The sound of silverware hitting against a plate could be heard as both me and Lauren ate our dinner in silence. The atmosphere that surrounded us was thick, leaving me to believe that she had either found out about my private meeting or she just so happend to be caught up in secrets of her own.

Either way, I was over it, my only issue was that I didn’t know how to approach the situation or the woman I loved. Well, who I thought loved; letting her know that I knew all about her sins and misdeeds.

Fear wasn’t something that I felt easily; I learned years ago that fear is only just a mind-killer and it wasn’t real. But in a situation like this I didn’t feel fear; I felt absolutely terrified.

“You’re not eating the ribeye steak I cooked; is it not good?” Lauren asked, with concern lanced in her voice.

I managed to snap out of my thoughts as my eyes diverted from my plate. And across the table, looking directly into the eyes of a woman, who could probably deceive god himself.

“Yeah, it’s good; i’m just really not hungry.” I cleared my throat before pushing the plate slightly across the wooden dining table.

Lauren’s mouth moved in an upward and downward motion as she chewed her food. Her blue ocean eyes continued to stare directly into mine, sending an uncomfortable shiver down my spine.

Those eyes, which I once loved and was crazy over, didn’t even look the same.

Lauren swallowed her food before smiling, showing off her perfect set of pearly whites. “Well then, I guess I should’ve just stuck to making lasagna on this special night.”

“And what exactly is special about tonight?” I asked, putting more emphasis on the word special.

Once again in silence, Lauren stared at me for a few more minutes before standing up from her seat.

“I’m going to bring out dessert first; we can discuss the news then.”

I watched as she disappeared into the kitchen before drifting off into my thoughts once more.

The conversation from earlier today at the diner with the investigator, whose name I’ve come to learn is simply AJ, still remained in the back of my mind.

*Flashback*

“For the first couple of weeks I couldn’t find anything that was suspicious or worth reporting back to you. She did the same routine all day, every day.”

I listened as AJ began telling me about the basic shit Lauren did on a daily basis. Which I barely cared about, until she got to a certain part that made my entire image of the woman completely crumble.

“Lauren was already married way before you two got together. Her husband, Derrick, whom she shares a three year old son with, has been recently released from the California State Penitentiary due to good behavior. He was supposed to serve a 10-year sentence, but somehow he was able to get out within a span of only two years, claiming it to be self defense.”

“Wait, prison? What the fuck, so this whole time we’ve been together, she’s got a damn family on the side?!” I could feel my blood starting to boil at the jaw-dropping news.

I wasn’t mad at Lauren—well, at least not entirely. If anything, I was mostly upset with myself, because how the fuck could I let a stranger walk into my life and sweep me right off my feet? without knowing anything about them.

I grabbed the glass bottle that read Bud Light in big white letters before placing it up to my lips. Shit, who knows, after tonight my ass probably will develop ptsd when it comes to future relationships.

AJ eyes watched me with intent; she probably felt pity for me, but with her line of work, i’m sure she was used to suckers falling for people every day that they’ve met online.

I placed the beer bottle back down onto the table, waiting for AJ to continue.

“A colleague of mine’s that I used to work with at the local police department years ago was able to pull some records regarding the case.” AJ reached into her briefcase, pulling out a brown folder before handing it to me.

I grabbed the folder as I mentally prepared myself for what I was about to read. Lord knows I needed all the strength I could get.

“Jessica Castigo, that’s your fiancée’s real name before she decided to change it to Lauren Hansen. She was arrested alongside her husband that involved the killing and disappearance of twenty-seven year old, Ally Brooke, a kindergarten teacher from Sacramento.”

I flipped throughout the papers, taking in the information that was being presented to me. I’ve watched enough Lifetime movies to know that things like this usually didn’t end well, so the fact that I even got myself involved with a person like this, was fucking astonishing.

“Both Jessica and Derrick were taken into custody, where they would later be sent to a facility in Kern County to await trial. For some reason, Jessica was able to dodge not being sentenced; Derrick on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky.”

“And why not?” I uttered out, as I continued reading the small words that were written in black ink.

AJ sighed. “That’s the part nobody knows; two witnesses were supposed to testify against the couple, but for undisclosed reasons, ended up backing out a few days later, before the trial.”

“How come Derrick got time and Lau—I mean, Jessica,” I huffed out, “Didn’t.”

“That’s the thing—.”

Without warning, I unexpectedly let out a piercing scream, making a few people within the diner look in our direction. My hands started to tremble as I picked up the picture that contained a bloody crime scene, with a female’s body lying directly on the bathroom floor, naked.

*Flashback Over*