Hidden Desires - Family Secrets-Chapter 226 Michael had arrived first, followed closely by Betty

"Wake up, I’ll make you breakfast..." Betty emerged from the bathroom and instinctively glanced towards the bedroom.

She caught me awake, watching her.

A fleeting look of discomfort flashed across her eyes.

Her hand, clutching her phone, twitched as if to hide it, but she controlled the impulse and softly spoke those words before heading to the kitchen.

As she turned away, it felt like she was escaping something.

Perhaps my sudden awakening caught her off guard.

She must have been messaging Michael in the bathroom, and my gaze upon her exit made her momentarily tense and surprised.

I got up and went into the bathroom.

After washing my face and looking at my reflection, my mind raced with thoughts.

The morning was filled with oddities, starting with Betty taking her phone to the bathroom, which she never used to do.

Now, she even kept it on her while making breakfast.

Previously, Betty would charge her phone on the nightstand by our bed and leave it there in the morning.

But last night, she took her phone from the nightstand before bed and, though I pretended to sleep, I felt her slip the phone under her pillow.

She would definitely notice if I tried to move it.

Despite knowing quite a bit already, the scene I just witnessed still left a sour taste in my heart.

Betty was now so guarded around me.

Time passed, and Betty brought breakfast.

Normally, we’d chat endlessly before work, but today was unusually quiet.

We barely spoke, creating a stifling atmosphere.

"Honey, are you going to work today, or do you want to rest at home?" Betty asked at the breakfast table, her expression unnaturally calm.

"I’m going to work. There’s a mess to clean up after a failed undercover operation..."

At first, I thought Betty’s question was a probe, but then I realized whether I went to work or not didn’t seem to matter to her.

She probably thought her little hideout was secure, never dreaming I’d already located their main base.

"Oh, okay... I’ll make something nice for dinner tonight to reward you for your hard work. I understand how tough it is for you..." Betty said, gently touching my cheek.

"If you really understood my struggles, would you do what you’re doing?"

Of course, I only thought this and didn’t say it out loud.

After breakfast, Betty and I left the house.

We parted ways at the entrance of our building, but I returned to the parking lot, got into my old van, and drove back to the cabin. Explore stories at novelbuddy

Since they planned to meet in the afternoon, I wanted to be prepared, not knowing when they might show up.

Michael wasn’t at my house last night, and I hadn’t run into him on the street.

So, where had he been?

When I arrived at the cabin, the gate was still locked.

It was now 9:05 AM.

Michael hadn’t returned to the cabin, and he wasn’t at my house last night.

Could he have been out fooling around, or does he have another woman?

Another possibility crossed my mind, making me feel anxious and chilled.

Could Michael and Betty have another secret meeting place?

If they changed their meeting spot last minute because Betty got scared last night, then what if...

I sat in the cabin, in front of the computer, staring at the locked gate.

Would they come this afternoon?

I sat in that cabin, each second ticking by slowly.

My eyes were glued to the surveillance footage on my laptop.

As the afternoon approached, my anxiety mounted, and my thoughts grew increasingly complex.

I dreaded the possibility of seeing Betty and Michael together.

How would that make me feel?

Yet, I also hoped they would show up here.

At least I had cameras installed.

If they chose another spot, like a hotel, I’d be completely in the dark.

Caught in this internal conflict, time crawled by.

When I finished the last pack of cigarettes, it was already 2:15 PM.

By this time, it was nearly the hour when Betty usually returned home from work.

Could it be that Betty and Michael wouldn’t show up after all?

If they didn’t appear all afternoon, it could mean one of two things:

First, Betty might have canceled their rendezvous because of my unexpected return home last night.

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Second, they might have disguised themselves and opted for a quick, discreet encounter at a nearby hotel.

Unable to sit still any longer, I stood up from the chair, ignoring the stiffness in my body, and walked to the window.

The gate was still firmly locked.

Were they already at some other place, passionately entangled in each other’s arms?

I sighed deeply, feeling defeated.

It was now 2:41 PM.

Betty and Michael were not coming.

Having run out of cigarettes, I planned to go out to buy a new pack and some bottles of liquor.

I decided not to return home tonight but to drown my sorrows in alcohol right here.

Just as I was about to divert my gaze from the small window, a familiar black Accord pulled up at the gate.

A robust young man, heavily bundled up, stepped out—it was undoubtedly Michael.

Michael quickly unlocked the gate, drove the car in, and then shut the gate behind him.

Seeing Michael return halted my plans to leave.

My mind raced with possibilities.

Had Michael and Betty already had their secret meeting elsewhere?

Although the car windows were tinted, I could tell that Michael was alone; there was no sign of Betty.

Just as I was pondering this, a taxi stopped at the gate, and a woman, also heavily dressed and seemingly in a hurry, stepped out.

Despite the hat, sunglasses, and mask, I recognized the clothes—it was definitely Betty.

Finally, close to three o’clock, they both arrived at the cabin.

Michael had arrived first, followed closely by Betty.

They entered the cabin within a minute and twenty-nine seconds of each other.

Betty hurried to the gate, opened it, and walked in, quickly shutting it behind her.

In the brief moment before the gate closed, I caught a glimpse of Michael waiting for her on the other side.

It seemed they had planned this meticulously.

Once again, I had to admire Michael and Betty’s caution.

Although this place was secluded, they managed to keep their visits completely under wraps, unseen even by the neighbors.

It seemed almost fated that the drone had captured their activities, revealing the truth to me.

The gate was now closed, and I couldn’t see them anymore.

I rushed to my laptop, put on my headset, and started monitoring every move inside the cabin.

In the footage, Michael was closing the gate while Betty walked towards the main house, removing her hat and mask as she went, clearly uncomfortable in her disguise.