Maya Johnson stood in front of the bedroom mirror, adjusting her light sea-green summer dress. Sunrays filtered through the sheer curtains, washing the room in golden hues. Today was a special day: her and Elias’s third wedding anniversary. She had decided to surprise her husband by visiting him at work with his favorite cream puffs from the Sugar Mill Bakery. Elias Hayes, her husband, was the director of a large construction firm called Apex Global Construction (AGC). He usually came home late, exhausted, but he always found time to listen to her stories of the day.
Maya worked as a child psychologist at a private development center, and her workday finished earlier. She had decided to use this extra time to cheer up her beloved. Checking the clock, she saw it was 3:30. Maya grabbed her purse and the box of pastries.
The trip to the office usually took about twenty minutes on the bus. She imagined how surprised Elias would be to see her in his office. The AGC corporate office building was located in the city’s downtown business center.
It was a modern, seven-story complex of glass and concrete, surrounded by the greenery of a small plaza. Maya had been there several times for corporate events. She knew the way to the elevators and the number of her husband’s office.
However, a security guard stopped her at the entrance. He was a heavyset man in his fifties with gray streaks in his dark hair. His badge read, «Harrison, Security.»
«Hold up,» he said, raising his hand. «Entry is prohibited to unauthorized personnel. Do you have an access pass or an appointment?»
Maya was surprised. He was probably new. «I’m Elias Hayes’s wife, the director of the firm. I wanted to give my husband a surprise.»
The guard looked at her intently, but no recognition registered in his eyes. «My apologies, ma’am, but I see the director’s wife practically every day, and you are definitely not her. In fact, here she comes now.»
Maya turned and saw a woman walking toward the exit—tall and slender, with dark hair pulled back in an elegant bun. She wore an expensive business suit and carried a designer leather handbag. The woman looked poised and familiar.
Maya’s heart leaped. She recognized her. It was Olivia Price, Elias’s ex-wife, the same woman he had divorced five years ago before meeting Maya.
«Miss Olivia,» the guard called out. «I’ll see you at the usual time tomorrow.»
«Of course, Mr. Harrison,» she replied in a melodious voice. «Tell Mr. Elias V. Hayes that I had to leave for a business matter. I’ll see him tomorrow afternoon.» Olivia passed Maya without paying her any attention and headed toward the parking lot.
Maya almost choked on what she had heard, her thoughts spinning in a whirlwind. What did that mean? «See you at the usual time tomorrow?» Why was his ex-wife at her husband’s office every day? Most importantly, why did the guard know the ex-wife so well? Making a quick decision, Maya decided to play along.
«Excuse me, I must have the wrong building,» she said. «Could you tell me how I can get to Mr. Bermudez in the Human Resources Department? We have an appointment.» The guard, satisfied that he had unmasked an imposter, politely explained the way.
Maya went up to the third floor, but instead of heading to Human Resources, she went to the elevator leading to the fifth floor, where Elias’s office was located. Maya cautiously peeked around the corner. Elias’s office was at the end of the long hallway.
His door was slightly ajar. She could see him sitting at his massive desk, focused on reviewing some documents. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and he looked concentrated and tired.
Just then, the associate director, Mark Dixon, a heavyset man with a kind face and perpetually smiling eyes, entered the office. «Elias, how are things going with the Parkside Boulevard Project? Ms. Olivia submitted all the necessary paperwork.»
Maya’s heart began to beat faster. So Olivia really was involved with work.
«Yes, everything is in order,» Elias replied. «She’ll bring the final calculations tomorrow. We wouldn’t have been able to handle this project without her.»
«It’s a good thing you two were able to maintain a working relationship,» Dixon commented. «It doesn’t work out for everyone, although I understand why you’re keeping this collaboration quiet.»
«Olivia is a professional,» Elias responded briefly, «and as for Maya, I simply don’t want to give her unnecessary reasons to worry. She can be too sensitive about these things sometimes.»
Maya felt everything contract inside her. It turned out that Elias was not only maintaining a relationship with his ex-wife but was working with her and consciously hiding it, considering her «too sensitive.» Dixon left, and Maya decided not to risk exposure any further.
She quickly went down to the first floor and left the building. Olivia was already driving away, but Maya remembered her car: a silver Honda sedan with license plate 547LMA. The entire bus ride home, Maya was lost in thought.
Why was Elias hiding the fact that he was working with his ex-wife? What was the Parkside Boulevard project? And most importantly, could she trust a husband who considered her so immature that he couldn’t share business matters with her?
At home, she mechanically placed the box of pastries on the kitchen counter and settled down to wait for Elias. He usually returned around 7:00 in the evening, but today he was delayed until 9:30.
«Hey, sweetie,» he said, kissing her tiredly on the cheek. «Sorry I’m late. So much work. I was delayed with important negotiations.»
«What negotiations?» she couldn’t help but ask.
«Maya!» Elias looked at her, surprised. «The Parkside Boulevard project. Complex technical matters. What’s going on? You seem a little strange.»
Maya wanted to ask about Olivia, but something stopped her. «I bought your favorite cream puffs,» she said. «I wanted to bring them to the office, but I changed my mind.»
«Thanks,» Elias smiled. «And why to the office? It’s cozier at home. Besides, we’re in such a tense situation with the project right now. Constant meetings.»
This sentence definitively convinced Maya that her husband was hiding something. If everything were honest, he would have been happy about her desire to visit him at work. He wouldn’t have discouraged her.
The next morning, Elias left for work at 8:30 as usual. Maya only had morning classes scheduled with the children on Thursdays, so she was free after lunch. She decided to use this time to find out what was going on between her husband and his ex-wife. Her conscience tormented her, but the desire to know the truth was stronger.
After work, around 2:00 in the afternoon, Maya arrived at the AGC office building and sat on a bench in the plaza across the street. From there, she had a good view of the entrance and the parking lot. Olivia’s silver Honda sedan was already there, which meant she had arrived in the morning or around lunchtime.
Maya waited. Time passed agonizingly slowly. She imagined Olivia sitting in her husband’s office, discussing projects, laughing over some shared memories.
At 3:30, Olivia left the building, but instead of getting into her car, she walked down the street. Maya hurried after her, trying to maintain a distance. Olivia arrived at a small cafe called Benny’s Corner Bistro and went inside. Through the window, Maya saw her sit at a table and order something from the waitress.
Soon, an older woman joined her with a child. He was a boy about five or six years old, wearing a yellow t-shirt and cut-off denim shorts. He hugged Olivia, and she stroked his head and kissed him. Then the three of them—Olivia, the woman, and the boy—walked to the playground next to the cafe.
Maya froze, her throat suddenly dry. Was it possible? Did Elias have a child from his first marriage that he had never told her about?
Maya watched the trio on the playground. The boy swung on the swings while Olivia and the woman stood nearby chatting. Sometimes Olivia would approach the child to straighten his clothes or say something to him.
The resemblance. Maya scrutinized the boy’s facial features. He had dark hair, like Elias’s. The shape of his eyes also reminded her of her husband. And his chin was exactly like Elias’s. With trembling hands, Maya carefully took several photos on her phone.
Her heart was beating so loudly it felt like the whole street could hear it. How could Elias hide the existence of his own child from her? They had been married for three years and planned to have children next year. How could he have lied to her all this time?
Maya recalled their first months of dating. Back then, Elias spoke very little about his past or his first marriage. She thought he was pained to remember the failed relationship. Now she understood that perhaps he simply hadn’t wanted to scare her away with his closeness to his ex-wife.
But that was when they were only dating. Now they were husband and wife. There shouldn’t be secrets between spouses.
When Elias came home, Maya studied his face, trying to find signs of guilt or concealment. He looked the same as always: tired after a day of work.
«Sweetie, you’re acting strange again,» he noted. «Did something happen?»
Maya almost cracked. She wanted to tell him everything, talk about her surveillance, and ask all the questions tormenting her. But something stopped her. «I’m just tired,» she lied. «A lot of work at the center.»
Elias hugged her. «How about we go somewhere this weekend? You can get a break from everything.»
«You don’t have plans for the weekend?» Maya asked cautiously.
«None special, just you and me.» For some reason, this statement didn’t reassure her. Instead, it made her even more uneasy. What if he did have plans involving Olivia and the boy, and he was lying again?
At home, Maya paced the apartment like a wounded bird. She looked at the photographs of the boy on her phone, trying to find or disprove the resemblance to Elias. Sometimes the similarity seemed obvious; other times, she felt she had completely made it up.
But the facts spoke for themselves. Olivia appeared at her husband’s office every day. The guard took her for his wife. She picked up the boy and spent time with him. And Elias was silent about all of it.
Maya tried to remember what she knew about Elias’s first marriage. They had met a year after his divorce from Olivia. At the time, he said the marriage had broken up due to different visions of life and that they had separated peacefully without a scandal. He never mentioned children, but he might have simply avoided it at the beginning of the relationship, and then it became awkward to confess later.
Maya tried to put herself in Elias’s shoes. How do you tell a new woman that you have a child from a previous marriage, especially if the relationship with the ex-wife is complicated? But three years? They had been living together as husband and wife for three years. How could he hide something like that?
Maya remembered that sometimes Elias received strange calls. He would move to another room, speak in a low voice, and then explain they were work matters. Now these calls took on a new meaning. Also, he was sometimes delayed at work without explanation or left on weekends for unspecified errands. Maya had always trusted him and never asked unnecessary questions. Now, every one of those episodes seemed suspicious.
When Elias came home around 8:30, Maya could barely contain herself from launching into accusations. But she decided to gather more facts first.
«How are things?» he asked, kissing her cheek as always.
«Normal. And yours?»
«Tense. The Parkside Boulevard project requires constant attention. I spent the whole day in meetings today.»
«And what exactly is this project?» she inquired cautiously.
«Maya.» Elias hesitated for a second. «Construction of a residential complex. Nothing interesting, just calculations and paperwork.»
«Are you working alone, or is someone helping you?»
«Our team is close. Everyone helps,» Elias responded evasively. «And why all the questions?»
Maya realized she had gone too far. «I’m just interested in your work. We so rarely talk about it.»
«Work is work,» Elias shrugged. «When I’m home, I want to rest from it.» This answer definitively convinced Maya that her husband was hiding something.
On Friday, Maya again only had morning classes. After work, she went back to the AGC office. Olivia, like the day before, appeared around 2:00 in the afternoon. Maya decided to act more decisively. She waited for Olivia to enter the building and went to the parking lot. The silver Honda sedan was in the same spot.
Maya cautiously peered inside. In the backseat was a child’s backpack with pictures of superheroes. Her heart pounded. Was it the boy’s backpack?
At 3:30, Olivia left the building as she had yesterday, but today she immediately got into the car and drove away. Maya called a ride-share and asked the driver to follow the silver Honda.
«Following someone, huh?» the driver, a man in his forties with a kind face, smiled. «Is the husband cheating?»
«Something like that,» Maya replied evasively.
Olivia drove toward the city’s residential neighborhoods and stopped at a nondescript nine-story building on Riverview Street. She got out of the car and entered the lobby. Maya asked the driver to wait and also entered. A tenant list hung on the wall. She scanned the surnames: Jones, Miller, Harrison… Price. This was Olivia’s maiden name. Price, Celeste, apartment 43. That meant Olivia’s sister lived here.
Maya went up to the fourth floor and listened. From the slightly ajar door of apartment 43, she could hear a woman’s voice and a child’s voice.
«Auntie Olivia, are we going to the park today?» the boy asked.
«Of course, Maxie. First, we’ll eat and give Mommy her medicine.»
«And when will Mommy be all better?»
«Soon, little man. The doctor said in about a week she can pick you up from daycare herself.»
Maya stood motionless. Mommy is sick. So that’s why Olivia was picking up the child and spending time with him. But this didn’t explain the main thing. Whose child was he, and why did he look so much like Elias?
Maya went downstairs and got back in the car. The driver was waiting patiently, flipping through news on his phone. «Did you find what you were looking for?» he asked.
«Not quite yet,» Maya confessed.
Half an hour later, Olivia and the boy came out of the building. They got into the Honda and drove toward downtown. Maya asked the driver to follow them. This time, Olivia stopped at the children’s clinic. She and the boy went inside. Maya got out of the car, paid the driver, and also entered the clinic.
There was a line at the reception desk, and Maya stood in it, observing Olivia and the boy. They were sitting in the hallway waiting for their consultation. The boy was fussy and didn’t want to sit still. Olivia patiently calmed him down.
«Next, Wells, Marcus Y.,» the nurse called out.
Maya listened attentively. Wells. The last name was different from Olivia’s and her sister’s. The middle initial, Y, couldn’t stand for Elias. The relief was so powerful that Maya almost burst into tears right there in the clinic hallway.
But the joy quickly shifted to new questions. If the boy wasn’t Elias’s son, then who was he? And why did he resemble her husband so much?
After the medical consultation, Olivia and Max went to the pharmacy, then to the park. Maya followed, but no longer with her former desperation, but rather out of curiosity. At the park, a young woman joined them—Olivia’s sister. She looked very pale and unwell. Maya moved closer, pretending to photograph the ducks in the pond, and managed to overhear part of their conversation.
«How are you feeling, Celeste?» Olivia asked.
«Better. The doctors say I can go back to work Monday. Thank you so much for watching Max.»
«It’s nothing. He’s my nephew, and I love spending time with him.»
«And Mr. Elias V. Hayes doesn’t object to you spending so much time on us?»
Maya tensed up.
«Elias understands,» Olivia replied. «He knows our situation. He even loaned me money for the treatment when I reached out to him. I’ll have to pay him back as soon as I get my salary.»
«Don’t rush it. The main thing is for you to make a full recovery.»
Maya felt like she had been struck by lightning. It turned out that the boy’s resemblance to Elias was a coincidence. The child simply resembled his father. That evening at home, Maya couldn’t settle down.
On the one hand, she felt relieved that the child was not Elias’s son. On the other hand, the fact of her husband’s secrecy still tormented her. Why didn’t he tell her that he was helping his ex-wife? Why was he hiding that they worked together? Did he trust her so little that he couldn’t share such important matters?
Maya tried to imagine herself in Elias’s place. How do you tell your wife that you are helping your ex-spouse? Especially if you know your wife might misunderstand or get jealous. But helping people close to you is a wonderful quality. Why did Elias think he had to hide it?
Saturday passed in an artificial attempt to behave as usual. The couple went to the mall, bought groceries, and watched a movie at home. But Maya felt tension in every gesture her husband made. His phone rang twice, and both times he moved to another room to answer. The conversations were short, but Maya noticed he spoke more quietly.
«Who was calling?» she asked.
«Work matters,» Elias replied.
On Saturday evening, they were sitting on the couch watching the news. Elias had his arm around Maya, but she felt his distance.
«Elias,» she finally said, «I feel like something hasn’t been right between us lately.»
He looked at her in surprise. «What do you mean?»
«You’ve become distant. You talk very little about work, and you’re often distracted.»
«Just lots of things going on,» he replied. «It’s a tense period at work.»
«Maybe I can help somehow. Listen, support you.»
Elias paused, then said, «There is a situation, but I don’t want to burden you with it.»
Maya’s heart started beating faster. «Tell me. We are husband and wife. We must share everything.»
Elias was silent again. «Celeste, Olivia’s sister, was recently in the hospital. Serious surgery. Olivia asked for help with her nephew.»
Maya froze. Finally, he was starting to talk. «And you’re helping?» she asked cautiously.
«Well, yes. Olivia sometimes works with us as an outside consultant, and now there’s this situation. I had to loan her money for the treatment.»
Maya noticed that he was still not telling the whole truth. He presented the collaboration with Olivia as rare consultations, not daily work. «Why didn’t you tell me sooner?»
Elias looked at her guiltily. «I was afraid you would misunderstand. The ex-wife at work every day. Any woman in your place wouldn’t be happy.»
«And what is there to misunderstand here?» Maya felt both relief and offense simultaneously. «You’re helping a sick woman and a child. That’s wonderful.»
«You’re not jealous?» Elias asked uncertainly.
«Of a sick woman and a child?» Maya tried to smile. «Elias, you know I’m not like that.» But inside, the offense and doubt still churned. Why was he so worried about her reaction? Did he consider her that jealous and petty? And why was he still not talking about the daily meetings with Olivia at the office?
On Sunday, Elias was noticeably calmer. Having told part of the truth, he seemed to have lifted a weight off his shoulders. During breakfast, he himself started talking about Olivia.
«You know, I think you two should meet. She’s a good person. We just didn’t work out in the marriage.»
Maya almost choked on her coffee. «Meet her?»
«Well, yeah. Since we sometimes work together and now we’re helping her family, it’s silly to pretend you don’t know her. She’s also worried that I have a new family and we cross paths all the time for work.»
«I’ll think about it,» Maya said.
After breakfast, Elias went to the store, and Maya was left alone with her thoughts. She understood that her husband had told her far from everything. He hadn’t mentioned that Olivia was at the office every day, that the guard mistook her for his wife, or that they were working together on an important project. Why was he still hiding something? And most importantly, could she trust a husband who, even when telling the truth, didn’t present it completely?
Maya decided to give herself a little more time to think. Maybe it was worth trying to talk to Olivia directly, or perhaps it was better to wait until Elias told her everything himself. The phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. It was her mother.
«Maya, how are things? You haven’t called in a while.»
«Everything’s fine, Mom,» Maya lied.
«Working? Living? And Elias? Is he being good to you?»
«What are you talking about, Mom? What do you mean, ‘good’?»
«I can hear in your voice that something’s wrong. A mother’s heart is never wrong.»
Maya almost cried. How she wanted to tell her mother everything, vent, and get advice, but she couldn’t. Until she sorted out the situation herself, she couldn’t involve anyone else in her doubts. «Everything’s normal. I’m just a little tired.»
«Well, I won’t push it, but if anything happens, call me right away.»
After the conversation with her mother, Maya felt even more alone. It turned out she couldn’t talk to her husband, her mother, or her friends. All her doubts and fears were locked inside.
On Monday, Maya went to work, but her mind was occupied with everything except the children. She mechanically gave lessons, read stories, and played educational games, but her thoughts constantly returned to Elias and Olivia. During her lunch break, she decided to visit the AGC office one more time, not to spy, but just to observe their interaction once more, now knowing part of the truth.
At the building entrance, she was again greeted by the guard, Harrison. «Trying to get to the director again?» he smiled. «How many times do I have to explain?»
«Perhaps you’re mistaken,» Maya cautiously suggested. «Maybe that woman is just an employee?»
Harrison laughed. «What employee? Ms. Olivia has been working here for several months now. She comes every day. The director takes her everywhere with him—to meetings, to construction sites—and just recently he brought her flowers to her office. The vase is still right there. What employee acts like that?»
Maya’s heart dropped. Flowers in the office and joint trips to construction sites looked far more intimate than mere work relations. «I see,» was all she could manage to say.
Just then, Elias and Olivia entered the building. She held a folder with documents, and they were talking seriously about something. Elias pointed to some blueprints, and Olivia nodded.
Maya made up her mind. She stepped out of the shadows. Her husband turned and froze in surprise. «Maya, what are you doing here?»
«I decided to bring you lunch,» she lied, holding up a bag from the cafe she had bought on the way.
