Chapter 3 - SIMONE’S SECRET
That night, Leah woke to Simone whispering into her phone.
“No, he was here.”
A pause.
“I know what you told me.”
Another pause.
“No, she doesn’t know.”
Leah kept her eyes closed.
Simone continued.
“I am not doing this if she gets hurt.”
Leah’s heartbeat quickened.
Then Simone whispered a name.
“Nathan.”
Leah opened her eyes.
Simone froze.
The phone remained beside her ear.
For several seconds, neither woman spoke.
Then Leah said.
“You know my husband.”
Simone ended the call.
“Leah.”
“How?”
Simone sat up slowly.
“You need to stay calm.”
Leah laughed once.
“Apparently everyone has decided that is the most important thing about me.”
Simone looked ashamed.
“I met Nathan eleven months ago.”
The room seemed to tilt.
“Where?”
“At a gym opening.”
Leah stared at her.
Simone continued.
“He told me you were separated.”
Leah felt nothing at first.
The betrayal was almost too obvious to hurt.
Then it landed.
“Were you sleeping with him?”
Simone looked down.
“Yes.”
Leah closed her eyes.
For months.
Appointments.
Late meetings.
Business trips.
Nathan had not been busy.
He had been dividing his life.
“How long?”
“Seven months.”
Leah looked toward Simone’s pregnant stomach.
Simone immediately understood.
“The baby is not Nathan’s.”
Leah stared at her.
“He isn’t?”
“No.”
“Then whose?”
“My ex-husband’s.”
Simone’s expression hardened.
“Nathan knew that.”
Leah tried to understand.
“Why are you here?”
Simone inhaled.
“Doreen arranged it.”
Leah’s skin turned cold.
“Why?”
“She told Nathan I needed somewhere private until my divorce was finalized.”
“That makes no sense.”
“I know.”
Simone wiped her eyes.
“Then I realized they wanted me here for something else.”
“What?”
Simone looked toward the hallway.
“They wanted me to give a statement.”
Leah stopped breathing.
“About me?”
“Yes.”
“What statement?”
“That you had threatened your baby.”
Leah stared at her.
“I have never spoken to you before this week.”
“I know.”
“What exactly were you supposed to say?”
Simone began crying.
“That you told me you were afraid you might hurt him after delivery.”
Leah felt the room disappear around her.
“And you agreed?”
“At first.”
Simone looked sick.
“Nathan said it was only for a custody dispute.”
“What custody dispute?”
“He said you planned to take the baby away from him.”
Leah gripped the blanket.
“And now?”
“Now I think they are trying to create a psychiatric file.”
Leah thought of the behavioral flag.
The sedative.
Doreen’s questions.
Nathan’s reaction.
Everything aligned.
Then Simone said.
“There is one more thing.”
“What?”
“Doreen promised me two hundred thousand dollars.”
Leah stared at her.
“For lying about me?”
May you like
Simone shook her head.
“For signing the statement after your son is born.”
