THE WEIGHT OF UNSAID WORDS

Briar's hands gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles white as she sped down the highway, the hum of the engine only serving to amplify the whirlwind of emotions inside her.

The conversation with Dwayne had been draining, and the weight of everything she had just learned sat heavily in her chest. As soon as she pulled away from his house, she had to get out of there—needed to escape, if only for a little while. She didn't want to cry, but the tears kept threatening to spill.

Her mind kept replaying the last few moments with Dwayne—his apology, his sincere tone. He *wanted* to fix things. But no matter how hard he tried, Briar couldn't shake the anger.

He'd known all these years, and yet he'd never once reached out. He hadn't even cared enough to check if the rumors about him being her father were true. It didn't feel like an apology; it felt like a bandage on a wound that had been left to fester for far too long.

Briar was shaking with frustration when she pulled out her phone and dialed Henry's number, her husband's number was on speed dial. The phone rang twice before he picked up.

"Hey, babe," Henry's voice came through the line, calm and steady as always. Briar's breath hitched as she tried to steady her voice, but it wavered despite her best efforts.

"Henry, I just—" She cut herself off, the anger building again. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay composed, but the frustration, the hurt, all of it came rushing out. "I don't even know where to begin. You wouldn't believe what just happened."

"What happened?" Henry asked, his voice softening in concern. He could tell something was wrong.

Briar had been quiet on the phone for a moment too long, her words coming out in fits and starts as if she was struggling to make sense of the situation.

"Mom knew. She knew all these years that Dwayne was my father, and she never said a word." Briar's voice cracked on the last part, and her grip on the wheel tightened even more. "She let me go around him. Let me be around him. All this time, I was at their house for family gatherings, red-carpet events, everything, and she let me—let us—think he was just some random guy. And now? Now, all of a sudden, she wants me to just accept it?"

Henry's voice was steady, though she could hear the edge of concern in it. "I'm sorry, babe. That sounds... really hard."

"You have no idea." Briar's voice wavered again, and she cursed under her breath.

She hated that she was crying, hated that the cracks were finally starting to show. But how could they not? This whole thing was a betrayal—by her mother, by Dwayne, by everyone she thought she could trust.

"I feel so... used. Like I've been living a lie. All these years, Henry. All these years, I had no idea. And now... now it feels like everyone was just waiting for the truth to come out, like they didn't care enough to tell me. They just let me live in this bubble where everything was fine. And now it's all shattered."

Briar's grip on the steering wheel was almost painful, but it grounded her in a way. The road was dark, the lights from other cars flashing by, but inside, all she could see was the mess of her emotions, swirling and crashing into each other like waves.

"Did you talk to him?" Henry asked cautiously, knowing how much this was affecting her. "What did he say?"

"I talked to him," Briar said, her voice bitter now, the anger rising again as she spoke. "He apologized. He said he was sorry for not being there. For not checking if the rumors were true. But that doesn't change anything! He's just... he's been living this whole life without me, without caring about me. And now he expects me to just be okay with it?" Briar let out a short laugh, though it sounded hollow and sad. "It doesn't make sense, Henry. He doesn't get it. I don't even know who he is anymore. He was a stranger to me."

Henry didn't respond immediately. Briar could hear him sigh, and for a moment, the silence between them felt like a chasm. She didn't want to hear it, but she knew her husband would try to reason with her, would want to help her make sense of it all. But at that moment, she didn't want to hear reason. She just wanted to be angry.

"You're upset, and that's okay," Henry said after a long pause, his voice warm with understanding. "But you don't have to figure everything out tonight. It's okay to feel hurt. And it's okay to not know how to move forward. You don't have to forgive him right now, Briar. You don't owe him anything."

"I just... I don't understand. How could Mom do that to me? How could she let me think I was just some random kid to him? How could she let me get so close to him, all while knowing the truth? I spent so much time with him—at his house, at events, and she knew." Briar's voice broke on the last part, and she had to swallow the lump in her throat. "I don't get it, Henry. I feel so stupid. So... so betrayed."

There was another long pause on the line, and Briar wondered if Henry was trying to choose his words carefully. She felt a twinge of guilt for unloading all of this on him, but she needed to vent. Needed someone to understand.

"I know you're hurt. And I get that you feel betrayed by your mom, but... Briar, you need to remember that your mom probably did this out of some kind of protection, even if it doesn't make sense right now. She probably thought she was sparing you, keeping you safe. But it doesn't change the fact that this is a huge thing. It's a lot for anyone to handle."

Briar sighed, glancing over at the empty passenger seat, feeling the void left by the conversation with Dwayne. She had expected anger, but she hadn't expected the raw ache of betrayal. "I don't know if I can ever forgive her. I mean, I thought I knew her... and now, I don't even know where to start. She kept this secret from me for so long."

Henry's voice softened, his words slow but gentle. "You don't have to forgive her today. Or tomorrow. It's going to take time to process all of this. But you don't have to face this alone. I'm here, okay? Whenever you need me, whenever you need to talk. I'm not going anywhere."

Briar felt her shoulders slump in relief at his words, a wave of exhaustion washing over her. She didn't know what to do with all the feelings swirling inside her, but at least Henry had given her a little bit of space to breathe.

She wasn't sure she could forgive her mom—or Dwayne—anytime soon, but she did know one thing: Henry's steady presence would help her through it, even if she didn't have all the answers yet.

"Thanks, babe," Briar said softly, her voice quieter now. "I just... I don't know what to do next."

"You don't have to know yet," Henry reassured her. "Just take it one step at a time. You'll figure it out. And whatever happens, I've got your back."

Briar's grip on the wheel relaxed just a little, and for the first time in hours, she felt a hint of peace. The road ahead was long and uncertain, and she still had so much to figure out.

But for the moment, with Henry's support, she felt like she could face whatever came next.