Sophie called me the next afternoon.
Her voice sounded different.
She wasn't crying.
She wasn't angry.
She sounded determined.
"Claire, can we meet?"
I agreed.
We arranged to meet at the same restaurant downtown.
When I arrived, she was already there.
She had a folder beside her handbag.
I sat down.
"What happened?"
She pushed the folder toward me.
"I found more messages."
I opened it.
There were screenshots of conversations between her and Julian.
Some were several months old.
Others were recent.
I started reading.
Julian had promised to support her and the baby.
He had said he would be present.
He had discussed medical appointments.
He had also promised that Sophie would have a say in every major decision.
Then I found a message that made me stop.
Julian had written that his mother was helping organize the baby's future.
Sophie had asked whether that meant the baby would live with them.
He had answered:
"Let's not make things complicated before the birth."
I looked up.
"Did you ask him again?"
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
"He told me not to worry."
She rubbed her forehead.
"Every time I asked about the future, he gave me the same answer."
I looked back at the messages.
Then I found another conversation.
This one was between Sophie and Helga.
Helga had written that she was looking forward to helping with the baby.
Sophie had thanked her.
Then Helga had mentioned that the baby would have a wonderful home with Julian's family.
Sophie had asked what she meant.
Helga replied that everything would be easier once the baby arrived.
I placed the phone down.
"She never told you she wanted me to raise the baby?"
Sophie shook her head.
"No."
"Did you ever agree to that?"
"Never."
I looked at her.
"Then why did Julian tell me you had accepted the arrangement?"
She gave a bitter laugh.
"Because he tells people whatever makes the conversation easier."
I nodded.
That sounded familiar.
Sophie took another paper from the folder.
It was a printed email.
Julian had sent it to her shortly after their relationship became serious again.
He had written that his marriage was emotionally finished.
He had said he and I were living separate lives.
He had also claimed that we had stopped trying to have children.
I stared at the date.
It was from before our tenth anniversary.
I remembered that month.
Julian had accompanied me to a specialist.
He had held my hand in the waiting room.
He had told me he was proud of how strong I was.
Apparently, he had been telling Sophie something entirely different.
I felt sick.
"Did he ever tell you that we were still undergoing treatment?"
"No."
I looked at the paper.
"Did he tell you we were celebrating our anniversary?"
"No."
I folded the email.
Then I placed it back in the folder.
There was something I needed to ask Sophie.
"Did you know he was still sleeping beside me?"
She looked at me.
"Yes."
I waited.
She lowered her eyes.
"He told me you were sleeping in separate rooms."
I stared at her.
That was another lie.
We had shared the same bedroom throughout our marriage until the night I moved into the spare room.
I didn't say anything.
Sophie looked ashamed.
"I should have questioned him."
"Yes," I said.
She nodded.
"I know."
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
I wasn't ready to forgive her.
But I was beginning to understand how carefully Julian had controlled what each of us knew.
He had given Sophie a version of our marriage.
He had given me a version of his relationship with Sophie.
And he had given his family a third version that made everything seem manageable.
Sophie reached for her water.
Then she said something quietly.
"There's something else."
I looked at her.
"What?"
"He asked me to sign a document."
My stomach tightened.
"What document?"
"He said it was a temporary agreement about the baby's care."
I leaned forward.
"Did you sign it?"
"No."
I let out a breath.
"Did you read it?"
"Yes. But I didn't understand everything."
She took out a photograph.
It showed the first page of a document.
I read the heading.
It appeared to concern temporary caregiving arrangements.
I didn't try to interpret the legal language.
But I noticed several names.
Julian.
Sophie.
And a reference to our home address.
I looked up.
"Why is my address on this?"
Sophie shook her head.
"That's what I asked him."
"What did he say?"
"He said it was only for planning purposes."
I studied the page again.
Then I took a photograph.
"Don't sign anything else until you get independent advice."
She nodded.
"I won't."
I placed the paper back on the table.
For the first time, we both understood that the situation had become bigger than an affair.
There were actual documents.
Proposed arrangements.
Financial decisions.
And a child who had not even been born yet.
When I returned home, Julian was in the living room.
He looked at my handbag.
Then at me.
"Where have you been?"
"Out."
"With Sophie?"
I stopped.
He stood up.
"She told me."
I stared at him.
"Why did she tell you?"
"She said you two met."
I put my handbag down.
"Yes."
He rubbed his forehead.
"Claire, this needs to stop."
I looked at him.
"What needs to stop?"
"You and Sophie discussing everything behind my back."
I almost laughed.
"You're upset because two women you lied to are talking to each other?"
He looked angry.
"That's not fair."
I folded my arms.
"Neither was what you did."
He walked toward me.
"She doesn't understand the whole situation."
"Then explain it."
He hesitated.
I waited.
Finally, he said:
"She's emotional because of the pregnancy."
I stared at him.
"And I'm emotional because of the affair. Is that how this works?"
He didn't answer.
I walked past him.
Then I stopped.
"Julian, did you ask Sophie to sign a caregiving document?"
His face changed.
He didn't speak.
I turned around.
"Did you?"
He finally answered.
"It was only a draft."
"Why was our address on it?"
He looked away.
"Because Mom thought it might be useful."
I nodded slowly.
There it was.
Another decision made without me.
I went upstairs.
And I understood that I could no longer rely on Julian to tell me the truth.
Click here to continue reading: PART 15: Helga Came to Our House Without Warning, but Her Explanation About the Documents Made Me Question Her Entire Story
My Husband Thought I Was Too Clueless to Understand His Family’s Secret Language, Until One Dinner Changed Everything
Part 14 of 20
