Hotel receipts. The unpaid loan. The transfer of my father’s inheritance.
Each page made her hands shake a little harder.
“You don’t understand,” she whispered.
“I understand more than you think.”
Her head snapped toward me. “What?”
“You don’t understand.”
“There’s one more envelope.”
The color drained from her face. Slowly… she reached beneath the stack. Pulled out the plain white envelope.
“Open it,” I said.
Her fingers shook as she unfolded the papers. “No…”
Brooke looked up at Daniel’s father.
Every head in the backyard turned with hers. Richard had gone completely still.
Brooke closed her eyes. “You shouldn’t have found that.”
“Open it.”
“I wasn’t looking for it,” I said. “I spent six months proving you were sleeping with my husband. I never imagined I’d discover you were sleeping with his father.”
Richard’s hands trembled. “I didn’t mean…”
“You didn’t mean what?” Greg finally asked.
“Richard,” Brooke whispered desperately. “Say something.”
He opened his mouth. Nothing came out.
That silence told the truth better than either of them ever could.
I took one step closer. “The hotel photo wasn’t meant for Daniel. It was meant for you.” I looked directly at Richard. “The message was sent to the wrong son.”
