Three years after my husband Charles passed away in a tragic accident, I finally let myself believe in love again. For so long, I had focused solely on raising our daughter, Maggie, and keeping us both afloat, trying to fill the hollow space his death had left behind. But then Jacob came into our lives.
From the moment I met him, Jacob had a way of making me feel safe with just a smile. He was patient, kind, and, most importantly, he adored Maggie. She smiled more around him than I’d seen in years. Slowly, I let myself imagine that happiness might be possible for us once more.
Two months ago, we got married on a charming little farm with a duck pond. I thought he was the missing piece that would complete our family.
But sometimes, life has a way of throwing more than a few curveballs, and this time, it went straight for my heart.
One evening, as I tucked Maggie into bed, she clutched her favorite bunny and looked up at me, hesitating.
“Mommy?” she asked quietly.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“New-Dad asked me to keep a secret from you. Is that okay?”
My stomach tightened.
“Sweetie, you know you can tell me anything, right?” I asked gently, trying to hide the knot in my chest.
“I like New-Dad better,” she pouted. “So… is it okay? The secret?”
I smiled, but my heart was racing. “No, darling. Secrets are never okay. You can always tell me what’s on your mind. What’s going on?”
She fidgeted with her bunny, her eyes wide.
“New-Dad said I shouldn’t tell you… but yesterday, when you were at work, I woke up early from my nap and went looking for him. He promised we could play on the PlayStation, but I couldn’t find him anywhere.”
A cold chill crept over me.
“What do you mean? Wasn’t he here when you woke up? Did he leave you alone?”
She shook her head. “I called for him, but he didn’t answer. Then I saw him and a lady in a red dress come out of the basement. He told me not to tell you.”
My pulse quickened. My mind raced, but I kept my voice calm.
“What were they doing down there?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. But he told me not to tell you. But you said secrets are bad, so…”
“You did the right thing, sweetheart,” I whispered, my mind swirling. “What did she look like?”
“She had long blonde hair, like a princess. And a red dress. She smelled nice, too.”
The basement. It was just a dusty, unfinished space, filled with old boxes and tools. Jacob and I rarely went down there. Why would he take a woman down there?
Later that night, I confronted Jacob.
“Maggie told me there was a woman here yesterday,” I said, arms crossed. “She said you took her to the basement. Care to explain?”
For a brief moment, panic flickered across his face. But he recovered quickly.
“Oh, that? She’s an interior designer,” Jacob said, a smile spreading across his face. “I wanted to surprise you by fixing up the basement. It’s been a mess for years.”
“An interior designer?” I repeated, eyebrows raised.
“Yeah! I wanted to turn it into a cozy family space for us,” he explained, leading me downstairs. “A projector, a mini-fridge, maybe even a popcorn maker.”
I was stunned when I saw the transformation. The once-dingy space had been turned into something beautiful—painted walls, new furniture, soft lighting.
“Well?” he asked, grinning.
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