Chapter 3 - Unmasking the Ghost
The next morning, the sun rose over the city, but Mark felt as though he were living in a permanent eclipse. He hadn't slept a single second. He had spent the entire night driving around the city, checking her friends' houses, her sister’s apartment, even the local parks she loved. Nobody answered their doors, or if they did, they looked at him with cold contempt and slammed the door in his face.
By 9:00 a.m., Mark was standing in the high-rise office of his legal counsel, Arthur Vance.
“Find her, Arthur,” Mark slammed his hands onto the mahogany desk, his eyes bloodshot and his suit wrinkled. “I don't care how much it costs. Hire private investigators, track her bank accounts, trace her car! She took my children!”
Arthur Vance sighed, leaning back in his leather chair and wiping his glasses with a silk cloth. “Mark, calm down and sit down.”
“I will not calm down! She left four days ago with three newborn triplets! She can’t just disappear!”
“She didn’t disappear illegally, Mark,” Arthur said calmly, placing his glasses back on his nose. “I received a formal service of process from Sterling & Associates at eight o'clock this morning. Do you know who represent Emily?”
Mark blinked. “No. Who?”
“Julian Sterling. The most ruthless, high-profile family law attorney in the state. He doesn't take cases unless he has an ironclad win. Emily didn't just walk away, Mark. She spent months preparing for this.”
Mark froze. “Months? What are you talking about? We were fine!”
Arthur pushed a thick manila folder across the desk. “Emily’s legal team filed a pre-emptive petition three days ago. Along with the divorce papers, they submitted a mountain of evidence. Bank statements showing you transferred over fifty thousand dollars of marital funds to Madison Vale’s personal accounts over the past six months. Call logs. Text messages. Photos of you and Miss Vale at restaurants, hotels, and yesterday… at a country club cutting a cake while your wife was in the ICU.”
Mark felt the air leave his lungs. “She… she knew?”
“She knew everything,” Arthur said, his tone devoid of warmth. “Emily didn't say a word because she was carrying a high-risk triplet pregnancy and couldn't afford the stress. She waited until the babies were delivered safely. And the moment she signed those C-section papers, she severed all financial and personal ties with you.”
“She can’t keep my kids from me!” Mark shouted, desperation turning into rage. “I’m their father! I have rights!”
“You do have rights,” Arthur agreed. “But right now, you look like an abandoner. You left a dying wife and three critical-condition newborns in a hospital for four days without checking in, while you were on a romantic getaway with your ex-girlfriend. If we go before a judge today, you won't even get supervised visitation. The court will see you as reckless, negligent, and morally unfit.”
Mark slammed his fist onto the desk. “I didn't know she was in labor!”
“Because you turned off your phone!” Arthur snapped, finally breaking his composure. “A judge isn't going to care that your battery died or that you wanted privacy, Mark. You turned off your phone on your pregnant wife’s due-date window. That is negligence in the eyes of the law.”
Just then, Mark’s phone vibrated on the desk. He snatched it up instantly, hoping against hope it was Emily.
It was Madison.
He answered, his voice harsh. “What, Madison?”
“Mark? Honey, where are you?” Madison’s sweet, breathy voice came through the speaker. “You left so early this morning without saying goodbye. Are we still going to look at that condo downtown today? The realtor needs a deposit.”
Mark closed his eyes. For months, Madison’s voice had been his escape—a reminder of his youth, a flattering ego boost that made him feel young and untethered from the heavy responsibilities of impending fatherhood. Now, hearing her voice made his stomach turn with a sudden, violent revulsion.
“No, Madison,” Mark said, his voice flat. “We aren't looking at condos.”
“What? Why? Is something wrong?”
“My wife left me. She had the babies four days ago while I was with you. Baby C almost died.”
There was a short pause on the other end of the line. Then Madison spoke, her voice shifting from sweet to subtly annoyed. “Oh… Mark, I’m sorry to hear that. But… she’s just being emotional, right? Hormones after pregnancy are crazy. She’ll come back once she realizes she can’t raise three babies alone. You don't need to ruin our plans over her drama.”
Mark stared at the phone in disbelief. Ruin our plans? Her drama?
The scales fell from his eyes so fast it left him dizzy. Emily had spent nine months carrying three children, swollen, exhausted, puking every morning, yet she had always asked him how his day was, had always made sure his dinner was warm, had always supported his business. Madison had spent six months complaining about her ex-husband, asking for money, and dragging him away from his family.
“Don't call me again, Madison,” Mark said softly.
“Mark, wait—you can’t just—”
He hung up the phone and blocked her number.
May you like
He looked back at Arthur. “Tell me what I have to do to get my family back.”
Arthur looked at him with pity. “Mark… I don't think you understand. You didn't just lose a court case today. You lost a woman who realized she was safer facing death alone than relying on you.”
