Chapter 108
Betrayal in the Shadow.
Chris’ POV:
I felt like I’d been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me. Miles, Megan’s ex, was the same guy who had cheated on her and broke her heart. Why didn’t she tell me? I thought our connection was real, but now it seemed like just another lies.
My mind raced with questions and doubts. How could she keep this from me? Did she think I wouldn’t understand? Didn’t she trust me enough to share her secrets?
I felt like I was living in a dream world, a world that had just been shattered. My heart ached; my soul felt crushed. I couldn’t believe the woman I loved, the woman I thought I knew, could keep such a huge secret from me.
I needed someone to talk to, someone who wouldn’t judge me. I called Jake, my go-to friend for advice. We’d been friends since college, and he knew me better than anyone.
“Yo, what’s up?” Jake answered, his voice laced with concern.
“Megan’s been lying to me, man,” I said, trying to keep my emotions in check. But my voice cracked, betraying my pain.
“What do you mean?” Jake asked, his tone neutral.
“Miles, her ex, is the same guy she’s been investigating with. She never told me. I feel like a fool.” I stopped pacing and collapsed onto my couch, feeling like I’d been run over by a truck.
Jake’s silence on the other end of the line was deafening. I could almost hear him processing the information, trying to find the right words to say.
“Dude, that’s heavy,” he finally said.
“What made you find out?” He asked me.
I took a deep breath and relayed the story of how I’d stumbled upon an old news article about Megan’s past.
“I couldn’t believe it. I felt like I’d been living in a dream world.” I told him.
Jake’s sigh echoed through the phone. “Chris, you need to talk to her. You deserve the truth. But approach it calmly, don’t let your emotions get the best of you.”
I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “I know. I just feel so betrayed. Like our whole relationship was a lie.”
“It may not be that simple,” Jake said.
“Maybe she had her reasons for not telling you. Maybe she was scared or ashamed.” He said.
“Ashamed?” I scoffed.
“Of what? Not telling me the truth?” I asked him.
“Chris, listen to me. You need to hear her out. Don’t assume the worst. You know Megan’s not a bad person.”
“I know. It’s just hard to process. I feel like I don’t even know her anymore.” I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on.
“You do know her, Chris. You know her heart, her spirit. This is just a bump in the road. You can get through it.” He advised me.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Jake was right. I needed to talk to Megan, to hear her side of the story. Maybe then I could understand why she kept this secret from me.
We talked for a few more minutes, Jake offering words of encouragement and support. Finally, I hung up, feeling a sense of determination.
I was going to confront Megan, to get the truth out of her. And then, maybe, just maybe, we could move forward.
I arrived at Megan’s apartment, my heart racing with anticipation. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. I didn’t want to accuse her, to make her feel defensive. I just wanted the truth.
“Hey, Chris. What’s up?” She answered the door, a smile on her face.
“Hey. Can we talk?” I forced a smile back.
“Sure. What’s going on?” Her expression changed, a hint of wariness creeping in.
I stepped inside, my eyes locked on hers. “I know about Miles. I know he’s your ex.”
Her eyes widened, a flash of fear crossing her face. “Chris, I..”
I held up my hand, stopping her. “Just tell me the truth. Why didn’t you tell me?”
She took a deep breath, her shoulders sagging. “I was scared. I didn’t want you to think differently of me. I didn’t want to relive all that pain again, especially when I noticed you didn’t like him.” She said.
“Besides all of that happened in high school!” She revealed.
I felt a pang of empathy, but also a sense of hurt. “You should have told me. I thought our relationship was built on trust.”
Megan stepped closer, her eyes pleading. “It is, Chris. I swear. I just didn’t know how to tell you. I was afraid of losing you.”
I sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. I was angry, hurt, but also sad. Sad that she felt like she couldn’t trust me with her secrets.
“We need to work on our communication,” I said finally.
I Megan paced back and forth as we had just finished a long conversation about our relationship, and I could sense the tension in the air.
“I know I haven’t been the best partner lately,” Megan said, her voice laced with frustration.
“But I need you to understand that this investigation is crucial.” She told me
I sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. I was hurt that she had been prioritizing her work over our relationship, but I also understood how important this investigation was to her.
“I get it,” I said.
“But we need to work on our communication, Megan. I feel like we’re drifting apart, and it’s killing me. We used to be able to talk about anything, but now it’s different.” I told her.
Megan stopped pacing and turned to me; her eyes filled with a hint of sadness.
“I know, Chris. And I’m sorry. I really am. But I promise you, once this investigation is over, I will try my best to make it up to you. We’ll work on our communication, and we’ll get through this together.” She said.
I looked at her, searching for any sign of insincerity. But all I saw was genuine regret and determination.
“I want to believe you, Megan,” I said, my voice cracking.
“In fact, I believe you!” I told her.
Megan took a step closer to me, her eyes locked on mine.
“Chris, I’m sorry. I know I haven’t been the best partner lately, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. You are my priority, and I promise to make it up to you. We’ll get through this, together.” She said.
I looked at her, searching for any sign of insincerity. But all I saw was genuine regret and determination.
“Okay,” I said finally, nodding my head.
“I trust you, Megan. But please, don’t forget about me in the process. I need you, and I need us to work.” I concluded.
Megan smiled, a small smile, but a smile, nonetheless. “I won’t, Chris. I promise.”
We sat there in silence for a moment, the tension in the air slowly dissipating. I knew that our relationship was far from perfect, but in that moment, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we could get through this after all.
As we sat there, I realized that our relationship was like a puzzle. We were two pieces that fit together perfectly, but sometimes, we got a little mixed up. But with a little effort, we could find our way back to each other, and our love would shine brighter than ever.
I looked at Megan, and she looked back at me. We both knew that our relationship was worth fighting for, and we were willing to do whatever it took to make it work.
In that moment, I knew that our love would conquer all, even the toughest of investigations.