Hank sits on the edge of the bed, waiting for Natalie to return. He looks at the clock every few minutes, each second stretching out longer than the last. He knows he needs to talk to her, to ask her about everything he saw and felt today.
But a part of him is scared of what her answers might be. Finally, he hears the sound of Natalie’s car pulling into the driveway. His heart starts to beat faster, a mix of anticipation and dread washing over him.
He stands up, taking a deep breath to steady himself. Natalie enters the house, looking tired but smiling as she sees Hank. “I’m so sorry I’m late again,” she starts, her voice apologetic.
“Work was just crazy today. I had so much to do, and it all took longer than expected.”
Hank watches her, noticing the small details – her hair is slightly disheveled, and her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Natalie, stop.
I know everything,” Hank’s voice is firm, his stance resolute. Natalie’s brow furrows in confusion. “What do you mean?
Do you know that the kids misunderstood the test, and we had to rewrite it today?”
Hank shakes his head, his voice heavy with accusation. “I know you’re cheating on me.”
Natalie looks taken aback, her frustration evident. “Again, with your thing.
Hank, I’ve already said that I would never cheat on you. It’s just a lot of work.”
“What about that message then?” Hank’s question is pointed, his gaze unwavering. Natalie sighs, exasperated.
“I told you, someone got the wrong number.”
Hank’s voice rises slightly, “I’m not talking about that, other messages.”
Natalie’s eyes widen in shock. “What other messages? Did you go into my phone?”
Hank’s frustration is palpable.
“Oh, don’t make me the guilty one now. You are the one cheating on me.”
Natalie’s voice is tinged with disbelief. “Hank.
You went into my phone?”
“Yes! Yes! I went into your phone.
How bad I am. It’s me spending money on another family.” Hank’s words are laced with sarcasm and hurt. Natalie is visibly shaken.
“What are you talking about? What other family?”
Hank’s voice is cold, “I saw everything, Natalie. I saw it with my own eyes.
You don’t work late at school, but go to some man and girl.”
Natalie’s shock turns to anger. “Did you follow me?”
Hank’s response is bitter. “Don’t make yourself the victim now.
If you hadn’t cheated on me, none of this would have happened. And I trusted you, Natalie.”
Natalie’s frustration boils over. “I see how much you trusted me.
So much that you went into my phone and followed me. Hank, this was the last straw. I can’t live with someone who doesn’t trust me.
I will stay at a hotel tonight.”
Hank’s voice is heavy with sarcasm. “Now you’re offended. Well, of course.”
Natalie turns to leave, her voice firm.
“I don’t want to listen to you.”
Hank calls after her, his voice raised so she can hear him. “How can I trust you when you’re cheating on me!”
Natalie disappears into the bedroom, leaving Hank alone with his thoughts and a heart full of turmoil. His mind races, trying to make sense of it all.
The evidence he thought he had, suspicions, and doubts now clash with Natalie’s adamant denial and hurt. Hank sits on the couch, his mind racing with thoughts and emotions. He’s very nervous, feeling a mix of guilt and confusion.
His heart beats fast as he tries to process the confrontation with Natalie. After a few moments, he stands up and goes to the bedroom. In the bedroom, he sees Natalie hastily packing her things into a bag.
“Where are you going now? It’s late,” Hank asks, his voice filled with concern and confusion. Natalie doesn’t answer him, her actions speaking louder than words.
Hank’s eyes fall on Natalie’s phone, lying on the bed, still turned on. In a moment of desperation, he picks it up and quickly installs a tracking program. He knows it violates her privacy, but his need for answers and understanding overrides his better judgment.
Natalie zips up her bag and picks up her phone, not noticing the new app. She walks out of the bedroom, her movements resolute. Hank follows her, a sense of urgency in his steps.
Natalie puts her coat and boots in the living room, ready to leave. “Natalie, stop. Stay,” Hank pleads, his voice a mix of desperation and hope.
Natalie remains silent, her actions continuing in a determined manner. She doesn’t look at Hank; her focus is solely on leaving. “I don’t want to throw you out on the street at night,” Hank continues, trying to reach out to her.
“Let’s talk.”
Natalie stops for a moment. Her back still turned to Hank. “I’ve heard everything I needed to,” she says, her voice firm and final.
She picks up her bag and walks to the door. Opening it, she turned to Hank, her eyes meeting his briefly. “And for your information, the man and child you saw are my brother and niece.”
Hank is stunned.
This revelation is a shock to him. “Then why haven’t I heard anything about them?” he yells, but it’s too late. Natalie had already exited the house and closed the door behind her.
Hank stands there, alone, the house’s silence echoing around him. He feels a mixture of emotions – confusion, regret, and a growing sense of loss. He wonders if he has made a terrible mistake, jumping to conclusions and pushing Natalie away.
Hank sits back down on the couch, his mind whirling with thoughts. He feels lost, unsure of what to do next. The house feels empty without Natalie, and Hank is overwhelmed with a sense of loneliness.
He wonders if there’s any way to repair the damage done, to regain the trust that seems to have been broken. Hank goes into the bedroom, his mind clouded with disbelief and confusion. Despite Natalie’s explanation, he can’t shake off his doubts.
He decides to search for evidence of infidelity, thinking that maybe, just maybe, he’ll find something in her belongings that will give him answers. He begins to go through Natalie’s wardrobe, piece by piece, examining each item with a growing sense of desperation. As he shifts through her clothes, his heart races, half expecting, half dreading to find something incriminating.
But all he sees are Natalie’s usual outfits, nothing that suggests anything out of the ordinary. Frustrated and confused, Hank pauses, his eyes scanning the wardrobe. That’s when he notices something odd – one of the boards at the back of the wardrobe looks different.
It seems out of place and slightly misaligned. Curious, Hank reaches in and carefully lifts the board. His heart skips a beat as he discovers what’s hidden underneath.
There, in a concealed space, lies a gun, several fake passports, a bag filled with money, and a newspaper clipping about a bank robbery. For a moment, Hank just stands there, stunned, the items in his hands feeling like pieces of a puzzle he can’t solve. Hank carefully gathers the items, wrapping them in a bag.
He feels like he’s in a daze, his actions automatic as he tries to process what he’s just discovered. He takes the bag and heads out to the car, placing it in the trunk. His hands are shaking, his thoughts a whirlwind of shock and disbelief.
As he sits in the driver’s seat, Hank tries to piece together the fragmented image of Natalie that’s forming in his mind. The caring, loving wife he thought he knew now seems like a stranger, her life a mystery filled with secrets and lies. Hank drives through the city, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts.
He grips the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white. The bag’s weight in the car feels like a physical burden, each item inside a testament to the mysteries surrounding Natalie. He can’t shake off the images of the gun, the fake passports, the bag of money, and the newspaper clipping about a bank robbery.
Eventually, he arrives at the hotel where Natalie is staying. It’s a modest building, standing unassuming among the city lights. Hank parks the car and sits for a moment, gathering his thoughts.
He takes a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart. Then, with a sense of resolve, he grabs the bag and exits the car. As Hank enters the hotel, he feels out of place, a stranger in a world that seems too calm compared to the storm inside him.
He approaches the reception desk, where a young girl is typing on a computer. Hank clears his throat, attracting
