Chapter 3: The Second Family
Tyler refused to explain the message.
He shoved his phone into his pocket and insisted it was a joke.
Nobody believed him.
Not Michael.
Not Rachel.
And certainly not me.
"Who sent that?"" I asked.
"Nobody important.""
"Then show me.""
"Emily, stop.""
I held his gaze.
"Who is the second family?""
He looked toward Michael.
Then toward the security officer.
Finally, he lowered his voice.
"We're not discussing this here.""
I laughed once.
It wasn't a happy sound.
"You've managed to discuss your affairs, your mistress, and your financial problems in the middle of an airport. But suddenly, the truth needs privacy?""
Tyler rubbed his face.
"You're exhausted. You've got two babies. You're not thinking clearly.""
That sentence almost made me smile.
It was exactly what he'd said whenever I questioned something during his assignment.
Whenever money disappeared.
Whenever a call ended abruptly.
Whenever he claimed he couldn't visit home because of work.
I was tired.
I was emotional.
I was hormonal.
Apparently, every problem in our marriage could be explained by my inability to think clearly.
Michael interrupted.
"Tyler, I suggest you cooperate.""
Tyler ignored him.
"Emily, I love you.""
I stared at him.
"Don't.""
"I made mistakes.""
"How many?""
He looked away.
"That doesn't matter.""
"It matters to me.""
He lowered his voice further.
"Three. Maybe four.""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Don't lie now. You told me there were two others before me.""
Tyler turned sharply.
"Shut up, Vanessa.""
Rachel crossed her arms.
"Interesting. So even you weren't special.""
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"At least I didn't spend six years married to someone who treated me like a roommate.""
Rachel opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
I could see the pain beneath her anger.
She knew what betrayal felt like.
But her marriage wasn't the one that had brought two newborn girls into the world.
I turned to Michael.
"Can we finish this meeting somewhere private?""
"Of course.""
He arranged for us to use a small conference room inside the terminal's administrative wing.
Rachel joined us.
Tyler was asked to wait outside while Michael contacted the company's legal department.
For the first time that morning, I could breathe.
Rachel sat across from me.
She studied the twins.
"What's their names?""
"Piper and Poppy.""
"They're beautiful.""
"Thank you.""
Rachel looked down at her hands.
"I'm sorry.""
I shook my head.
"You didn't know about me.""
"I knew she was seeing someone. I didn't know he had a pregnant wife.""
She hesitated.
"Vanessa told me Tyler was separated.""
I looked at her.
"He left when I was seven months pregnant.""
Rachel closed her eyes.
"God.""
Michael entered carrying two cups of water and a tablet.
"Emily, I want to explain why your original complaint was taken so seriously.""
He placed the tablet on the table.
The screen showed a spreadsheet.
There were dozens of entries.
Travel reimbursements.
Accommodation expenses.
Entertainment charges.
Payments made to third-party vendors.
"Your husband submitted several expenses under the family relocation program," Michael explained.
"The program provides financial assistance to employees whose families are affected by extended overseas assignments.""
I nodded.
"I know. I was supposed to receive that support.""
"Correct. But some of the expenses were submitted using false documentation.""
He turned the tablet toward me.
One entry caught my attention.
A luxury apartment in Miami.
Monthly rent: $6,800.
I looked closer.
The address was familiar.
It was in Brickell, near the waterfront.
"What's this?""
Michael pointed.
"An apartment leased under a company accommodation allowance.""
"Who lived there?""
He didn't answer immediately.
Rachel leaned forward.
"Vanessa?""
Michael nodded.
I stared at the screen.
"Tyler told me he was living on the ship.""
"He was assigned a cabin," Michael explained.
"But he also claimed temporary accommodation for business-related shore operations.""
I felt sick.
For five months, I had been sleeping alone in our house with two newborn babies.
He had been paying nearly seven thousand dollars a month for an apartment in Miami.
I swallowed.
"How much did he spend there?""
Michael scrolled.
"Approximately thirty-four thousand dollars.""
I stared at the number.
"That's almost our entire emergency savings.""
Rachel looked at me.
"Emily, there's something else.""
She opened her handbag and removed her own phone.
"Last month, I received a message from an anonymous account. It contained a photograph of Vanessa with a little boy.""
My chest tightened.
"A boy?""
Rachel nodded.
"She told me he was her nephew.""
Michael looked up.
"Was there a name?""
Rachel showed us the picture.
A small boy, perhaps four years old, stood beside Vanessa in front of a birthday cake.
His dark hair was neatly combed.
His smile was wide.
On the cake were the words:
*Happy Birthday, Noah!*
I looked at the photograph again.
"Who is he?""
Rachel's voice dropped.
"Vanessa's son.""
I blinked.
"Does Tyler know?""
"That's what I don't know.""
Michael frowned.
"Emily, the anonymous message you received wasn't necessarily referring to Vanessa's child.""
He turned his tablet around again.
A contact name appeared.
*Lauren Parker.*
Beneath it was a photograph of a brunette woman holding a little girl.
The girl looked about two years old.
My hands went cold.
"Who is Lauren?""
Michael hesitated.
"She's another woman connected to your husband's travel expenses.""
I looked at him.
"Another mistress?""
"I can't confirm the nature of their relationship.""
Rachel stared at the photograph.
"That's not what I heard.""
Michael turned toward her.
"What do you mean?""
Rachel lowered her voice.
"Vanessa once told me Tyler had a daughter in Orlando. She said he sent money every month.""
The room became very still.
I looked at the little girl on the tablet.
A dark-haired child with a pink dress.
Two years old.
Tyler had been away from home for five months.
But the girl's age meant the relationship had begun long before his assignment aboard the Ocean Majesty.
I felt something inside my chest crack.
"Michael, I need to ask you something.""
"Of course.""
"How long have you known?""
He looked uncomfortable.
"About the financial irregularities? Three weeks.""
"And about the women?""
"Only recently.""
"Did anyone contact me?""
He lowered his eyes.
"We tried to reach you through the number listed in the complaint. The first two calls weren't answered.""
I remembered those calls.
Unknown numbers.
I'd been too busy feeding Piper and Poppy to answer.
Michael continued.
"Then we received additional information from an employee aboard the ship.""
"Who?""
He looked at the conference room door.
Before he could answer, someone knocked.
A young woman in a cruise company uniform stepped inside.
She looked directly at me.
"Mrs. Mitchell?""
I nodded.
"My name is Sophie. I worked in guest services aboard the Ocean Majesty.""
She held a small envelope.
"I think you deserve to know what your husband was doing during the nights he told you he was working.""
I stared at the envelope.
May you like
Then she added something that made my blood run cold.
"Because Vanessa wasn't the only woman who believed she was going to have a future with him.""
