Chapter 5 – The Second Family

Elena could not forget the photo she had seen. That little girl’s face stayed in her mind every moment. Each time Daniel touched his phone, she remembered it. Each time he smiled at a message, she felt her heart break more. She told herself again and again, I must know the truth. I cannot live in shadows.

One evening Daniel said, “I need to travel again. It is for some work.” Elena looked at him and asked, “Work? You are retired. What work is left?” Daniel avoided her eyes. “Just some business. Do not worry.” She whispered, “I am already worried.” But he packed his bag and left.

This time Elena did not stay silent. She spoke to her cousin Mark. She said, “I think Daniel is hiding something. I saw a picture of a child on his phone. He says he is working. But he is retired. I feel he is lying to me.” Mark looked at her with concern. He said, “Do you want me to find out?” Elena nodded. Her hands shook. “Yes. Please. I must know.”

Mark followed Daniel quietly. Days later he returned to Elena. His face was heavy. He said slowly, “Elena, I am sorry. What you feared is true. Daniel has another wife. Her name is Maria. He married her years ago. And that girl in the photo is his daughter.”

Elena felt the ground slip away. She cried out, “No… this cannot be.” Mark said, “I wish it was not true. But it is.”

That night Elena sat in her room, broken. She whispered, “I gave you everything. I trusted you with my soul. And you had another life. Another wife. Another child.”

When Daniel returned, she did not wait. She stood in front of him and said, “Who is Maria?” Daniel froze. His bag dropped to the floor. “Elena… listen…” She shouted, “No! Do not give me excuses. I saw the photo. I know the truth. You have another wife. You have another child.”

Daniel’s face was pale. He whispered, “I did not want to hurt you.” Tears fell from Elena’s eyes. “Hurt me? You destroyed me. I gave up every man for you. I chose you above all. And you gave me lies.”

Daniel fell to his knees. He begged, “Please forgive me. I thought I could manage. I thought I could keep both families safe.” Elena cried louder. “Two families? You promised me I was your only one. You promised me I was enough. You made me a fool.”

Days later, Elena decided to meet Maria. When they stood face to face, both women were silent at first. Then Maria said with shaking voice, “So you are his first wife.” Elena nodded with tears. “And you are the second.” Maria sat down. She covered her face. She said, “He told me I was the only one. He told me he was free.”

Elena wept. “He told me the same. He told me I was his truth. He told me he was mine alone.” Maria cried harder. “I gave him my best years. I raised his daughter. And all this time, he was lying to me too.”

The two women sat together. They were strangers, but their pain was the same. Elena said softly, “We are not enemies. We are both victims.” Maria nodded. “Yes. We gave love. He gave lies.”

When Daniel came to Maria’s house that night, he saw both women together. He was shocked. He said, “Elena… Maria… please… do not hate me. I only wanted to keep everyone happy.” Elena looked at him with fire in her eyes. “Happy? Do you think lies bring happiness? Do you think betrayal is love?” Maria shouted, “You used me. You used her. You used all of us.”

Daniel tried to explain, but no words were left. The truth was out. Both women knew. Both hearts were broken. The world he built with secrets was falling apart.

Elena returned home. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She whispered, “He had two wives. He had two lives. And I was blind all these years.” She held her chest. She said to herself, “I feel like my heart is dying. But I must live. I must face this.”

Maria too sat in her room with her child sleeping beside her. She thought, What kind of man lies to two women and calls it love? She wiped her tears and kissed her daughter’s head. She said, “You are innocent. You will not pay for his sins.”

The cracks had now broken open. The truth was standing clear. Daniel was not a man of one love. He was a man of secrets. And now both women knew. Their lives would never be the same again.