SHAY
Shay was folding laundry. The dinner sheâd prepared was growing cold.
Adam was late, which was out of the ordinary for him. Sheâd tried reaching out to him, but her calls were met with his voicemail.
He had texted her that he was okay, but that was all. She knew he was safe, but she was left in the dark about why he was late or where he was.
Sheâd even called his assistant, who informed her that Adam wasnât at the office but was attending a meeting somewhere out of town.
This was unlike him. Shay found herself gazing out the large windows, her eyes drawn to the lights that illuminated the driveway and the street lamps that marked the path to their home.
She kept hoping to see his car pull into the driveway as she continued folding the clothes in front of her.
The twins were already tucked in for the night, their bedtime routine completed. Theyâd asked their usual flurry of questions, mostly about Ethan.
They were fascinated by him and always wanted to know more.
Shay couldnât blame them, but there was only so much she could share. She was grateful, though, that they still respected Adam and treated him well, and he reciprocated.
Suddenly, she heard a noise and her eyes darted to the baby monitor. It was positioned strategically above the crib, and she watched as baby Nate stirred slightly before settling back into sleep.
She let out a breath she hadnât realized sheâd been holding, her shoulders dropping in relief.
She turned her attention back to the pile of clothes in front of her, mostly baby items. She stretched her neck and rolled her head, rubbing the back of her neck.
Her phone lit up, the vibration sound following shortly after.
~Buzz buzz.~
She grabbed her phone immediately, hoping it was Adam. But when she saw the name on the screen, her face scrunched in confusion.
From: Ethan
To: Shay Haze
I bought the twins a new collection of Lego. Can I drop by tomorrow?
She quickly typed out a response.
From: Shay Haze
To: Ethan
Yeah, just let me know when youâre on the way.
No sooner had she sent the message than she received another one.
From: Ethan
To: Shay Haze
All right.
She put her phone away, choosing to ignore his response. They were on better terms now, but she still tried to maintain some distance.
She kept her feelings for him buried deep down, feelings she couldnât deny but knew she couldnât act on, even if she were single.
She couldnât go back to him.
~Buzz buzz~.
She picked up her phone again, hoping it was Adam this time. But it was another message from Ethan.
From: Ethan
To: Shay Haze
I canât stop staring at our family photo. I miss you.
Her heart ached. She put the phone away and stared at her hands.
She felt a pang of guilt. She hadnât told Adam about the family photo theyâd taken at the Ramsayâs. Constance had insisted on a photo with the twins, and Shay had agreed.
After a hundred photos, Constance had suggested one with just Ethan, Shay, and the twins. She was hesitant to tell Adam, even though she knew he would understand.
She wasnât sure how he would react, and if she was honest, she didnât want to deal with it.
She had a copy of the picture. Ethan stood next to her, his arm wrapped around her waist, the twins in front of them.
It was a beautiful picture, and she found herself looking at it more often than sheâd like to admit.
Shaking off her thoughts, she cleared her throat and grabbed her phone.
From: Shay Haze
To: Adam
Where are you? Why arenât you picking up?
Her stomach growled, and she sighed as she slowly rose from the floor. She glanced at the living room clock.
It was late.
10:15 p.m.
She made her way to the dining table. The lasagna was cold, but she was too hungry to bother reheating it. Sheâd made sure the twins had eaten before bed, but sheâd decided to wait for Adam to eat.
Theyâd always had dinner together since they got married, except when he was away on business. Even then, Josephine would join them.
But Josephine had taken the day off to attend to other matters.
She sat down and stared at the lasagna. She cut a small piece for herself. Despite her hunger, she didnât have much of an appetite.
She wondered where Adam was. She put the knife back in the ceramic dish and used her fork to cut a small piece.
She put it in her mouth. She couldnât remember the last time sheâd eaten alone.
Probably when she was pregnant with the twins. She stared into the distance as she ate. If she was honest with herself, she felt numb.
She wasnât as worried as she should be. Her thoughts kept drifting to Ethan.
She couldnât deny that sheâd been thinking about him more and more, probably because he was back in the twinsâ lives. His texts were becoming more frequent, mostly about the twins, but occasionally heâd say something more personal.
Things like I miss you, things like thinking of you.
After dinner, she cleaned up the dining area and washed the dishes. She left the leftover lasagna on the table for Adam and put away the laundry.
She checked on the twins and baby Nate before heading downstairs.
12:15 a.m.
She lay on the plush white sofa, cuddling with the pillows as she drifted off to sleep. Sheâd texted Adam one more time before allowing herself to fall asleep while waiting for him.
The sound of the door unlocking jolted her awake. She glanced at the clock and saw the time.
She sat up as she saw her husband stumble through the front door.
âAdam?â She called his name, her voice heavy with sleep.
3:36 a.m.
âWhat happened? Where were you?â She rushed to him, her eyes scanning him. He looked the same, not disheveled or drunk.
She was confused.
âI tried calling you. I texted you multiple times,â she said quickly. His expression changed. He looked angry, which was unusual for him.
Heâd come home extremely late without any explanation.
âWhat do you want?â Adam sighed in frustration as he dropped his bags.
âI want to know where you were. Why couldnât you pick up your phone and answer your wife?â she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.
âI was at work,â he practically shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. Shay could feel her own anger starting to simmer, a slow boil of frustration and disbelief.
She knew he was lying. She had called his office, the store, even his assistant.
She knew his words were far from the truth.
âNo, you werenât. I called everyone, and you were nowhere to be found,â Shay shot back, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.
âI was working. Thatâs all you need to know.â Adamâs voice rose, his tone sharp and defensive. Shayâs eyes widened in surprise. They had been tolerating each other, but this was the first time he had dared to raise his voice at her.
A heavy silence fell between them. Shay held his gaze, unafraid of his sudden outburst. The house was eerily quiet, the tension between them palpable.
âAre you cheating on me?â Shay asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She had never seriously considered it before, but now, the possibility lingered in the back of her mind. Adamâs eyes widened, turning a shade of red that mirrored his rising anger.
âAre you fucking kidding me?â Adamâs voice was louder now, his disbelief evident.
âAre you?â Shay echoed, matching his tone.
The room fell silent once more. She could hear his ragged breathing, her own breaths matching his rhythm. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and scenarios.
She had never imagined him cheating on her. She knew it was a possibility, but a slim one. She had always been confident in his loyalty, but now, she couldnât help but question it.
âAdam?â She broke the silence, her voice soft. She needed an answer. He stared at her, his gaze distant, as if he was lost in thought.
Snapping back to reality, he looked at her blankly. âIâm not cheating on you,â he said, his voice filled with conviction.
Shay nodded, a wave of relief washing over her.
âThen where were you?â she asked again, her voice calmer this time.
âShay.â Adam sighed, his head hanging low. He placed his hands on his hips, looking up at her with a disappointed expression.
âYou know, itâs funny,â Adam said, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips. Shay remained silent, her gaze fixed on her husband, the man she had chosen to spend her life with.
âYou accuse me of cheating when youâve been cheating on me,â he said, his laughter fading. His eyes were dark, filled with an emotion she had never seen before. He looked tormented, a side of him she had never seen.
âExcuse me?â she asked, hoping she had misheard him.
âYou think Iâm stupid?â he spat out.
âYou think Iâm cheating on you?â Shay was taken aback by his accusation. âYou come home late with no explanation, no one knows where you were, and you ignored my calls and messages. But you accuse me of cheating on you?â
âYou think I donât know that youâre sleeping with him?â His voice was louder now, his accusation hanging in the air.
âWho?â Shay asked, throwing her hands up in exasperation.
âEthan, goddamn it!â he yelled, his words echoing in the room.
âI am not cheating on you with Ethan or anyone else!â she yelled back, frustration seeping into her voice. His expression remained unchanged, his eyes filled with anger.
âDo you think Iâm dumb? I see the way he looks at you,â he yelled, his words cutting through the silence. Tears welled up in her eyes, her own anger bubbling up.
âDo you honestly think I cheated on you?â Shay asked, shocked by his accusations.
Silence fell between them once more. They stood there, staring at each other in the early hours of the morning. She couldnât believe what she was hearing.
She had made a similar accusation just moments ago, but she couldnât understand why he wouldnât just tell her where he had been. Did he really think she was capable of cheating on him?
âIâm not cheating on you,â she insisted, her voice firm. She wasnât cheating on Adam. She was pregnant with their second child, her fourth overall.
She had her own business to run, her own life to manage. She barely had time to get through the day, let alone cheat. She couldnât understand why he would think she was unfaithful.
âI donât believe you,â he replied, his voice cold. âI think youâre just whoring around town because thatâs who you are,â he spat out. Shay shook her head, unable to take any more of his accusations.
She turned around, grabbed her phone, and headed upstairs. Her heart ached. This was their first major argument, and she didnât even know how they had ended up here.
And she still didnât know where he had been.