Chapter 5 Web of Deceit

They hid behind a pillar, watching as Sara's dad laughed and chatted with the woman. The woman was stunning, with long blonde hair and piercing green eyes. She was dressed in a tight red dress, and Sara could see why her dad was attracted to her. As they watched, Sara's dad and the woman ordered drinks and continued to chat. They seemed comfortable with each other, and Sara could sense a familiarity between them. After a few minutes, they finished their drinks and headed toward the elevator. Sara and Joe followed, keeping a safe distance.

As they reached the room, Sara's dad and the woman entered, laughing and chatting. Sara felt a wave of anger and betrayal wash over her. She knew she had to confront her dad, but she wasn't sure how. Joe wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "We'll get through this together," he whispered. Sara took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She knew she had to think clearly and come up with a plan. But for now, she just felt numb and betrayed.

Sara and Joe stood outside the hotel room, their ears pressed against the door. They had been expecting to hear something incriminating, something that would prove Sara's dad was involved in illegal activities. But what they heard instead was laughter and whispers, the sound of two people enjoying each other's company. Sara's eyes widened in shock as she realized what was happening. "Oh my god," she whispered to Joe. "It's not what we thought." Joe's expression was equally shocked. "What do you mean?" he whispered back. Sara's eyes filled with tears. "My dad... he's having an affair." Joe's face fell, and he wrapped his arms around Sara. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. Sara felt like she had been punched in the gut. She had been expecting to uncover evidence of her dad's corruption, but instead, she had stumbled upon something much more personal. As they stood there, frozen in shock, Sara couldn't help but wonder how long her dad's affair had been going on. And who was the woman he was with? She felt a wave of anger and betrayal wash over her, but she knew she had to keep her emotions in check. She couldn't afford to make a scene, not now. Joe held her close, trying to comfort her. "We'll get through this together," he whispered. But Sara wasn't sure if she could ever forgive her dad for what he had done. She felt like her whole world had been turned upside down, and she didn't know how to set it right again.

Sara's phone rang, breaking the silence. She hesitated for a moment before answering, her mind still reeling from what she had just discovered. "Hey, Mom," Sara said, trying to sound calm. "Sara, I need to see you," Catherine said, her voice laced with concern. "We need to talk." Sara's heart skipped a beat. What did her mom want to talk about? Did she already know about her dad's affair? "What's going on, Mom?" Sara asked, trying to sound nonchalant. "I'd rather discuss it in person," Catherine replied. "Can you meet me at home now ?" Sara glanced at Joe, who raised an eyebrow. "I'll be there," Sara said, trying to process what was happening. As she hung up the phone, Sara felt a sense of trepidation. What was her mom going to tell her? And how was she going to react? Joe wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, it's going to be okay," he whispered. But Sara wasn't so sure. Her world was already turned upside down, and she had a feeling that things were about to get even more complicated.

Sara and Joe left the hotel, their minds still reeling from what they had discovered. Joe dropped Sara off at her house, and she got out of the car, still trying to process everything. As she entered the house, she saw her mom sitting in the living room, a cup of coffee in her hand. Sara sat down next to her, and they exchanged a brief hug. "What's going on, Mom?" Sara asked, trying to sound calm. Catherine took a deep breath before speaking. "Johnson will be coming with his dad in three days. I want you to play along, Sara. Pretend you're interested in marrying him, and we'll figure out a plan from there." Sara felt a wave of relief wash over her. It wasn't about the affair her dad was having. But at the same time, she was angry. Her mom was unaware of what was really going on. "Mom, I don't know if I can do that," Sara said, trying to stall. Catherine's expression turned serious. "Sara, I know this isn't ideal, but we need to protect our family's reputation. Your dad's... business dealings are complicated, and we can't afford to rock the boat right now." Sara felt a surge of anger. Her mom was still clueless about her dad's affair, and now she was asking Sara to pretend to be interested in marrying Johnson? "Fine, Mom," Sara said, trying to keep her emotions in check. "I'll play along. But can I ask you something?" Catherine nodded. "Of course, sweetie. What is it?" Sara took a deep breath before speaking. "Do you know anything about Dad's... extracurricular activities?" Catherine's expression turned confused. "What are you talking about, Sara?" Sara hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.

Sara decided to keep the discovery to herself, not wanting to ruin the evening. She changed the topic, later that evening they all sat down for a lovely dinner. Her dad seemed cheerful, chatting about Senator Charles and Johnson's upcoming visit. He went on and on, sharing details about their meeting and the potential business deals they would discuss. As Sara listened, she couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. She was still reeling from the discovery of her dad's affair, but at the same time, she was curious about the meeting with Senator Charles and Johnson. She wondered what kind of business they would be discussing and whether it had anything to do with her dad's affair . As the evening drew to a close, Sara's mom smiled and thanked her dad for the lovely dinner. Sara nodded in agreement, still lost in thought. She knew she had to keep up the charade, at least for now. But she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it. Sara lay in bed, her phone clutched in her hand. She dialed Joe's number, and he answered on the first ring. "Hey," Joe said, his voice low and husky. "Hey," Sara replied, smiling. "I've been thinking about what we saw at the hotel today." Joe's tone turned serious. "Yeah, me too. I still can't believe your dad was with another woman." Sara felt a pang of pain and anger. "I know. It was like a punch to the gut. I couldn't believe what I was seeing." Joe's voice was sympathetic. "I'm so sorry, Sara. That must have been really tough for you." Sara took a deep breath, trying to process her emotions. "It was. But you know what's even weirder? My mom had no idea. When she called me earlier and told me that we needed to talk it was about Johnson and Senator Charles they are coming over in a few days." Joe's voice was incredulous. "What? That's crazy. What did your mom say exactly?" Sara filled Joe in on the details, telling him about her mom's instructions to play along and pretend to be interested in marrying Johnson. Joe listened intently, asking questions and making supportive noises. As they talked, Sara felt a sense of relief wash over her. It was good to have someone to confide in, someone who understood her and supported her.

Sara's voice was hesitant. "Joe, do you think I should confront my dad about what we saw?" Joe's response was immediate. "Honestly, Sara, I don't know. That's a tough decision." Sara sighed, weighing her options. "I feel like I should say something. I mean, he's cheating on my mom. But at the same time, I don't want to cause any more drama." Joe's voice was thoughtful. "I get it. But you also deserve to know the truth. If you confront him, he might deny it or try to downplay it. Are you prepared for that?" Sara hesitated, unsure of what to expect. "I don't know. I guess I'll just have to wait and see." Joe's voice was supportive. "Whatever you decide, I'm here for you, Sara. We'll face it together." Sara felt a surge of gratitude towards Joe. "Thanks, Joe. Just talking to you makes me feel better." Joe's voice was warm. "Anytime, Sara. That's what I'm here are for."

Senator Charles was beaming with excitement as he discussed the upcoming meeting at Sara's house. "It's going to be a beautiful evening, Johnson," he said, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "The perfect opportunity for us to discuss the future of our businesses." Johnson, on the other hand, looked less than thrilled. He nodded politely, but his expression remained stern. "Yes, Senator," he said. "I'm looking forward to it." Senator Charles didn't seem to notice Johnson's lack of enthusiasm. He continued to talk about the meeting. Johnson listened intently, his expression unchanging. As they finished their conversation, Senator Charles smiled again. "I'm glad we're doing this, Johnson," he said. "It's going to be a fantastic evening." Johnson nodded once more, his expression still serious. "Yes, Senator," he repeated. "I'm looking forward to it."