One calm evening, the sun cast a soft golden glow over the city when Catherine, a woman of poise and grace, made a spontaneous decision. Standing in a busy supermarket parking lot, she reached for her phone and tapped her fingers on the screen expectantly. With a hopeful heart, she dialed her husband’s number and longed for a moment together over a cup of coffee.
When the phone rang, her mind went to the familiar routine her husband followed when he often stopped at this very store on his way home. However, her hopes were dashed when the call went to voicemail. A pang of disappointment hit her. But soon a text message lit up on her screen informing her that she was still hard at work.
After parking, she took out a shopping bag from the back seat and got out of the car. However, she noticed the SUV as she moved between the parked cars. Was it her husband?
It was according to the rear impact. But she wondered where he was. It was then that memories of his lateness at work in the previous period, his strange behavior, and hidden phone calls began to rush through her mind.
Catherine decided to go back to her car and wait for her husband to show up so she could confront him. Not long after, her husband’s SUV parked next to an old cheap car.
She was shocked to see her husband Dylan in the vintage vehicle. He was wearing tattered, worn clothes. She was completely stunned and couldn’t understand what was happening.
After changing from his old clothes to a suit, Dylan got out of the old car and got into the SUV.
Catherine hurried to her house and waited for his arrival. She chose to keep quiet about him.
“So, how was your day?” Noticing that he looked disoriented and uninterested in his food, she asked.
Yes, it was typical. appointments, paperwork, the usual fare,” he replied, sounding like he had rehearsed the answer beforehand.
“I thought you jumped for a second?” she replied.
His response, “No, today was busy,” Catherine’s heart sank. Did he lie to her because he was having an affair? She really wanted to confront him, but without evidence, she couldn’t.
She got up early the next morning and decided to wait until he drove to the supermarket parking lot.
Noticing her leaving the house, Dylan asked, “Where are you headed so early?” He was fully clothed and wearing his standard work attire.
“Oh, remember I scheduled an early morning massage? My back was dying,” she claimed.
\”Going without breakfast?”
Yes, I’ll pick something up on the way and catch up with you later. She said, “Sleep,” and left the house.
Moments later, she saw her husband pull into the parking lot in his SUV before switching to a sedan.
He changed into his old clothes and got behind the wheel, followed by Catherine.
His eyes almost met hers when he looked over his shoulder at one point, only to be interrupted by a passing bus.
Catherine’s hands began to sweat and her heart stopped beating. She didn’t know what was going on or what to expect.
Catherine found herself in a wooded area as their cars left the outskirts of town and drove down a less-traveled road full of potholes and cracks.
After Dylan drove onto the gravel road that led into the woods, Catherine made the unusual decision to walk the remaining distance in hopes of seeing her husband or his sedan far away in the woods.
She walked through the thick forest and finally arrived at an open area.
She saw Dylan’s vehicle parked near the wooden house.
About thirty yards from the house, Catherine crouched behind a bush and watched Dylan talking to a poor man in torn clothes on the front porch of the house.
Noticing their laughter, she went to face them and exclaimed, “What’s going on here?”
Catherine? Why are you in this place? Dylan asked scared.
“Who is the beauty?” Harry asked the other man as he glared at her.
Catherine said, “I am his wife!” “Dylan, tell me everything! You lied about the office meeting, but why? And why did you bring that old car here and trade it for an SUV in a supermarket parking lot? Also, WHO IS THIS MAN?
Dylan’s heart went cold.
“Husband? You never raised her! You claimed to be a low-income gas station employee.” Harry fixed his gaze on Dylan. “You’ve been lying the whole time?”
“Please, Harry. I’ll explain.” Dylan replied tensely.
Enraged, Harry smashed the bottle over Dylan’s head and grabbed it from a nearby table. At that moment, Dylan passed out.
When he opened his eyes moments later, he saw that his wife and he had been taken to the basement and tied to chairs.
“Dylan, talk! What on earth is going on?” Catherine spoke scared and confused.
“I should have told you everything, but I wanted to protect you from my past,” he said. “I had a son, Catherine, and it all started when I went to the doctor with him…”
Dylan and his young son left the practice 19 years ago. Due to a rare disease, the child required immediate surgery that would cost more than $100,000.
He phoned his ex-girlfriend to inform her of the heartbreaking news and asked her to wait until he brought their child home. But when he got there, he saw a letter from her on the table that said, “Don’t look for me. Dylan, this is not the child I wanted! “Goodbye!”
In a state of desperation, Dylan contacted his friend Harr,y and the two, along with Harry’s group, came up with a plan to rob the bank. Harry waited for his companions to prepare to leave in the car while they robbed the bank.
The team executed their plan on D-Day.
Dylan waited and after a while Harry opened the car door and dived inside.
He said, “GO NOW!”
“Where’s the rest of the crew?” Dylan asked.
“They’re not there anymore! Go!” Harry gave the order.
Dylan followed the instructions. However, he soon caught sight of police lights in the rearview mirror. The police were closing in when they opened fire, hitting Harry in the shoulder. Their vehicle also had piercings.
“Keep driving!” Harry groaned in agony as he said this. But Harry changed plans when they realized that the car was really hard to handle.
Dylan, we can’t make it! Pay attention to me. Harry stated. “A little over 300 meters ahead is a tiny alley. Once inside you will see a manhole cover. Get out of the car, enter the manhole,e and follow the signs.
I don’t worry. Carry all cash with you. But stick to my part. I want to get paid when I get out of jail.”
Despite Harry’s arrest, the police did not find the money.
Dylan knew he would be in trouble if he spent some of Harry’s money, but he did it anyway because his son’s surgery ended up costing twice as much.
“My son didn’t make it but I used Harry’s half to pay for the surgery. His death devastated me but everything changed when I met you, Catherine. It was like I could start a new life. I didn’t.” I don’t think Harry will ever find me, certainly not after twenty years. That’s why I never gave you the whole truth.”
“How did he find you?” Stunned by his revelation, Catherine made a demand.
“He called me. He said he was out of jail. How he traced my number is beyond me. I didn’t want to give his part back, so I made it up that I was poor.”
I worked really hard to earn what I had. That’s why I came up with a plan to trick him.”
“Dylan, $100,000 is a drop in the bucket! You could have just handed it to him. How could you take such liberties with our lives? I hate you!” Catherine smirked.
The cellar door flew open at that moment.
Harry smiled as he emerged. “I just had a little visit at your cozy home,” he growled.
You have quite a palace, but not many valuable items. Makes me wonder where all the funds are.”
Dylan then demanded that Harry release Catherine and promised to send him a million dollars directly from his bank account.
Harry agreed. “But if you even think of playing tricks or involving the police, I won’t hesitate to reveal all about your dark past,” Harry told Dylan.
“Keep in mind that I have no interest in this and I have many allies in prison. You will pay the price if you mistreat me.”
Dylan knew he couldn’t trust Harry when they walked into the bank. He decided to act because he feared for Catherine’s life.
“It’s a robbery!” Dylan exclaimed as they approached the clerk.
Harry looked confused as everyone was worried.
He vowed to expose Dylan’s background to the authorities. “I’ll tell them everything myself,” Dylan replied, “but I’m glad Catherine’s alive!”
The tense situation continued in the dimly lit basement. Chained to a chair, Catherine watched as Dylan negotiated with Harry to secure her release. Fear and uncertainty hung heavy in the air.
Desperate to protect Catherine, Dylan promised Harry a million dollars from his bank account in exchange for her freedom. It was a nerve-wracking moment when Harry agreed and warned Dylan against any betrayal.
As tensions rose, Dylan made a sudden decision to face the situation head-on. He raised his voice, startling everyone present. “It’s a robbery!” he stated surprising Harry and the others.
Confusion and panic spread among the group as Dylan’s unexpected move caught them by surprise. Taken aback, Harry threatened to reveal Dylan’s past to the authorities, but Dylan remained firm, willing to face the consequences if it meant Catherine’s safety.
With a quick and bold move, Dylan managed to distract Harry and the others long enough for Catherine to break free of her inhibitions. Taking advantage of the chaos, she quickly ran away and sought help.
Authorities arrived shortly after, ending the intense standoff. Harry and his companions were arrested and Dylan faced the reality of his past actions. Despite the consequences that awaited him, Dylan found comfort in knowing that Catherine was safe.
Subsequently, Dylan confessed to the authorities and accepted responsibility for his actions. Catherine stood by him, offering him support and understanding in the face of his past mistakes. Together they dealt with the turbulent aftermath, finding strength in their bond and a newfound determination to build a better future, freed from the shadows of the past.