Chapter 3 - The Badge in Marcus’s Hand
The video had no sound.
It didn’t need any.
At 7:42 p.m., Marcus stood near the service elevator with Isabella.
He handed her a temporary staff-access badge.
She took it.
They spoke briefly.
Then she walked away.
Eleven minutes later, she entered the suite where I was waiting.
I looked at Marcus.
“Why?”
“It’s not what it looks like.”
“People always say that when it looks exactly like something.”
Elaine quietly left.
Marcus pulled a chair closer.
“I gave her access because she had documents I needed.”
“What documents?”
“A contract amendment.”
“You couldn’t meet her downstairs?”
“She said she didn’t want to be seen.”
I stared at him.
“That makes it better?”
“No.”
“Did you tell her I was in that suite?”
He hesitated.
There.
That pause.
“Yes.”
My throat tightened.
“Why?”
“Because she asked where you were.”
“And you told her?”
“I didn’t think she’d do this.”
I looked toward the fetal monitor.
“Why would you think she might do anything?”
Marcus lowered his voice.
“Because we had a relationship.”
The sentence landed more quietly than Isabella’s kick.
“What kind of relationship?”
His eyes closed.
“Before you got pregnant.”
I stopped breathing for a second.
“How long?”
“Four months.”
I turned my face away.
He reached for me.
I moved my hand.
“Don’t.”
Marcus sat back.
“It ended seven months ago.”
Seven months.
I looked down at my belly.
Our daughter was seven months along.
The timing wasn’t subtle.
“Did you end it because I got pregnant?”
“Yes.”
I laughed once.
It came out ugly.
“Did she know?”
“Yes.”
“Did she accept it?”
“No.”
Now Isabella’s words made sense.
Daring to stand next to him.
She wasn’t behaving like someone who thought an affair was over.
Then another question came.
“Why was she bringing you contract documents in secret?”
May you like
Marcus looked toward the door.
And I realized the affair wasn’t the only thing he’d been hiding.
