Chapter 3 Posted : last Wednesday , 10 p.m. That night , Albert had called me , his voice weary and apologetic . " Babe , I'm so sorry . There's an emergency project at work , and I have to stay overnight again . Don't wait up , okay ? Try to get some rest . " I kept scrolling through the feed , my heart pounding faster while my blood ran colder with each post . A limited edition women's wristwatch . I'd seen it in a magazine before , its retail price in the six figures . [ He said , this means every second of his belongs to me . ] Posted : two weeks ago . That date … was our wedding anniversary . Albert told me he had to travel to the neighboring city that day , said he was finalizing a major contract . He promised we'd celebrate properly once he got back . He even gave me a necklace that night . " Once this project bonus comes through , I'll upgrade it to a bigger diamond for you . " And 1 ? I'd actually felt bad for how hard he worked , told him not to waste money . Turns out , every last cent of that bonus went to someone else . Post after post . Romantic dinners . Couple selfies in high - end restaurants . Hotel check - ins . Every timestamp was a dagger , puncturing the lies he had told . All this time , I thought he was grinding away for our future . He wasn't . He was swiping his card to fund someone else's vanity . What a joke . What an unbelievably cruel joke . Auto - added to the Library I used to envy Leah . I once genuinely believed she had the most romantic husband I'd ever seen . I placed the phone back on the nightstand and lay down next to Albert , Silent tears slid from the corners of my eyes . I didn't sleep a wink . By dawn , my eyes were bloodshot . I opened the bedroom door and walked into the living room . Albert's parents were already up , their voices warm and welcoming . " Joyce ! You're up ! Come sit , sweetheart . You must be exhausted after working late again last night ! " " Here , I made some beef stew - good for your energy . " Their smiles were as soft as a spring breeze in March , genuine , unchanged after all these years . No matter how busy I was , how late I came home , even when I lost my temper now and then , they always welcomed me with open arms , treating me like their own daughter . Albert used to say , " My parents might not be great with words , but they love you with all their hearts . Everything we have today , we owe it to you - they know that . " I sighed . He was right . Good in - laws like them … are rare . I forced a smile and took a spoonful of the stew his mother handed me " Thank you , Mom . " " No need to thank me , honey , " she said warmly , patting the back of my hand . The stew sat heavy in my stomach . I couldn't finish it . Not wanting her to sense anything was wrong , I quickly excused myself , saying I had an early morning meeting at work . I stepped out the door . Ever since last night , ever since realizing Leah had been in my home , it felt like her sickly sweet , cheap perfume had clung to the air in every room . It made me nauseous . Still foggy - headed , I didn't feel like driving . I called for a ride . It was early fall . The morning breeze was crisp , and I cracked the window open as the car sped down the road . A gust of wind rushed in and cleared my mind . Suddenly , Albert's parents ' faces appeared in my thoughts . Right . If Leah really had been in our home… surely his parents would've noticed something . Albert's dad was often out and about , but his mom ? She barely left the house . Crowds made her anxious . The realization hit like a switch . I pulled out my phone . In the search bar , I typed : " Hidden cameras . " Checker 3