My Son's Watch Exposed My Husband's Lies

d a tragic accident. My husband, Benedict, has bee

ndall, to our home, he wasn't com

ting to plan our son's funeral

ether in the guest room. His

I went to his room and found his smartwatch.

ation popped up: Leo's Jour

for me as he baked to death in the car. Kendall,

ed by a cold, hard clarity. My husband wasn't just c

friends and found the name o

e steady and unrecognizable. "I'm leaving

pte

on Aliyah Williams, a constant pressure on her chest and in her ears. It h

ce the worl

e Benedict had held her that first night. He had be

said, his face buried in her hair. "Tog

m, forged from late nights and cheap coffee in a cramped garage. He had been her savior then, his beli

g her again. Or s

dall Orr-the nanny, their former intern-followed a step behind him.

. He went straight to Kendall,

ow and full of a concern that felt li

d, a tear tracing a path down her cheek. "In th

aid, his voice firm. "It was a tr

e formed in her stomach. She had been in a board meeting, a quarterly review she couldn't

her voice, a dry

to a look of strained patience.

, her hands twisting in her lap. "I was thinking... we coul

He exchanged a quick, unre

he said. "It's too much. We need to

rected, a tremor in her voic

turned cold. "You're becoming hysterical. Can't you s

was a physical blow. Aliyah felt the air leave her lungs. In her own ho

ly into Benedict's side. "It's o

e

hung in

rboard creak in the hallway. Then, a muffled murmur of voices from the guest

hat was still hers. She thought of Leo. Of his last school project-a d

. Past the closed guest room door. Into Leo's room. The smell of h

op shelf. As her fingers brushed against it, an

rthday. He'd called it his "spy watch." He was supposed to have been we

e screen was dark. She pressed the side button

rantic, painful rhythm. She found the charger, her fing

data...

zzed on the nightstand. A no

y - Data Upl

d washed over her, colder than the grief, colder than the silence.

n. Let Benedict and his "concern" for Kendall sm

could

over the screen. Th

ice, sharp and annoyed. "Leo, stop kickin

ading. "But it's hot. I wa

amming shut. The electronic

She didn't need to hear the rest. The tru

ayal was

n her hand. The house was quiet again. Benedict was back

lace was something new. Some

hrough her contacts, past family, past friend

Dona

had tried to poach her twice, telling

nswered on the second ring, his v

alds

nizable. It was steady. It was calm. "It's

yah. I heard about your

n her mouth. "I'm calling because... I've been thin

er. She could almost hear th

e said, filling the silence.

lausible. The perfect

offer still stands. Always will

bedroom door. Behind it, her husband slept next to