A Car Crash on Our Anniversary Revealed His Secret

I got into a car accident on my wedding anniversary. Blood still streaking down my face, I walked into the hospital and ran straight into my husband, the one who'd claimed he was away on a business trip, holding his childhood sweetheart's arm as he escorted her to an exam room.

Our eyes met. I held his gaze, my expression calm. “What a coincidence.”

Conrad Mason looked rattled for a moment, but in the end, he didn't reach for me as I walked past him.

I went to pick up my medication alone. Behind me, I heard Alberta say to him, “Maybe you should go check on your wife.”

His voice was steady, certain. “No need. Let me finish your check-up first, then I'll go see her. She's not going anywhere.”

I let out a cold laugh under my breath. What a busy man. But was he so sure I wasn't going anywhere?

——

001

Lying in the hospital bed, the pain finally caught up with me. Every part of my body ached.

The nurse finished hooking up my IV, then reminded me one more time, “Bed 32, we couldn't reach any of your family. There's nobody here to watch your drip for you, so if you need anything at all, just press the call button.”

I thanked her and nodded.

As the nurse stepped out, Conrad appeared in the doorway.

“Serena Henson, what happened? You were in a serious accident and you didn't even think to tell me?”

He stood over the bed, looking down at me. His first words weren't to ask how badly I was hurt.

Just blame.

I lifted my eyes and studied him. I knew this face well. Seven years, from college until now, three of them as husband and wife. Yet somehow, the man standing in front of me felt like a stranger.

“Didn't you say you were on a business trip? You were so far away, what would've been the point of calling?”

I kept my voice unhurried, watching his expression the whole time I spoke.

If even a flicker of guilt had crossed his face, I would have been willing to give him one more chance.

But there was nothing. Conrad blinked, just once, then dropped his bag on the side table and sprawled into the chair like he owned the room.

“I was about to leave for the trip. Alberta suddenly felt sick. If I don't take her to the hospital, who will?”

His temper flared the instant the words left his mouth, as though accompanying Alberta to the hospital were the most noble, self-evident thing in the world.

“Fine. Then go be with her. She's got nobody in this world but you.”

From the way Conrad squared up, he'd clearly been bracing for a fight.

But my words caught him off guard. A beat of surprise crossed his face. He probably hadn't expected me to say that.

He was on his feet fast, grabbing his bag and heading for the door. “You're not getting discharged anytime soon anyway. Let me take Albie home first, then I'll come back and stay with you.”

“Don't bother. Stay with Alberta. She looked pretty frail to me.”

I fired back without missing a beat, making my position perfectly clear. Conrad stopped at the door and turned to look at me. His eyes were flat, indifferent.

“I'll come back once I'm done over there.”

This time he left without waiting for a response, and I didn't give him one.

Once the room went quiet, the pain from my wounds sharpened. But compared to the weight pressing down on my chest, the physical pain almost felt like nothing.

Conrad didn't come back after dropping Alberta off, the way he'd promised.

I'd expected that. I hadn't let myself believe a single word he said, so when he didn't show, the disappointment was manageable.

A nurse brought me dinner that evening. As long as my stomach was full, I could keep my mind from wandering. Whatever needed to be dealt with between Conrad and me could wait until after I was discharged.

Conrad didn't just skip that afternoon. He never came back the entire time I was in the hospital. Not once. Not a single phone call, not even a text message.

He was busy. I understood. And once I understood, I stopped caring. And once I stopped caring, I stopped being disappointed.

He didn't show up once during those days. But I saw him plenty, right there in Alberta Delgado's social media posts.