The lights were dimmed.
And Lina finally found herself alone with her new husband.
She thought the biggest surprise of her life had already happened.
She was wrong.
Because the following morning, Karim did something that changed everything.
The Morning After
Lina woke before Karim.
For several seconds, she stared at the ceiling.
Married.
She was actually married.
She turned toward him.
Karim was still asleep.
Lina smiled.
Then she noticed something beside the bed.
A small black box.
It hadn't been there the night before.
She reached for it.
Before she could open it, Karim's voice came from behind her.
"Don't."
Lina froze.
He sat up.
"What is it?"
Karim looked at the box.
Then at her.
"Something I should have given you before the wedding."
Lina's smile disappeared.
"What does that mean?"
Karim got out of bed.
He walked to the window and stood silently.
Lina watched him.
For the first time since they had met, she saw uncertainty on his face.
"Karim?"
He turned around.
"Before you marry someone, you should know everything important about them."
Lina stared at him.
"You're telling me this now?"
"I know."
"That isn't reassuring."
"I didn't want to hide it from you."
"Then why did you?"
Karim looked down.
"Because I was afraid you'd leave."
Lina's heart began beating faster.
She reached for the box.
"What is inside?"
Karim didn't stop her this time.
Lina opened it.
Inside was a key.
An old-fashioned metal key.
There was also a photograph.
She picked it up.
Her expression changed.
The photograph showed a woman standing beside a young Karim.
The woman was smiling.
She looked familiar.
Lina stared at her.
"Who is she?"
"My mother."
Lina looked at Karim.
"You've shown me pictures of your mother."
"Not this one."
Lina turned the photograph over.
There was writing on the back.
A date.
And an address.
Lina recognized the address immediately.
It was in Lisbon.
Her hands began to tremble.
"Why do you have this?"
Karim sat down.
"My mother lived in Portugal for several years."
Lina stared at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I wanted to tell you everything after we were married."
"Why?"
Karim looked toward the window.
"Because the story is complicated."
Lina almost laughed.
"Complicated?"
He nodded.
"My mother had a daughter."
Lina stopped breathing.
"A daughter?"
Karim looked at her.
"My older sister."
Lina waited.
"She disappeared when she was young."
The room became silent.
Lina looked down at the photograph again.
"What does that have to do with me?"
Karim didn't answer.
Instead, he reached into the box and removed another piece of paper.
It was an old document.
Lina unfolded it.
Then she saw the name.
Her name.
Lina Moreira.
Her stomach dropped.
She looked at Karim.
"Why is my name on this?"
He swallowed.
"That's what I don't know."
The Secret
Lina stood up.
"You're telling me you found my name in your family's records?"
"Yes."
"And you knew this before our wedding?"
"Not everything."
"Karim."
He stood.
"I found the document six months ago."
Lina stared at him in disbelief.
"Six months?"
"I tried to understand what it meant."
"And you didn't tell me?"
"I didn't know whether it was connected to you."
"Then why did you marry me?"
Karim's expression changed.
"Because I loved you."
Lina looked away.
That answer should have comforted her.
Instead, it frightened her.
