Chapter 1: The Wife Nobody Knew About
"For four years, I had been his secret wife, but when I arrived at the hospital where my husband worked, I heard a nurse say, "The delivery suite for his wife is ready." I looked down at my completely flat stomach, smiled, and took off my ring.
I didn't make a scene.
I prepared the divorce papers, not knowing that the pregnancy being kept secret was hiding something far worse.
"Dr.
Lawson, congratulations.
The maternity suite has already been reserved for your wife.
Dr.
Bianca Shepherd won't have to worry about anything when the contractions start."
I stood frozen in the middle of the hallway.
I was Dr.
Christopher Lawson's wife.
We had been married for four years.
And I wasn't pregnant.
That morning, I had arrived at St.
Jude Medical Center in Minneapolis as part of a hospital quality and safety inspection.
My badge displayed my maiden name: Isabel Drake.
Ever since I married Christopher, we had decided to keep our marriage a secret within the hospital.
According to him, it was better for both of us.
"If they know my wife works in healthcare oversight, any promotion I get will look like it was the result of influence."
It seemed reasonable to me.
So reasonable that for four years, I avoided inspecting his cardiology department, never gave him confidential information, and asked another inspector to handle anything related to him.
Christopher always said he admired my ethics.
That morning, I discovered just how convenient they had been for him.
Through the half-open door, I heard the head nurse continue:
"We already changed the equipment in the room.
Everything is ready in case your wife goes into labor early."
Then I heard Christopher's voice.
"Thank you.
Bianca hasn't been sleeping well.
I'd appreciate it if you could keep an eye on her."
He didn't correct anyone.
He didn't say, "She's not my wife."
Nothing.
One of the nurses even joked:
"How reassuring for Dr.
Shepherd to have such a devoted cardiologist for a husband."
Christopher stayed silent.
I stepped out without going inside.
That night, he texted me:
"Emergency surgery.
I'll sleep at the hospital.
Don't wait up for me."
I stared at the message for several minutes.
Three hours earlier, I had heard that he had prepared a special room for another pregnant woman.
I returned to the townhouse we shared in the Edina suburb, took out our marriage certificate, our prenuptial agreement, and my personal documents.
Then I printed the divorce petition I had looked into weeks earlier for work-related reasons.
I filled in my information.
I took off my ring.
I placed it on top of the document.
I packed two suitcases and left for a small apartment I rented near Saint Paul for periods of intensive auditing.
I didn't confront him.
I didn't want to hear an explanation designed to make me doubt what I had heard.
Three days later, after leaving work late, I stopped at a supermarket.
And there they were.
Bianca Shepherd, with her pregnancy clearly showing, and the same head nurse.
"Christopher has been staying at my place almost every night lately," Bianca said with a smile.
"Last night, he even got up to bring me water.
He's obsessed with choosing the crib himself."
The nurse noticed me first and turned pale.
Bianca recognized me too.
But instead of looking uncomfortable, she smiled.
"Inspector Drake.
What a coincidence.
Alone again?"
She glanced at the sandwich in my hand.
"When someone is waiting for you at home, you start taking better care of yourself.
Christopher doesn't even let me stand for very long."
The provocation was far too obvious.
I simply asked:
"Then, Dr.
Shepherd…
does everyone at the hospital believe that Dr.
Lawson is your husband?"
Her smile disappeared.
That same night, I received a voice message from Christopher.
"Isabel, I've seen the papers.
You're coming to my office tomorrow.
Don't make decisions behind my back again."
He was still speaking as if he had the right to give me orders.
The next morning, I went.
May you like
But I had no idea that behind that fake pregnant wife was something far worse than an affair.
And what Christopher was about to ask me for inside that office was so outrageous that even today, I still find it hard to believe.
