Chapter 3 THE LIES

The next morning, Mia woke up before her husband, the silence of the early hour a welcome respite from the tension that had settled between them. She slipped out of bed and began her day, her mind racing with thoughts of how to uncover the truth about her husband's past. As she poured herself a cup of coffee, her phone buzzed with a text from her sister.

"Any updates?" it read. She smiled to herself, knowing her sister was invested in helping her get to the bottom of things. She typed out a quick response: "He bought the sister story. For now, all is calm." But the calm was short-lived. As she hit send, she noticed a piece of paper on the counter that hadn't been there before. It was a receipt from a storage unit facility on the outskirts of town. And scribbled on the back was a single word: "Alexander." Her heart skipped a beat. What was her husband hiding? And why was it connected to the mysterious woman's warning?

She felt a surge of determination. This could be the break she needed to uncover the truth. She quickly memorized the address of the storage facility and tucked the receipt back where she found it, not wanting to alert her husband that she had discovered something. As she waited for him to wake up, she couldn't help but wonder what could be hidden in that storage unit. Was it documents, evidence, or something more sinister? When her husband finally emerged from the bedroom, she played it cool, not mentioning the receipt. "Good morning," she said, smiling. "I'm going out to run some errands. I'll be back later." He nodded, still half asleep. "Okay, love you." She kissed him goodbye, feeling a pang of guilt for deceiving him. But she knew she had to keep digging. The storage facility was her next stop. As she drove away from their home, she felt a sense of excitement mixed with trepidation. What would she find in that storage unit? And would it change everything?

She arrived at the storage facility, a nondescript building with rows of garage-sized units. After finding the correct unit, she hesitated, wondering if she should investigate further without more information. Taking a deep breath, she decided to proceed with caution. She began to examine the unit's lock and surrounding area, searching for any signs of recent activity. As she inspected the unit, she noticed that the lock seemed recently oiled, and there were faint scratches on the door. It looked like someone had accessed the unit recently. Her heart racing, she wondered what could be inside. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching.

She quickly stepped back, trying to blend in with the surroundings. A facility employee approached, key in hand, and unlocked the unit next to the one she was investigating. "Can I help you with something?" the employee asked, eyeing her curiously. She thought fast, trying to come up with a plausible explanation. "I'm looking for unit 217. I think I might have gotten the number wrong." The employee nodded. "You're close. Unit 217 is just down that way. Let me show you." He led her to the correct unit, and she pretended to search for her key. As they walked back to the main office, she casually asked, "Do you remember anyone renting unit 214 recently?" The employee thought for a moment. "Actually, yeah. A guy came in a few weeks ago. Paid upfront for six months. Seemed like a normal rental to me." She thanked the employee and walked away, her mind racing with possibilities. Who was renting unit 214, and what was inside? She was more determined than ever to find out.

She decided to come back at night, when the facility was less crowded, to try and sneak a peek inside the unit. On her way back home, she stopped at the grocery store and bought a bunch of things she didn't need because she had told John she was going to run errands.

She went back home to her husband and tried not to look suspicious or raise any form of alarm. The rest of the day was a blur as she counted down the hours, her mind fixated on what secrets the storage unit might hold. As night fell, she returned to the facility, parking her car in a spot where she could observe the entrance without being seen. She waited until the last employee left and the facility grew quiet.

Under the cover of darkness, she made her way to unit 214. She examined the lock closely and noticed it was a combination lock. She rummaged through her bag for the tools she had prepared, her hands steady despite her racing heart. With a deep breath, she began to work on the lock, her fingers moving with a practiced ease she hadn't known she possessed. After what felt like an eternity, the lock clicked open. She lifted the door, and a musty smell wafted out. Rows of boxes stacked high, labeled in her husband's handwriting, seemed to stare back at her. She stepped forward, her eyes scanning the labels: "Financial Records," "Property Deeds," "Personal Correspondence." The boxes were meticulously organized, but it was the one labeled "Alexander" that caught her attention. A shiver ran down her spine as she wondered what could be inside. Slowly, she reached out to touch it, her heart pounding in anticipation. Her hand hovered over the box, hesitating for a moment. She thought about the implications of what she might find. Could her husband's secrets be more than just lies? Could they be dangerous? The questions swirled in her mind, but her curiosity won out. With a deep breath, she grasped the box and pulled it down from the shelf. Dust fell from the top as she set it on the floor. The sound echoed through the silent facility, making her feel like she was making an irreversible move. What she saw made her blood run cold.