He had been born in the United States, but his parents had emigrated from Germany decades earlier and still spoke German at home.

Whenever they wanted to criticize my clothes, my work, my cooking, or anything else they thought I would not understand, they switched languages.

At first, I began learning because I wanted to feel closer to them.

I downloaded an app.

Then took evening classes.

Later, I practiced with podcasts during my commute.

Some nights I lay in bed beside Lukas with headphones in while he slept.

Over time, I became good enough that I could follow almost every ordinary conversation.

I never told them.

Partly because I wanted to surprise Lukas one day.

Then, after a while, because I realized how differently his family behaved when they thought I could not understand them.

That Sunday night, I discovered something much worse than insulting jokes.

The pregnant woman was Sophia Weber.

Lukas’s former girlfriend.