I barely slept that night. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Vanessa's words echoing in my head. "Ask him about his brother. Ask him if he knows who Alexander Reed is."
Reed was a common name. It had to be a coincidence. Miguel could not possibly be connected to Alex. The universe was not that cruel.
Was it?
I got up early and went to work, hoping the familiar routine of the gallery would help calm my racing thoughts. Sarah took one look at my face and frowned.
"Emily, you look terrible. Are you feeling alright?"
"I did not sleep well," I said, trying to focus on organizing the new shipment of paintings that had arrived yesterday.
"Maybe you should go home early today. You are no good to anyone when you are exhausted."
"I am fine."
Sarah did not look convinced, she left me alone to work. I threw myself into arranging the new pieces, trying to lose myself in the familiar task of examining brushstrokes and color choices. Art had always been my escape, my safe place.
Around noon, Miguel showed up with lunch like he always did. Usually, his presence made everything better. Today, I felt my stomach clench when I saw him walking through the gallery door.
"Hey beautiful," he said, holding up a bag from our favorite deli. "I got you that turkey sandwich you like."
"Thank you," I said, not meeting his eyes.
"Everything okay? You seem quiet."
"Just tired."
We went to the back room and sat at the small table where we always ate together. Miguel unpacked the sandwiches while I sat there fidgeting with my hands, trying to figure out how to ask the question that had been burning in my mind all night.
"Miguel," I said finally.
"Yeah?"
"Tell me about your family."
He paused, a bite of sandwich halfway to his mouth. "What do you want to know?"
"You mentioned you have a brother. What is he like?"
Miguel set down his sandwich and looked at me carefully. "Why are you asking?"
"I am just curious. You never talk about your family much."
"There is not much to talk about. My brother and I do not get along."
"What is his name?"
Miguel was very still, studying my face.
"Why do you want to know his name, Emily?"
"I just... I want to know more about you. About your life before we met."
"My life before we met was not very happy. That is why I do not like talking about it."
He was being evasive, and we both knew it. The easy, comfortable atmosphere we usually shared felt strained and awkward.
"Miguel, please. Just tell me his name."
Miguel was quiet for a long moment, staring down at his hands. When he looked up at me, there was something different in his eyes. Something guarded.
"His name is Alexander."
The sandwich I had been holding dropped from my hands onto the table. My heart stopped beating for several seconds, then started racing so fast I thought I might pass out.
"Alexander?" I whispered.
"Emily, what is wrong? You look like you have seen a ghost."
"Alexander what?"
Miguel's face went completely pale. "Why are you asking me this?"
"Please. Just tell me his full name."
"Alexander Reed."
I gripped the edge of the table, trying to breathe, trying to make sense of what I was hearing.
Miguel was Alex's brother.
The man I had been falling for, the man who made me feel beautiful and valued and seen, was my husband's brother.
"Emily, talk to me. What is happening?"
I stood up so quickly my chair fell over. I needed air. I needed space. I needed to get away from Miguel before I completely lost my mind.
"I have to go."
"What? Emily, wait—"
I pushed past him and ran out of the gallery, ignoring Sarah's concerned voice calling after me. I ran down the street, my chest burning, my vision blurring with tears.
How could this be happening? How could the universe be this cruel?
I found myself at the small park where Miguel and I had shared our first kiss just the night before. The bench where he had held me, where I had felt safe for the first time in years. Now it felt like a mockery.
I sat down heavily, putting my head in my hands. Everything made sense now. The way Miguel had reacted when I first mentioned my married name. The sadness in his eyes when he talked about his brother. The reason he worked at a motel instead of having a successful career.
He knew. He had to have known who I was from the beginning.
My phone buzzed with a text from Miguel: "Emily, please come back. Let me explain."
I turned off my phone and shoved it in my purse.
What was there to explain? That he had been lying to me from the moment we met? That he had been playing some kind of game with his brother's wife?
I thought about all the times we had talked, all the moments I had shared with him about my marriage, my pain, my hopes for the future. Had he been laughing at me the whole time? Had he been reporting back to Alex?
No, that did not make sense. Alex had fired Vanessa. Alex was looking for me. If Miguel was working with Alex, why would Alex need to search for me?
Unless Miguel had not told Alex where I was. Unless Miguel was playing his own game.
I sat in that park for two hours, my mind going in circles, trying to understand what was real and what was lies. Finally, when the sun started setting, I made my way back to the motel.
Mrs. Martinez was just outside reading a novel titled "kissed by the curse" when I walked up. She took one look at my face and set down her book.
"Emily, dear, what happened? You look awful."
"I found out something today," I said, my voice hoarse from crying. "Something about Miguel."
Her face went very still. "What did you find out?"
"He is Alexander Reed's brother."
Mrs. Martinez closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "Oh, child."
"You knew." It was not a question.
"I suspected. When you told me your married name, and then Miguel started spending time with you... I put the pieces together."
"And you did not tell me?"
"It was not my place to tell. That was between you and Miguel."
"How long have you known Miguel?"
"Three years. He came here after he and his brother had their falling out. He was angry, hurt, looking for work and a place to stay. I gave him both."
"What was the falling out about?"
Mrs. Martinez hesitated. "That is Miguel's story to tell, not mine."
I felt so tired. So betrayed. So stupid.
"Emily, I know you are hurt right now, angry. You have every right to be. Miguel should have told you the truth from the beginning."
"Why did he not?"
"You would have to ask him that."
"I do not want to see him. I do not want to talk to him."
"I understand. Sometimes we need time to process things before we can hear explanations."
I went to my room and locked the door. I sat on my bed, staring at the wall, trying to figure out what to do next.
My phone buzzed again. Another text from Miguel: "I know you are angry. I know you feel betrayed. Please give me a chance to explain. It is not what you think."
I deleted the message without responding.
Twenty minutes later, there was a soft knock on my door.
"Emily? It is Miguel. Please, just let me explain."
I did not answer.
"I know you do not want to see me right now. I know you think I lied to you. You are right to be angry."
I pressed my back against the door, tears streaming down my face.
"I should have told you from the beginning who I was. I should have been honest. I was a coward, and I am sorry."
His voice was muffled through the door, but I could hear the pain in it.
"I never meant for this to happen, Emily. I never meant to fall for you. When I first realized who you were, I should have walked away. I should have stayed away from you."
I closed my eyes, still listening.
"I have been in love with you for weeks, Emily. Really in love, not the complicated mess I thought was love before. You make me a better man. You make me believe in things I stopped believing in years ago."
"Go away, Miguel," I whispered, though I knew he could not hear me through the door.
"I am going to leave you alone now because I know that is what you need. I am going to give you space to think, to process this. When you are ready to hear my side of the story, I will be here."
His footsteps retreated down the hallway.
I slid down the door until I was sitting on the floor, sobbing.
How many times could one person's heart break?
How many times could someone I trusted turn out to be lying to me?
I had thought I was finally healing, finally learning to love myself, finally finding someone who could love me back.
Instead, I was right back where I started. Alone, betrayed, and wondering if anyone would ever be honest with me about who they really were.
Outside my window, I could hear Miguel's car starting up and driving away.
I walked up to my bed and cried until I had no tears left.
Tomorrow, I would have to figure out what to do next.
Tonight, I just wanted to disappear.