Chapter 46: 21: The Unopened Letter

SHAY

A week had passed since their first therapy session. Seven days since the revelation of her husband’s infidelity.

Seven days since their separation, and two days since she last laid eyes on him.

Two days prior, they’d had their second appointment with the couples therapist. They’d conversed under the watchful eye of Dr. Alexis.

Arguments had flared, Shay’s anger simmering just beneath the surface.

She’d had a week to reflect, a week of feeling like a stranger to herself. A week of questioning everything that had transpired over the past few months.

Shay was in the dark about the identity of Adam’s mistress, but she was certain he was entangled in a passionate affair. He’d promised to end things with the other woman, to focus on mending their relationship, but changes were necessary.

Despite the pain, Shay had agreed to try and salvage their marriage.

She still loved him. After all, he was her husband.

~Flashback~

Shay slammed the door, her anger palpable. She was reeling from the shocking turn of events.

She’d never imagined this happening to her, especially not with Adam.

She’d never pictured him as a cheater.

Adam had always been pure, loving, and kind. He was the epitome of the perfect husband she’d dreamed of as a girl.

He started the car as he slid into the driver’s seat.

“How could you?” Shay spat.

“I love you, you know that,” Adam replied, his voice steady.

“If you loved me, you wouldn’t have cheated on me!” Shay’s voice echoed in the confined space of the car. She saw him wince at her anguished scream.

“I’m sorry. I want to work things out with you, get us back on track,” Adam said slowly.

Shay closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the headrest, her hands clenched in her hair.

“Who is she?” Shay asked again.

“I don’t want to talk about that. It doesn’t matter who she is,” Adam insisted, withholding the truth she craved.

“Where will you stay?” Shay asked, resting her head against the window.

“I can stay in my old apartment. It’s vacant. I can furnish it and live there while we sort out our issues,” he explained calmly.

Shay chuckled bitterly, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Our issues? You cheated on me, had a fucking affair for who knows how long.” Shay scoffed, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

She heard him sigh before his hand slammed down on the steering wheel.

“Yeah, tell me about our issues, Adam,” Shay challenged, her voice laced with anger.

“Let’s go home,” he said calmly, ignoring her outburst.

~End Flashback~

“Hey, my mom just called. She and my dad will be here in fifteen minutes,” Ethan said, tapping her shoulder.

“Oh, that’s random,” Shay responded, nodding.

She turned to see Ethan standing behind her, a Starbucks cup in hand. Their eyes met briefly before the twins rushed toward him, calling him ‘daddy’ and hugging him. She watched their interaction as she continued to feed baby Nate the fruit she’d cut earlier.

Ethan lifted the twins into his arms, swinging them around with ease. Shay loved watching them with Ethan. Their bond was so natural, so effortless.

Despite their short acquaintance, their love for Ethan was evident.

The twins hadn’t seen Ethan in over two weeks, since the family gathering. It was the longest he’d been away since he’d shown up on her doorstep months ago. Ethan had been traveling for work, managing his businesses, and rushing to finish so he could return to the twins.

The twins sensed the tension between Adam and Shay, but they refrained from asking why their stepfather hadn’t been home. They didn’t question why he hadn’t spoken to them in over a week.

For that, Shay was grateful.

~Ding dong.~

The doorbell jolted her from her thoughts. The twins and Ethan rushed to the door, welcoming their grandparents inside. Shay smiled at their excitement. Leaving baby Nate in his highchair with his fruit, she went to greet Constance and Alaric.

“Hey,” Shay greeted, smiling.

“Oh Shay,” Constance responded, pulling Shay into a hug.

“How are you guys?” Shay asked.

“Excited to spend the evening with the twins,” Alaric replied, ruffling their hair.

“Yeah,” Constance agreed, nodding.

Shay was relieved. With the twins occupied for a few hours, she’d have some time to herself. Her mind was consumed with thoughts of her husband’s betrayal. She still had questions, things that nagged at her.

She needed to know who the other woman was, and she wanted to confront them both.

“I heard from your father that you and Adam are separated?” Constance asked quietly, making sure no one else could hear.

Shay glanced around, noting that everyone was too engrossed in their own activities to notice their hushed conversation. She nodded, confirming her father’s news, and sighed.

“Are you doing all right?” Constance asked softly, her eyes filled with concern.

“Yeah, I’ll be okay,” Shay reassured her, her gaze drifting to Ethan, who seemed oblivious to their conversation.

“Don’t worry.” Constance paused, and Shay raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t tell Ethan anything. It’s not my place,” she reassured.

Shay didn’t really care if Ethan knew. Her main concern was her children. She didn’t want them to worry or be affected by the turmoil in their lives. Although she suspected they had some idea of what was happening, she couldn’t prevent that.

“Thank you,” Shay replied, offering a small smile.

“Can we get a tour of your beautiful home?” Constance asked, her eyes scanning the room, effectively changing the subject.

Shay nodded, giving them a small smile before excusing herself. She’d promised to give them a tour on the night of the barbecue, but she’d been too busy hosting and cooking to show them around the house.

“Jo, could you keep an eye on Nate for me? I’m going to show the Ramsays around,” Shay asked.

The elderly woman nodded, washing her hands before settling down to entertain the baby.

Shay moved to the living room, sliding the door open to let in more air. She caught the eye of one of the contractors working outside, offering him a friendly nod and smile before he returned to his work.

“Let’s take a tour,” Shay suggested, tucking her hands into her pockets.

Alaric and Constance agreed, while the twins pulled Ethan down to the floor to show him their homework.

Shay led them upstairs, showing them each room. She let them take in the lake view from her balcony, then guided them back downstairs. She pointed out the twins’ artwork and shared stories from their past.

Despite the twins being only six—almost seven—they filled her life with stories.

“Why don’t you boys show your grandparents your play area outside?” Shay suggested, trying to involve the twins in the tour.

“Okay!” Liam cheered, jumping up from the floor and running over. Shay watched as joy spread across Constance and Alaric’s faces, their happiness infectious.

The twins took their grandparents by the hand, leading them outside past the pool and the studio.

Ethan fell into step beside Shay.

“What’s that you’re building?” Ethan asked, matching her pace.

“It’s a guest house. For you, or anyone else who comes to stay. It’ll have a small kitchen, a bathroom—like the studio, but more homey. Right now, you and Dario are my only guests. My brother hasn’t visited much since I got married. Plus, I’d like my studio back,” Shay explained.

“I’ll need your contractor’s contact. My paperwork finally went through, and I’ll get my keys next week. Then I can start renovations,” Ethan said, his eyes lighting up.

“I can finally stop imposing on you,” he joked, scratching the back of his head.

Shay chuckled, keeping an eye on the twins.

“You haven’t been a bother, really,” Shay admitted, crossing her arms.

Ethan didn’t respond, and they slowed their pace to give the twins and their grandparents some space.

“Thank you,” Ethan said suddenly.

Shay looked at him, puzzled, and stopped walking. She noticed the twins sitting on the grass with Constance and Alaric and decided to join them. Ethan sat down beside her.

“I’m grateful to be a part of the twins’ lives. And I know it’s been tough for you,” he began, glancing at her. She felt his gaze but kept her eyes on the lake.

“I heard from the twins that Adam hasn’t been around,” he added.

Shay straightened up and sighed, closing her eyes. She knew she’d have to tell him eventually.

“Adam and I are having problems. He cheated on me, and we’re in therapy trying to figure ~shit~ out,” she confessed.

“Are you okay?” Ethan asked, looking at her.

“Yeah,” Shay replied, nodding.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.

“Not really,” she admitted, sighing and shaking her head.

“I just want things to go back to normal. I’m so tired,” she said.

“Things will get better, sooner or later,” Ethan reassured her.

She nodded, knowing he was right, but not finding much comfort in the moment.

“Yeah,” Shay agreed, sighing.

The sound of the twins’ laughter made her smile. Watching them enjoy time with their grandparents made her happy, and she regretted keeping them apart for so long. The joy on Alaric and Constance’s faces was a memory worth cherishing.

“I’m sorry,” Ethan said suddenly.

Shay looked at him, curious. His expression softened as he turned to face her, pulling her to face him.

“When I got the thumb drive you sent, I knew you’d found out. I knew you were heartbroken, and I was struggling. I thought you’d had the abortion. I believed you, and even though I understood why you did it, I was heartbroken,” he began.

Shay shook her head, trying to move away from him.

“No,” she said.

He held her firmly in place, his hand on her waist.

“I know this isn’t what you want to hear. But I need to say it. When I got the letter, I flew here immediately. I needed to see you, to talk to you. I’ve been coming over for months, and I still haven’t said what I came to say. I need to explain myself, for everything. I wanted to marry you, despite what you might think,” Ethan confessed.

Shay felt a pang of pain as she remembered their past.

“What letter?” Shay asked, confused. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to understand what he was talking about.

He looked back at her, equally confused.

“I got a letter at my office. It was typed and signed ‘S’,” he explained.

“What did the letter say?” Shay asked, panic rising.

“It said where you were and that there was something I needed to see. It had your address. I thought you wrote it,” Ethan explained.

“Why on earth would I send you a letter if I was trying to hide from you?” Shay’s voice rose as she questioned him, her fingers working to pry his grip from her waist.

She managed to wriggle free from his hold. Her mind was a whirlwind, trying to make sense of the information she’d just been given.