Emily didn’t answer Daniel’s message right away.
She read it.
Locked her phone.
Then read it again.
We need to talk.
Those four words felt heavier than they should.
Three days ago she would have rushed to reply. She would have asked where, when, how soon.
Now everything was different.
Because she had met Claire.
And meeting Claire had changed the story in ways Emily hadn’t expected.
Daniel was no longer just the man she fell for.
Now he was also someone’s husband with a complicated past.
Emily sat on her couch staring at the ceiling while the phone rested on the table.
It buzzed again.
Another message.
Emily… please answer.
She finally picked up the phone.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before typing slowly.
What do you want to talk about?
The reply came instantly.
Everything.
Emily laughed quietly.
Of course.
Everything.
That word covered too much.
Did Claire tell you she met me? she asked.
A pause.
Then Daniel answered.
Yes.
Emily frowned.
You knew before you texted me?
Another pause.
Longer this time.
She told me after she got home.
Emily imagined that conversation.
Claire walking through the door.
Daniel waiting in the living room.
Two people who had built eleven years together now sitting across from each other discussing the woman he had an affair with.
The thought made Emily uncomfortable.
Her phone buzzed again.
Can we meet?
She stared at the message.
This time she didn’t hesitate.
No.
The typing bubble appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then appeared again.
Finally the response arrived.
Emily… please.
Two hours later she was sitting across from him anyway.
Some habits were harder to break than promises.
They met at the same café where everything had started months ago.
Emily arrived first.
She picked the corner table, the one partly hidden by a large indoor plant.
Her heart started racing when the door opened.
Daniel walked in.
For a moment nothing changed.
He still looked the same.
Same dark jacket.
Same tired eyes.
Same way of scanning the room until he found her.
But when he sat down across from her, Emily realized something was different.
He looked… older.
Not physically.
But emotionally.
“Hi,” he said quietly.
Emily nodded.
“Hi.”
Neither of them touched the menu.
Neither of them ordered anything.
The air between them felt thick.
Finally Daniel spoke.
“She told me you met.”
Emily studied his face.
“You sound surprised.”
“I am.”
“You didn’t expect her to call me?”
Daniel ran a hand through his hair.
“No.”
Emily leaned forward slightly.
“She said she wanted the truth.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“That’s ironic.”
“Why?”
“Because truth has never been Claire’s favorite thing.”
Emily frowned.
“That’s not the impression she gave.”
Daniel looked away for a moment.
“Claire is very good at controlling impressions.”
Emily crossed her arms.
“You’re talking about your wife.”
“Yes.”
“And you’re blaming her?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I’m explaining.”
Emily’s voice hardened.
“She didn’t sound like the villain in your story.”
Daniel looked back at her.
“Of course not.”
“Why?”
“Because she never does.”
The conversation was already spiraling somewhere Emily didn’t expect.
“Then tell me something,” she said. “Why did you cheat?”
Daniel didn’t answer immediately.
Instead he asked a question of his own.
“What did she tell you about our marriage?”
Emily hesitated.
“Not much.”
“Try.”
“She said marriages don’t end because of one mistake.”
Daniel smirked faintly.
“That sounds like Claire.”
Emily waited.
“But that’s not the whole story,” he added.
“Then what is?”
Daniel leaned back in his chair.
“The truth is… our marriage ended a long time ago.”
Emily felt her stomach tighten.
“When?”
Daniel stared at the table as if calculating the years.
“About five years ago.”
“Five?”
Emily blinked.
“You’ve been pretending for five years?”
Daniel shrugged.
“People pretend longer than that.”
“Why?”
“For the same reason most couples stay together.”
“Which is?”
“Life.”
Emily didn’t like how vague that answer sounded.
“Be specific.”
Daniel sighed.
“Family expectations. Shared business investments. A house that neither of us wanted to sell.”
Emily raised an eyebrow.
“That sounds more like a contract than a marriage.”
“Exactly.”
The waiter came to their table.
Neither of them ordered.
He left quickly.
Emily leaned forward.
“So you stayed married for convenience?”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“Pretty much.”
“And Claire is okay with that?”
Daniel smiled without humor.
“Claire likes stability.”
Emily thought about the woman she met the night before.
Calm.
Elegant.
Controlled.
That description suddenly felt accurate.
“But you weren’t satisfied,” Emily said.
Daniel’s eyes met hers.
“Not until I met you.”
The words hit harder than she expected.
She looked away.
“That’s not fair.”
“What isn’t?”
“Putting that on me.”
Daniel frowned.
“I’m not blaming you.”
“But you are.”
Emily took a breath.
“You’re saying I woke something in you.”
“Didn’t you?”
The question hung heavily between them.
Emily didn’t answer.
Because part of her knew it was true.
“Claire asked if I still wanted you,” Emily said quietly.
Daniel’s head lifted.
“And what did you say?”
“I told her no.”
Daniel studied her carefully.
“Was that the truth?”
Emily forced herself to meet his eyes.
“Yes.”
The lie felt heavier than expected.
Daniel leaned forward.
“Then why are you here?”
Emily didn’t have a good answer.
So she chose the honest one.
“I needed to hear your version.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“And now you have.”
“Not all of it.”
“What do you mean?”
Emily lowered her voice.
“She said something strange.”
Daniel waited.
“She said you think you loved me.”
Daniel blinked.
“That’s exactly how she phrased it?”
“Yes.”
Daniel leaned back again.
And laughed quietly.
“That sounds like Claire.”
“Why?”
“Because she always believes she understands people better than they understand themselves.”
Emily tilted her head.
“And does she?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Sometimes.”
“Is she right about you?”
Daniel didn’t answer immediately.
Instead he asked something unexpected.
“Did she tell you about the baby?”
Emily froze.
“What baby?”
Daniel’s expression changed instantly.
“You didn’t know?”
A cold sensation spread through Emily’s chest.
“Know what?”
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“Claire and I had a daughter.”
Emily blinked.
“Had?”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“She died.”
The café suddenly felt too quiet.
“How old?” Emily asked softly.
“Three months.”
Emily’s throat tightened.
“I’m sorry.”
Daniel looked down.
“That was six years ago.”
Emily’s mind started connecting pieces.
“You said your marriage ended five years ago.”
Daniel nodded again.
“After she died… everything changed.”
Emily realized she had been holding her breath.
“What happened?”
Daniel spoke slowly.
“We grieved differently.”
“How?”
“Claire buried herself in work.”
“And you?”
Daniel looked at her.
“I tried to feel something.”
Emily understood the implication immediately.
“That’s why you started having affairs.”
Daniel didn’t deny it.
“Yes.”
“How many?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
“Three.”
Emily stared at him.
“Three before me?”
Daniel nodded.
“And Claire stayed?”
“She always does.”
Emily leaned back in her chair.
Everything felt more complicated now.
The affair.
The marriage.
The grief sitting beneath it all.
“Did Claire know about the others?” she asked.
Daniel nodded.
“She always knows.”
Emily blinked.
“Then why stay?”
Daniel’s answer came quietly.
“Because leaving would mean admitting the marriage really ended.”
Emily thought about the woman she met the night before.
Strong.
Controlled.
Holding everything together.
Suddenly Claire made more sense.
“She told me something else,” Emily said.
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“She asked me to tell her if you contact me again.”
Daniel laughed softly.
“That sounds like Claire too.”
“Why?”
“Because she wants proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“That I’ll never change.”
The silence between them grew heavier.
Emily finally stood.
“I should go.”
Daniel looked up.
“Emily—”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Please just listen—”
“I did listen.”
Emily grabbed her purse.
“And honestly?”
Daniel waited.
“I don’t know which version of this story is worse.”
She turned toward the door.
But Daniel’s voice stopped her.
“I never lied about loving you.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“That’s the problem.”
She walked out before he could answer.
Outside the night air felt colder than before.
Emily pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders.
Her phone buzzed again.
Another message.
Not from Daniel.
From Claire.
Did he meet you?
Emily stared at the screen.
The question felt strangely calm.
Almost expected.
She typed slowly.
Yes.
Three dots appeared.
Then Claire replied.
Did he tell you about the baby?
Emily’s chest tightened.
Yes.
Another pause.
Then the final message arrived.
Then now you understand why nothing in this marriage is simple.
Emily looked up at the dark sky.
For the first time since the affair started…
She believed her.
Continue the story
Previous chapters:
Chapter 1 – The Man with the Wedding Ring
https://tabustory.com/between-us-and-the-lie-chapter-1/
Chapter 2 – When the Wife Calls
https://tabustory.com/between-us-and-the-lie-chapter-2/
Next chapter:
Chapter 4 – The Rules Claire Set
(coming next)