. When I saw the sign at the entrance to the ballroom—Happy 1st Birthday, Owen! Love, Mommy & Daddy—I clenched my fists without thinking. My phone kept buzzing. For once, Marielle was the one calling me. "Weston, why haven't you answered me all day? Don't be mad. Work's been crazy lately. I'll make up every anniversary to you, I promise." I looked up and saw Marielle in a red dress. "Marielle, I'm at your son's birthday party." Her head snapped around, and her phone hit the floor with a clatter. Chase saw me too. He stared at me in disbelief, his lips trembling. "Weston, aren't you supposed to be overseas..." The next second, I punched him in the face. Marielle covered her face and screamed, and the baby in her arms burst into tears. The noisy ballroom went dead silent. Just as I was about to throw a second punch, Marielle grabbed my arm and held on tight. "Weston, if you're angry, take it out on me. Leave Chase alone!" Chase wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and pulled Marielle behind him. "Marielle, I'm the one who wronged Weston..." She wrapped her arms around him, her eyes full of concern. "You didn't do anything wrong. It's my fault." Then she turned to me and apologized quietly. "Weston, I'm sorry. The pregnancy was an accident. "But my parents have always wanted a grandchild, so this baby... I had to keep him." Chase chimed in too. "Weston, it was hard enough for Marielle to get pregnant again. Do you really want her to lose another baby?" They both knew that loss was a wound I couldn't bear to touch, yet they brought it up so casually just to remind me. Marielle stepped forward and took my hand, practically begging. "Weston, we only got married so the baby would have a proper family on paper. Once he's older, we'll get a divorce. "Just wait for me a few more years. I promise I'll marry you." Chapter 5 The next moment, Marielle's mother, Diane Knox, came storming over. She jabbed a finger in my face and spat at me as she screamed. "Weston, you've got some nerve showing your face here! "When Marielle was pregnant, we told you to come home and marry her, and you wouldn't listen. You insisted on chasing your career overseas. Was that job more important than Marielle? "Now Marielle's finally found a man who's willing to be there for her. They're a happy little family of three, and you have the gall to come here and make a scene? You're a failure, and you dare blame other people? Thank God my daughter never married you!" She looked at me with contempt and announced in front of everyone, "Chase is the only son-in-law I'll ever accept. If you want to marry Marielle, it'll be over my dead body!" At that, even Marielle's expression changed. The relatives around us all turned on me, their words vicious. "Useless loser. All these years and he couldn't give Marielle a home, and now he shows up here to cause trouble?" "Never once saw him come back when she was pregnant. Not an ounce of responsibility. No wonder she cheated on him!" The color drained from my face, and I swayed on my feet. In my third year working overseas, Marielle had gotten pregnant with my child. The Knox family had pushed me to come home and marry her right away, but it was right in the middle of a critical company project, and I couldn't get away. Marielle backed my decision to stay and work. She stood up to the pressure and convinced her family to wait. She even dropped everything at her company and flew to Port Calvane to be with me, but I was always so busy that I left her alone at home. Then there was an accident. Marielle fell down the stairs. I was out inspecting a worksite at the time and didn't hear my phone ring. By the time I got to the hospital, Marielle had already lost the baby. When I found out she might never be able to get pregnant again, I was so consumed with guilt that I didn't sleep for days. Red-eyed, Marielle told me she didn't blame me. But every time I opened my eyes in the middle of the night, I saw how heartbroken she was. Diane called me, sobbing and cursing me out. "Weston, you've ruined my daughter! How can anyone be this selfish and irresponsible?" Those words were like a curse, and they tormented me day and night. And now the insults were raining down on me from every direction. Through blurry eyes, I looked at Marielle, but she avoided my gaze. "Weston, just go for now. I'll talk to my mom..." I left in disgrace. No one blamed Marielle and Chase for betraying me. Everyone just blamed me for being a failure. My phone chimed. A message from Chase. Chapter 6 Chase asked me to meet him at his house. After a night spent pulling myself together, I asked him calmly, "Chase, why?" Chase was gently tending to Owen, who was fast asleep. His lips curled into a smile, but his eyes were cold and mocking. "Weston, Marielle is mine. I've never fought you for anything, but her? I'm never letting her go. "After you two had that fight, she got completely wasted and cried in my arms. I kissed her... and she didn't push me away." I slammed my hand on the table and pointed at him. "Chase, how could you be this low?" Chase kept going, smug. "And Marielle and I slept together more than once after that. "You two have been long-distance for so many years, I've probably slept with her more than you have. Marielle says... you never could satisfy her in bed." I couldn't hold back my rage anymore. I lunged at him and grabbed him by the collar. Chase stumbled back, shielding the crying baby, but my fist still caught him square in the eye. Marielle burst through the door, rushed over, and shoved me away hard. "Weston, have you lost your mind?" In the struggle, I was so afraid of hurting her that I didn't fight back. Then I tripped over the furniture, lost my balance, and slammed headfirst into the cold wall. There was a dull thud. Blood gushed out and splattered across the white wall. Marielle only had eyes for the frightened baby. She picked him up and rocked him gently. It wasn't until the bright red blood spread all the way to her feet that she finally looked up. When she saw me lying on the floor covered in blood, her eyes went wide, and she frantically called 911. When I woke up again, two days had passed. Marielle was sitting by my bed, her eyes red and swollen. She held my hand and apologized through her tears. "Weston, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I was just so worried about the baby." Chase looked at me with concern too. "You're finally awake. Marielle's been scared to death these past two days. "Marielle and I have talked it over. Once Owen turns five, we'll get a divorce. I hope you can understand." Watching their heartfelt little performance, I suddenly felt exhausted. Five days later, Marielle picked me up from the hospital herself and drove me all the way to the airport. As I got out of the car, she suddenly threw her arms around me. "Weston, once I wrap up the work I've got on my plate, I'll come be with you next month. "Chase is the man who made my company possible. Without his investment back then, I wouldn't have what I have today. "I only married him to keep my family happy. You've always been the one I love most." Her sudden show of devotion didn't move me at all. I pushed her away and walked to the gate without a second glance. She panicked and reached for my hand, but airport security stopped her at the gate. What Marielle didn't know was that this flight wasn't taking me back to Port Calvane. It was bound for Wrenmouth. I'd applied for a permanent overseas posting. I was never coming back.