Why does that matter? Because I just watched you kiss him. Her face went completely still. For a moment neither of us moved. Then she sat down.
Where did you see that? I almost smiled. She hadn't denied it. She hadn't asked what I was talking about. Her first question was where I had found the evidence.
That's your first question? She swallowed. Joshua, I can explain. Then explain. It wasn't what you think.
I stood up. I watched the video three times. It was a stupid mistake. You kissed another man two days before our wedding. I know.
And then you walked away with him. Nothing happened. I stared at her. You expect me to believe that? Yes.
No. Her eyes filled with tears. Joshua, please. I was drunk. Everyone was drinking.
My friends were joking around. Ryan showed up because he knew one of them. It was stupid. Why didn't you tell me? Because I knew you'd react like this.
Like what? Like you're reacting now. I shook my head. You weren't worried about my reaction. You were worried about me finding out.
She didn't answer. I went back to the desk and opened the video again. I want the truth. You have the truth. No, I have 30 seconds of video.
She wiped her eyes. There was nothing serious between us. That's not what I asked. She looked at me. I kissed him.
That's it. And the hallway? I went upstairs because I was sick. I stared at her. You expect me to believe you left the room with a man you had just kissed because you were sick?
I was. Then why was he holding your hand? I don't remember. Convenient. Her voice became sharper.
I told you what happened. No, you told me the smallest version of what happened. She stood up. What "What you want from me? I want to know who Ryan really was." "He was nobody." "Then why did you recognize his name immediately?" She froze again.
I knew there was more. That night, I didn't shout. I didn't throw anything. I didn't threaten Ryan. I simply told Christine I was going to bed.
She looked relieved. She shouldn't have. Because while she slept, I went back to the video and checked every detail I could. There were other files beside it. Photos, short videos, a restaurant receipt, and one folder dated 3 weeks before our wedding.
I opened it. The first photo showed Christine sitting across from Ryan at a restaurant. They were alone, and the date was 6 weeks before the bachelorette party. I stared at the screen. Ryan hadn't been some random man who appeared at her last single weekend.
Christine already knew him, and she'd been meeting him before she married me. The next morning, Christine acted as if the conversation from the night before had never happened. She came downstairs at 7:00, made coffee, and asked me if I wanted breakfast. I looked at her. "Did you sleep well?" She hesitated.