Page 67 of The Girlfriend’s Secret

‘I thought it was full of photos,’ I reply. ‘Old things from my mother’s house.’

‘Yeah, it is,’ Frederik tells me before bending down and reaching into the box. ‘But it had something else in it too. This.’

At that moment he shows me the phone that had been in there and I recognise the device as belonging to my husband. But why was it hidden inside the box? Why hadn’t it just been in his pocket like it should be?

‘I’m on a call right now with Haven,’ Frederik explains before adding the sucker punch. ‘And she has been recording everything we have said.’

Suddenly, heart-stoppingly, I know I am caught. This is the moment I know there is no point fighting.

It’s over for me.

And in devastating fashion.

‘How could you do this?’ I cry as Frederik holds the phone in front of my face, and the only thing that stops me trying to take it from him is knowing he would swipe it away before I got the chance.

‘I’m not the bad guy here,’ my husband says coldly. ‘I’m just trying to make things right. For far too long there has been a toxic part of this family and it has poisoned us all, slowly and gradually over the years.’

‘I’m your wife! I’m the mother of your children!’

‘Yes, and you’re also a murderer.’

That can’t be denied. Not after I openly admitted it only a few minutes ago. There I was, thinking that I was doing a good job of convincing Frederik that we could have a great life together now we had Mum’s money, when in reality, all I was doing was digging my own grave. I said everything he wanted me to say and there was no taking it back. I could have tried to deny it, to pretend that I was joking, but that wouldn’t work. It would have only added further shame and embarrassment to my sinking situation.

So I’m not going to try and take back what I said. I’m too deflated to even attempt it.

Nor am I going to try and change the way my husband looks at me.

I can see all is lost between us and while I can’t see my sons at this moment, I know all is lost for me and them too. I can’t see Haven either, though I know she is there, still listening in on the call as Frederik holds the phone out of my reach. That’s why I can’t resist saying one more thing before sitting down and accepting my fate.

‘You bitch,’ I say loudly and clearly for Haven to hear.

At that, my husband shows me nothing but a smile, but it’s not a happy one. It’s not one full of joy or hope. It’s a sad smile. A smile that says he has won but lost so much in the process.

It’s a smile that confirms my worst fears.

Not only have I lost my family now.

I think I’m going to lose my freedom too…

FORTY-SEVEN

HAVEN

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER

The walk from Valerie’s house to Liane’s house is a lonely one. But who else could I make it with? Joel is at home with his brother, the pair of them having been sent out of the kitchen by their father just before he initiated his important conversation with his wife. I will be reunited with my boyfriend soon enough, but for now, I am all by myself and it had to be this way.

Somebody had to be elsewhere, making sure that the conversation was being recorded correctly. That somebody was me, and I can happily confirm that everything worked as it should have. The sound of sirens in the distance only makes that belief stronger.

As I keep walking, I send a message to Joel.

Almost there.

He replies straight back.

I love you.

I say the same thing in return before adding something important.