Deception in Silicon Heights

Chapter 6: Silent Observations

Ethan spent the next few days in a haze, his mind swirling with thoughts about Jessica's betrayal. He couldn't look at her the same way, and each time she left the house, his suspicions were confirmed. The more he observed, the clearer it became—Jessica was leading a double life. And all the while, their daughters were stuck in the middle of this fractured reality.

It wasn't just the affair that bothered him; it was the favouritism, the lack of empathy she showed toward Lily, and the superficial bond she shared with Emma. Ethan found himself growing more distant from Jessica, choosing instead to spend more time with Lily, the daughter who had been left in the shadows for too long.

One afternoon, after another of Jessica's unexplained absences, Ethan found Lily in the backyard, sitting quietly by herself with a sketchbook on her lap. She had always been creative, a trait she'd inherited from him, but he'd never really taken the time to appreciate it before.

"What are you drawing?" he asked as he sat down beside her on the grass.

Lily glanced up and smiled shyly. "Just something I saw in a dream."

Ethan peered at the page and was surprised by the intricacy of her work. The drawing was of a house—clearly their own—but it looked... broken. The windows were cracked, the garden overgrown, and there was an eerie emptiness to it. Ethan's chest tightened.

"You have a real talent," he said softly. "This is incredible."

"Thanks, Dad," she murmured, but her tone was sombre.

Ethan wanted to ask her more about the drawing, about how she felt, but he couldn't find the right words. Instead, they sat in silence, the weight of unspoken emotions hanging between them.

As Ethan watched his daughter draw, he realised how much of Lily's life he had missed while he'd been consumed with work and trying to maintain the illusion of a perfect family. It struck him just how much she must have suffered in silence, being the outcast in her own home. He vowed then to be there for her, no matter what happened with Jessica.

But for now, he had to stay silent. He had to observe, learn, and plan. His promotion at work gave him the leverage he needed to turn the tables on Jessica, but it wasn't time yet. He couldn't rush this—if he did, he could lose everything, including Lily.