Chapter 6: The Photographer's Timestamp
Ethan and Clara walked back to the lodge hand in hand, feeling a sense of relief and hope. They had finally talked things through and were ready to face the future together, whatever it may hold.
As they entered the lodge, they were greeted by the warm glow of the fireplace and the smell of freshly baked cookies. Ethan's stomach growled, and Clara laughed.
'Let's get something to eat,' she said, leading him to the dining room.
They sat down at a table by the window and ordered a hot meal. As they ate, they talked about their plans for the future. Clara wanted to start prenatal classes and prepare for the baby's arrival. Ethan agreed and promised to support her every step of the way.
After dinner, they decided to explore the lodge. They walked through the halls, admiring the beautiful paintings and photographs on the walls. As they passed by a room, Ethan noticed a door that was slightly ajar.
'What's in there?' he asked, pointing to the door.
Clara shrugged. 'I don't know. Let's take a look.'
They pushed the door open and entered a small room. The walls were covered with photographs, and in the center of the room was a large desk with a computer and a printer.
Ethan walked over to the desk and looked at the photographs. They were all of the lodge and the surrounding area, taken by a professional photographer.
'Look at this one,' he said, pointing to a photograph of the frozen pond where they had just been.
Clara looked at the photograph and gasped. 'That's the pond where I told you I was pregnant!'
Ethan looked at the timestamp on the photograph. It was taken a few days ago, before they had even arrived at the lodge.
'How is this possible?' he asked, confused.
Clara shook her head. 'I don't know. Maybe the photographer was here before us and took the picture then.'
Ethan didn't believe it. There was something strange about the photograph, something that didn't make sense.
He looked at the other photographs on the wall and noticed that they all had the same timestamp. It was as if the photographer had been here at the same time, taking pictures of the lodge and the surrounding area.
'What's going on?' he asked, his voice filled with suspicion.
Clara didn't know what to say. She had no idea why the photographs had the same timestamp, or why they seemed to be connected to her pregnancy.
Just then, they heard a noise coming from outside the room. They turned around and saw a man standing in the doorway.
'Who are you?' Ethan asked, his voice tense.
The man didn't answer. He just stood there, looking at them with a strange expression on his face.
Ethan stepped forward, ready to defend himself and Clara. But before he could do anything, the man spoke.
'You don't understand,' he said. 'You're in danger.'
Ethan and Clara exchanged a look of confusion. What did the man mean? What kind of danger were they in?
The man took a step forward and held out his hand. 'Come with me. I'll explain everything.'
Ethan hesitated for a moment, then took Clara's hand and followed the man out of the room.
The man led them through the lodge and out the back door. They followed him across a snowy field and into a small cabin. Inside the cabin, there was a fire burning in the fireplace and a table set with food and drinks.
'Please, sit down,' the man said, gesturing to the chairs by the fire.
Ethan and Clara sat down, still feeling confused and a little scared.
The man sat down across from them and took a deep breath. 'My name is John,' he said. 'I'm a photographer, and I've been following you for the past few days.'
Ethan's eyes widened in shock. 'Why?' he asked.
John looked at Clara. 'Because I know what you're going through,' he said. 'I know about the pregnancy, and I know about the betrayal.'
Clara's face turned pale. 'How do you know?' she asked.
John reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph. He handed it to Ethan.
Ethan looked at the photograph and felt his blood run cold. It was a picture of Clara and another man, kissing in a dark alley.
'Where did you get this?' he asked, his voice shaking.
John sighed. 'I took it,' he said. 'I was following you that night, and I saw what happened.'
Ethan looked at Clara, his eyes filled with betrayal and pain. 'Is this true?' he asked.
Clara nodded, tears streaming down her face. 'I'm sorry, Ethan. I didn't mean for it to happen. It was just a moment of weakness.'
Ethan stood up and walked over to the window. He looked out at the snowy landscape, feeling numb.
John stood up and walked over to him. 'I know this is hard,' he said. 'But you need to know that you're not alone. There are people who can help you through this.'
Ethan turned around and looked at him. 'Who?' he asked.
John smiled. 'Me,' he said. 'And my wife, Sarah. We've been through something similar, and we know how to get through it.'
Ethan didn't know if he could trust John, but he was desperate for help. He looked at Clara, who nodded encouragingly.
'Okay,' he said. 'Tell us what we need to do.'
John sat down and began to explain. He told them about a support group for couples who had been through infidelity and betrayal. He said that the group could provide them with the tools and resources they needed to heal and move on.
Ethan and Clara listened intently, feeling a glimmer of hope for the first time since they had discovered Clara's pregnancy and betrayal.
'We'll go to the support group,' Ethan said. 'And we'll do whatever it takes to get through this.'
John nodded. 'Good,' he said. 'I'll give you the information you need.'
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He handed it to Ethan.
Ethan looked at the paper and saw that it was the address and phone number of the support group.
'Thank you,' he said, his voice filled with gratitude.
John smiled. 'You're welcome,' he said. 'We're all in this together.'
Ethan and Clara stood up and hugged John. They thanked him again for his help, then left the cabin and headed back to the lodge.
As they walked, Ethan felt a sense of determination. He was going to do everything in his power to save his relationship with Clara and be a father to their child.
chapterSummary: Ethan and Clara discover a room filled with photographs of the lodge and the surrounding area, all with the same timestamp. A mysterious man, John, reveals that he has been following them and knows about Clara's pregnancy and betrayal. He offers to help them through this difficult time by introducing them to a support group for couples who have been through similar situations.