Page 116 of Until He Confesses

"What did you think I did?" I asked. "Pay someone to orchestrate all of this? To contact Anna?"

At my words, she straightened, and then she turned around to stare at me.

"I just… I just heard this from you," she said. "You don't expect me to just believe every word, do you? Up till today, I didn't even know you were a twin."

"So, you're saying I lied about that as well?"

She was perplexed.

"You should understand how I feel right now… what I'm saying. Right? You'd react the same way."

"I'd believe you," I said. "I know you enough to understand that I wouldn't make such an elaborate lie for any reason to you."

At my words, she got silent again, and I understood then that I was truly done with her, and so I smiled.

"You're right," I said. "It was a huge elaborate deception. So, ignore what I said. I'm still a cheating piece of shit. I admit it now. It only took me ten years to admit, didn't it?"

Her eyes widened at my words, however, I couldn't stop.

"I hope it hurt you when I cheated on you. And I hope somehow it continues to hurt you. You deserve it."

"Lucas!" she called, and I too was in disbelief at my words, but this was how shamefully the hurt that I felt in my heart right now had driven me to behave.

This was the worst of me, and she had brought it out.

All I could do was smile and shake my head.

"You were a waste of time," I said, and before I could say anything more, I turned around and exited the room.

56

CALLIE

Icouldn't believe any of the words he had just said to me. I stared at the door, unable to move or to even process a single coherent thought until eventually tears filled my eyes and rolled down my face. He had never, in all the years we had been together, spoken to me in that way. I couldn't believe it.

In an instant, my eyes were instantly clouded by my grief, and more than anything, I needed to get out of there. I wanted to feel safe, so I immediately hurried home. Unfortunately, my mom was there, and when I got in, she saw the tears on my face. She had a wide smile on her face to welcome me, but when she saw me, her face fell.

I couldn't help how suffocated and frustrated I felt, and it only made me feel worse. I walked straight back to my room and thankfully Anna wasn't there, she was in the bathroom and came out as soon as she heard me come in.

"Hey, how did it go?" she asked, but all I wanted to do was talk, especially since I expected my mom to come in now at any moment asking what the problem was. I got under the blankets, pulling them over my head, and refused to say a word.

As expected, I heard the door to my bedroom click open once more, and my mom came in. I didn't hear their voices, I didn't need to, but I could imagine that they were communicating in worry. I wanted to assure them that I was fine so they wouldn't be overly worried, but it would just lead to more conversation that I couldn't currently handle so I remained quiet until eventually, I was left alone in complete and abject silence.

Three Weeks Later

“How doesit feel to be on a flight and for once be the one being served?” Anna asked as we buckled in for take-off.

I turned to her excited expression and was amused.

"What do you mean? I've been on a flight as a passenger before."

"Have you?" she gave my mom a look. "Why don't I know this?"

I shook my head, ignoring her, but of course, my mind went to the one experience that came to mind. It wasn't long ago that it had happened, but it was still firmly etched in my mind. Flying on Lucas's jet to get to my mom, and as I turned to glance at her and met her gaze, I knew that she too had the same thought in mind. She didn't comment, just like she hadn’t in the past few weeks when I had been more down than I ever believed possible.

Heading to Matthew's wedding now was an event that I had been convinced I wouldn't participate in, but these two had managed to convince me that it was good for me. The change of scenery and the celebration. I didn't see how any of this would cheer me up. But travel had still been my first love, and since I hadn’t traveled to Geneva before, I was more than happy to experience it.

To my surprise, my mom hadn't probed, and since Anna had assured me that she would keep my little secret to herself. I was sure she didn't explicitly know that I was pregnant. However, she had noted and shown immense concern for how quiet and inactive I had been the past few weeks.

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