Back when Archie first caught Imogen's attention, he cautiously mentioned wanting to care for his sister. He wished, if possible, for her to live in the Russell residence.
At the time, Imogen believed Johanna was Archie's biological sister and readily agreed. But in the end, she had been utterly duped. She sneered coldly, crumpling the report and tossing it in the trash.
By noon, Archie arrived with her lunch, Johanna trailing closely behind. They exchanged furtive glances, enjoying their clandestine game. Imogen feigned obliviousness, calmly eating her meal.
Compared to her initial shock, she now accepted the situation with a detached amusement, watching like a spectator at a circus. Occasionally, she'd interject, startling the shameless pair. Their intimate gestures would halt abruptly; guilty people were always nervous. Their fear of being caught was palpable.
It was quite amusing. Imogen smirked inwardly. While they were distracted, she discreetly slipped Archie's face-down phone into the folds of her blanket. Using the excuse of needing rest, she dismissed them from the room.
Once the door was locked, Imogen unlocked Archie's phone. Ironically, she remembered his passcode, which was Johanna's birthday. He never suspected she would.
Imogen first checked his contacts, finding only two numbers—one saved under Johanna's name, the other unlabeled. She photographed the unlabeled number and scrolled to the messages. A long list of chats between Archie and Johanna appeared, dating back further than she anticipated.
As Imogen scrolled, she correlated their conversations with major events in her own life. For instance, when she'd fallen out with Stephan over Archie's supposed death in the rainforest, even threatening her own life, they'd just finished a rendezvous. When she'd been in agony during childbirth, they were engaged in a heated conversation. Johanna had written, "I only want children with you," and Archie had replied, "I only want to have children with you."
After returning from the rainforest, Johanna's behavior had become increasingly unusual. She’d make passive-aggressive remarks to Imogen, glued to her phone, and went out on daily dates. Imogen had even jokingly asked if Johanna had a new boyfriend.
Looking back, Johanna's expression must have been one of smug disdain. Everything now made perfect sense.
What pained Imogen most was Archie repeatedly calling her "that old woman." She had promoted him from an insignificant underling, repeatedly advocating for him, earning him Stephan's trust and making him indispensable. And this was the result?
Imogen felt an unexpected calmness instead of fury. She calmly replaced the phone.
Later, Archie returned for his phone, leaving again without suspicion. Imogen looked at baby Caleb in his cradle and whispered, "My dear, will you hate me if you no longer have a father?"