One afternoon, his wife called the office, her tone sharp and suspicious. She’d always checked on him, asking the same questions over and over. Usually, I’d offer polite excuses and move on, but that day, something in me snapped. I was tired of pretending. So I said, as calmly as I could, “Why don’t you come and see him yourself — he’s right here with the new intern.”
There was a long pause. I expected anger, maybe even tears, but instead, she laughed — a soft, knowing laugh that caught me off guard. “Oh, darling,” she said gently, “I know. She’s actually my cousin. He’s helping her get experience for her studies.” My jaw nearly dropped. Everything I thought I knew suddenly didn’t make sense anymore.
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