They say that secrets can damage a marriage. When I discovered that my husband had surreptitiously purchased a second property, I prepared myself for the worst. But nothing prepared me for what I discovered when driving there. I ended up crying at the sight, and nothing could console me. Will and I were always partners in every sense of the term.
It began several months after I became pregnant. Will started working late, and he didn’t get home until almost midnight. At first, I convinced myself that he was only concerned about the baby and providing for us. But gradually, the arguments wore thin. One night, as we sat down to dinner, I questioned him bluntly, “Why are you working so late, Will?” You’re rarely at home.”He did not even look up from his plate. “It’s simply a hectic time at work, Lizzie. “You know how it is.”
He eventually looked up, and for a brief instant, I noticed something in his eyes. Was it guilt? Fear? “You’re not alone, Lizzie,” he said softly, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. “I promise you’re not alone.” “Then why does it feel like you’re slipping away?” I inquired, tears threatening to fall. “Every night, I lie awake wondering where you are, what you’re doing…”
He drew his hand back, as if burnt. “I am doing everything for us, Lizzie.” “Please trust me.” A few weeks later, when Will fell asleep next to me, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. Normally, I wouldn’t have thought twice about it, but something prompted me to look at the screen. The note said: “Thank you for doing this. Love you. — P. “My heart sank. Who was “P”? Why did they say they loved him?
I froze, staring at the phone as if it would explode. I knew I shouldn’t have unlocked it, but I did anyway, my fingers quivering. In his messages, I discovered a file about a second house. A SECOND HOUSE! “What the hell?” Who did he meet?”Lizzie?” he muttered, sleepily. “You okay?” I swallowed hard and fought back tears. “Just the baby kicking,” I lied, putting a protective hand on my bulging belly. Our child. Our future. Was it all based on lies?
I could not sleep that night. I grabbed my car keys and murmured to my unborn kid, “Let’s go find out what Daddy’s been hiding.” My voice broke. An hour later, I arrived. The house was breathtaking—a yellow, storybook-style estate with white shutters and a wraparound porch. It looked like something out of a dream.
Before I could grasp what was going on, a tiny child ran out the door. He raced right at me, beaming.
“Are you here to help us?” he inquired, his face beaming with enthusiasm. “Help with what?” I stammered, completely caught off. “What are you doing here, Lizzie?” He inquired, his voice shaking. “No,” I replied, going closer. “What are you doing here?” Why do you own this house? “And who is that boy?” “Lizzie, please,” Will begged, his face ashen. “You should not be here. “Not like this.”
“You don’t like this? Will, how should I be here? After receiving another weird SMS from ‘P’. What happens after more nights alone? Tell me, when is an appropriate moment to learn about my husband’s secret life?” Then explain. What are you hiding? “Where is she?””Lizzie, it’s not what you think,” he replied hastily. “Please, just come inside, and I’ll explain everything.”
“Explain what?” I snapped, tears filling my eyes. “Explain why you have been lying to me. Why have you been creeping around? “Just trust me,” he begged. “Please, Lizzie.” He moved forward and reached for me, but I drew away. “Do not touch me!” Not until you reveal the truth. All of it. Right now, right now. “Lizzie,” he choked out, “you are shaking. Please come in. Think about the baby.
“The baby?” I laughed bitterly. Against my better judgment, I followed him inside. Will took my hands in his, his eyes fixed on mine. “Lizzie, I purchased this house for us. For you, me, and the baby. “I wanted to surprise you.” I took my hands away. “A surprise?” Will, this is not a surprise; it is a secret! “Why didn’t you tell me?” Before he could respond, my mother appeared, clutching a paintbrush. “Because I made him promise,” she explained softly.
“Mom?” “We’ve been struggling, Lizzie,” she said with a trembling voice. “Your father and I lost our jobs some months ago. Will offered us a method to keep afloat. He hired us to assist him fix up the house. What message did you see? “That was me, thanking him.” I looked to Will, my emotions confused. “All this time, you were building us a home?”
“And helping your parents,” he said softly. “I wanted to do it correctly, Lizzie. Make it flawless. But now I realize that keeping you in the dark was wrong. I was so focused on the outcome that I forgot about the process.” “You should’ve told me. You put me through hell, Will. I suspected you were cheating on me. “I thought you had a secret family.”
“I know,” he said, tears welling in his eyes. “I apologize.” I didn’t want to worry you out. I thought I was doing the correct thing.”I glanced at him, the gravity of the situation seeping in. My rage began to evaporate, and was replaced by an incredible sense of affection. “No more secrets,” I said softly, drawing him into a hug. “Promise me, Will. “No more secrets.”
“Never again,” he whispered, clutching me firmly. “From now on, we build our dreams together.” I grinned with tears in my eyes. “I think you are an idiot. “But you are my idiot!” He laughed and pulled me close. “I’ll take it.” “You know,” I said softly, leaning into him. “This porch… I can easily picture us here, watching our little one take their first steps.” He kissed my forehead, his voice heavy with sorrow. “I promise, Lizzie. This house, this family, this love—it’s all I could possibly want. And I won’t let go.