On Thanksgiving, Lila receives a mysterious package that shatters everything she thought she knew about her marriage. What follows isn’t just betrayal — it’s a reckoning. As lies unravel, Lila must decide whether to fall apart…
or rise into something stronger than they ever saw coming.
I still remember the smell. I remember the cinnamon, the butter, and the warmth of the kitchen with the windows slightly fogged.
Blake, our dog, was curled under the table, and my husband, Cole, was humming off-key as he unpacked groceries across from me. It could have been any Thanksgiving — any soft and lovely Thanksgiving where I could sit back and truly be grateful for my life.
I was chopping carrots and potatoes when the doorbell rang.
“You expecting anyone, Lila?” Cole asked, looking up. “No,” I said, shaking my head. My parents were out of state for the holiday, and Cole’s parents had opted for Thanksgiving dinner with Cole’s sister, Kelsey, instead.
“Are you?”
He shrugged and went back to unboxing a pie.
I wiped my hands on a dish towel and walked to the door, more distracted than curious. I had stuffing in the oven, potatoes on standby, and the sweet potatoes were still waiting to be mashed.
And I was anxious about telling Cole my news. Our news…
But when I opened the door, there was no one standing there.
It was just a box — small, brown, and without a return address. I glanced around, confused, then carried it into the kitchen and set it down beside the cutting board. “Someone dropped this off, honey,” I said.
“There’s no note and no name.”
Cole turned mid-step, still holding the pumpkin pie.
For a moment, he just stared. Then his face changed, only slightly, but I saw it.
A flicker of panic on my husband’s face. Cole’s fingers tightened around the aluminium pie tin, surely damaging the edge.
“What is it?” he asked, trying to sound casual, but his voice pitched a little too high.
“Honestly, it’s probably some kid just pranking us.”
I ignored him and opened the lid. Inside was a roasted turkey — it was perfectly golden and still warm. “What the heck?” I asked, taking the bird out.
And that’s when I saw it.
Nestled beside it was a pregnancy test — unmistakably positive — and a small black USB flash drive. My fingers hesitated.
On top was a folded note in tidy, looping cursive. “Happy Thanksgiving, Lila.
I thought you’d like to see this.
XO, Vanessa.”
Vanessa.
The story doesn’t end here –
it continues on the next page.
TAP → NEXT PAGE → 👇
