“Daddy lives in another house too,” said the boy, and I knew his “business trips” were lies.
“I won’t wear that dress, and that’s final!” Emily stomped her foot and crossed her arms. “It’s itchy, and the collars awful!”
“But, darling, we bought it specially for Grandmas birthday,” Charlotte said, keeping her voice steady even as frustration simmered inside. “Shell be upset if you turn up in jeans.”
“Well, let her be upset! Im tenI decide what I wear!”
Charlotte closed her eyes and counted to five. A tantrum was the last thing she needed today. Work had been chaotic, then the mad dash around the shops, baking the celebration cake for her mother-in-law. And James, as always, was away on business when she needed him most.
“Em, listen” she began, but six-year-old Oliver burst in, clutching a toy car.
“Mum, look what I drew!” He shoved a crumpled sheet at her. “Its our family!”
Charlotte glanced at the scribblesa typical childs drawing: her with a big smile, Emily with pigtails, Oliver, and James, sketched twiceonce on each side of the page.
“Lovely, sweetheart,” she murmured. “But why is Daddy drawn twice?”
Oliver frowned, as if the answer were obvious. “Thats not twice. Thats Daddy in our house and Daddy in the other house where he lives when hes not here.”
A chill ran down Charlottes spine. She studied the drawing againtwo figures of James, one beside them, the other next to a boxy house at the far edge.
“What other house, Olly?” she asked, forcing her voice to stay light.
“The one with flowers in the window and the cat,” he said with a shrug. “He took me there when you were at work. But its a secretDaddy said not to tell.”
Emily, who had momentarily forgotten the dress argument, froze, eyes wide. “Ollie, stop making things up! Dad goes away for work, not to other houses!”
“Im not!” His lower lip jutted out. “We watched cartoons and had pizza. And Auntie Laura made us hot chocolate.”
“Auntie who?” The room seemed to tilt.
“Dads friend. She lives there,” Oliver said, already losing interest as he rolled his car along the floor. “Can I go watch TV now?”
Charlotte nodded, unable to speak. Emily stared between her brother and mother, fear creeping into her expression.
“Mum, hes just confused,” she said uncertainly. “Dad wouldnt”
“Go to your room, Em,” Charlotte interrupted quietly. “Wear whatever you like.”
Once Emily was gone, Charlotte sank onto the sofa, her thoughts jumbled, her heart hammering. Jamesher James, who supposedly had back-to-back business trips? Who always returned with souvenirs and stories from different cities?
Six months ago, suspicion had first flickered. He started working late, taking more “business trips”trips that had once been rare. Then shed found a receipt from a local café dated for a day he was meant to be in Manchester. Hed brushed it offsaid hed returned early but hadnt wanted to disturb them so late.
Shed believed him. Or forced herself to.
Now, she marched to the desk where they kept their documents. Flipping through the billsphone, internet, utilitiesher fingers stilled on an unfamiliar one. A second phone and internet bill, addressed to James at a flat in Islington.
Her hands shook. Proof. Oliver hadnt imagined it. Children didnt invent details like that.
Her phone buzzeda message from James. Miss you all. Counting the days till Im home. Love you.
She stared at the screen. Should she reply? Call him out now? Or wait until he returned and watch him lie to her face?
She typed a terse, “Were fine,” and set the phone aside.
The next two days passed in a blur. She functioned mechanicallywork, school runs, mealsbut her mind circled back to Jamess double life. Oliver didnt mention the “other house” again, though Emily kept throwing her uneasy glances, as if waiting for an explosion.
For the family dinner at her in-laws, Charlotte sent the children ahead, pleading a migraine. She couldnt sit there, smiling, pretending nothing was wrong. Did his mother know? Was she the only one kept in the dark?
On the third evening, the key turned in the lock. Charlotte sat at the kitchen table, cold tea in front of her. The children were asleep.
“Home at last!” James called cheerfully, appearing with a bouquet and suitcase. “Missed you all so much!”
He leaned in to kiss her, but she pulled away. His brows furrowed. “Something wrong?”
“Oliver drew a picture,” she said flatly, meeting his eyes. “Our family. With you in two houses.”
His expression flickered. Then he laughed, too casually. “Kids and their imaginations, eh?”
“Stop it, James.” Her voice was tired. “I found the bills for the flat in Islington. Oliver told me about Auntie Laura. And the cat. Too many details for a childs fantasy, dont you think?”
James set the flowers down slowly. When he spoke, his voice was quiet. “Charlotte, I can explain.”
“Explain what? That you have another family? That your business trips were just visits to your mistress? That you took our son there?”
“It wasnt… simple,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “I didnt plan for you to find out like this.”
“Were you ever going to tell me?”
He hesitated. “It started as an affair. Nothing serious. But Laura got pregnant, and”
“What?” The floor seemed to drop away. “You have a child with her?”
“Sophies four,” he admitted quietly.
Four years. While shed raised their children, cooked his meals, washed his shirts, hed been raising another child in another home.
“Why didnt you just leave?” Her voice was eerily calm.
“I couldnt choose.” He spread his hands. “I love our kids. I love you. But I love them too. Its like two separate worlds.”
She shook her head. “I dont understand how you could lie for years. How you could say you missed us when youd just come from them.”
“I did miss you,” he insisted, reaching for her hand. She jerked back. “Charlotte, I know it sounds monstrous. But I love you all. I didnt want to lose anyone.”
“And now?” Her smile was bitter. “Now that we know?”
He said nothing. The silence stretched.
“You made your choice when you started this,” she said, standing. “When you lied. When you took our son there.”
“I never meant for him to meet Laura,” James said quickly. “It was an accidentI had to collect papers, thought shed be out”
“And thats meant to comfort me?” She exhaled sharply. “I wont scream or throw you out tonight. The children are asleep. But I want you to leave. Pack a bag and go. Live your other life properly, without hiding.”
“Charlotte, please”
“No. Listen.” Her voice cracked, but she held back the tears. “I didnt deserve this. Our children didnt deserve a father who scheduled his time with them. I want a divorce.”
He flinched. “You cant just throw away fifteen years!”
“You threw them away,” she said softly. “When you decided you could have two families. When you thought Id never find out.”
His silence was admission enough.
“Can I at least say goodbye to the kids?” he asked finally.
“Theyre asleep.” She shook her head. “Come back tomorrow. Talk to them then. But no more lies. They deserve the truth, even if its simplified.”
“What will you tell them?” Fear flickered in his eyes.
“The truth,” she said simply. “That Daddy has another family. Another little girl. That hell visit, but he wont live here anymore.”
“Theyll hate me.”
“Maybe,” she said. “But itll be their honest feelings. Not the result of your lies.”
She watched as he packed a bag, silent until he stood at the door. One question burned. “Why Oliver? Why take him and not Emily?”
“Hes younger,” James muttered, avoiding her gaze. “Thought he wouldnt remember or tell. Em… shed have figured it out.”
“She did figure it out,” Charlotte said quietly. “She just didnt want to believe it.”
When the door closed, she slid to the floor, finally letting the tears come. The pain was sharp, but beneath it, reliefno more pretending, no more waiting for him to return from trips that never happened.
The next morning, Oliver climbed into her bed.
“Mum, wheres Daddy?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her neck. “He was sposed to come home last night.”
“Daddys gone away, sweetheart,” she said, holding him close. “Hell come today to talk to you both.”
“Was he cross about my drawing?” Olivers eyes filled with tears. “I didnt mean to tell the secret”
“No, love.” She smoothed his hair. “You did nothing wrong. Telling the truth is always good. Promise me youll always tell me the truth, okay?”
Emily appeared in the doorway, sleepy-eyed. She took in the room, the absence of her father, and understood.
“Hes gone for good?” she asked bluntly.
“Hell visit,” Charlotte said gently. “But he wont live here anymore. He has… another family.”
“I knew,” Emily said stiffly. “I saw a photo on his phone. A woman with a little girl. He said it was his cousin.”
The pain twisted deeperEmily had known, too, and carried the secret, afraid to break the family apart.
“Come here,” Charlotte said, patting the bed. “Were not rushing today. Well stay in, watch films, and Ill make pancakes.”
“What about school?” Emily frowned.
“One day wont hurt,” Charlotte said, managing a small smile. “Weve got a good reason.”
The children curled up on either side of her, and she held them tight, determination rising. It would be hardfinancially, emotionallybut shed manage. For them. For herself.
Life didnt end with betrayal. This was just a new chapterpainful, but necessary. One where she wouldnt be the victim of his lies anymore.
“Mum,” Emily whispered, as if reading her thoughts, “will we be okay without Dad?”
“Of course,” Charlotte said, kissing her forehead. “Were a proper family. No secrets. No lies.”
Oliver, half-oblivious, was already chattering about a dream where hed flown on a dragon. Life went onchanged, but still theirs. And for the first time in years, Charlotte felt like she could breathe freely, without the weight of suspicion.
Thered be challenges ahead, but in this moment, with her children in her arms, she knew shed made the right choice. Whatever came next, it would be built on truthnot lies.
