Chapter 5: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
Connor called me the next morning.
I almost did not answer.
Almost.
But curiosity was a dangerous thing.
And after everything I had learned, I needed to know what kind of man he would be when he no longer controlled the story.
“Kirsten.””
His voice sounded different.
Not confident.
Not amused.
Not superior.
Just tired.
“Hello, Connor.””
There was silence.
I could almost hear him searching for the version of me he expected.
The angry one.
The emotional one.
The woman who still needed him to admit he was wrong.
She was gone.
“I need to talk to you.””
“No.””
A pause.
“You didn’t even ask why.””
“I don’t need to.””
“Kirsten.””
“Connor, every time you needed something from me, you called it a conversation.””
His breathing changed.
“That’s not fair.””
I almost smiled.
Fair.
The man who left me for my best friend wanted to discuss fairness.
“What do you want?””
His voice lowered.
“I want to understand what Kenneth has.””
I looked out my window.
“So you don’t know?””
“No.””
That answer surprised me.
For once, Connor sounded honest.
Maybe because he was scared.
“I’m trying to find out.””
I said nothing.
“Kirsten, if there is something wrong with the divorce agreement, we need to discuss it.””
“We?””
He stopped.
“Yes.””
“No, Connor.””
My voice became colder.
“There is no ‘we’ anymore.””
That silence hurt him.
I could tell.
Because Connor had always believed our connection would remain.
Even after he destroyed it.
He thought he could leave and still reach back whenever he wanted.
“I know I hurt you.””
I closed my eyes.
Those words.
Too late.
Always too late.
“You don’t get to say that now because you’re afraid.””
“I’m not afraid.””
“Connor.””
Silence.
“Your voice changed the second you realized you might lose something.””
He did not respond.
Because he knew I was right.
After the call ended, I went to work.
I treated patients.
I attended meetings.
I answered questions.
Life continued.
That was something Connor never understood.
The world does not stop because someone breaks your heart.
You still have responsibilities.
You still have people who need you.
You still have to wake up.
Around noon, Kenneth arrived.
He placed a folder on my desk.
“The person who gave us the information wants to meet.””
“Who?””
He looked at me.
“Connor’s sister.””
I froze.
Rebecca Fleming.
I had met her several times during my marriage.
She was nothing like Connor.
Quiet.
Thoughtful.
Observant.
The type of person who noticed everything but spoke very little.
“Why would she help me?””
Kenneth sat down.
“Because she believes what Connor did was wrong.””
I looked at the folder.
“What does she know?””
“More than we expected.””
That evening, I met Rebecca at a small café away from the hospital.
She looked nervous.
Not guilty.
Nervous.
“Kirsten.””
I nodded.
“Rebecca.””
She looked down at her coffee.
“I owe you an apology.””
I said nothing.
She continued.
“I knew something was wrong before the divorce.””
That sentence hurt.
Not because she betrayed me.
Because it confirmed something.
Everyone saw.
Everyone except me.
“What did you know?””
She swallowed.
“Connor was planning to leave months before he admitted it.””
My chest tightened.
“Months?””
“Yes.””
I looked away.
The betrayal suddenly became larger.
It was not a mistake.
It was a plan.
“He told me he was unhappy.””
I laughed softly.
“Everyone was unhappy. That doesn’t justify betrayal.””
“I know.””
Rebecca looked at me.
“That’s why I’m here.””
She reached into her bag.
“I found these.””
She placed documents on the table.
Emails.
Financial records.
Messages.
I looked through them.
And then I saw it.
A conversation between Connor and another person.
A conversation that happened before he filed for divorce.
Before he admitted anything.
Before he walked away.
My hands went still.
“He was preparing a new life before ending the old one.””
Rebecca nodded.
“I’m sorry.””
I looked at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Her eyes filled with regret.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of him?””
“Yes.””
That answer surprised me.
Rebecca continued.
“My brother is charming when people agree with him.””
I stared at her.
“But when they don’t…”
She stopped.
She didn’t need to finish.
I understood.
Because I had lived it.
Then Rebecca said something that changed everything.
“There’s something else.””
“What?””
She hesitated.
“Kirsten, the baby situation…”
I looked at her.
“What about it?””
She lowered her voice.
“Connor may have known the child wasn’t his before the test.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
She pushed another document toward me.
“I found this in his office.””
I opened it.
And my entire body went cold.
Because it was a private message.
Between Connor and someone else.
A message sent weeks before he publicly announced the baby.
May you like
Three words stood out.
I know already.
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