- 7 weeks ago
“You Lied To Me Again!” Willow’s 8 Painful Words Leave Michael Stunned _ General
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00:11The silence in the main living area of the brownstone was a physical presence, thick and heavy, broken only by the faint, rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner.
00:20It was a sound Michael Corinthos III had known his entire life, a metronome marking the passage of his tumultuous existence within these walls.
00:28Yet, tonight, it felt accusatory, each tick a hammer blow against his temples, each talk a reminder of the gulf that had opened up between him and the woman sitting across from him.
00:38Willow Tate, no, Willow Corinthos now, sat with her legs tucked beneath her on the large sofa, a chunky knit blanket draped over her shoulders despite the warmth of the evening.
00:48She was staring into the unlit fireplace, her profile pale and drawn in the soft lamplight.
00:52Her fingers, usually so gentle and sure when they tended to their son, Wiley, or when they'd traced the lines of his face with such love, were now twisting a loose thread on the blanket, a nervous, ceaseless motion.
01:05Michael watched her, his heart a frantic, caged bird in his chest.
01:09He had been watching her for weeks, this gradual retreat, this quiet closing of doors he thought he'd unlocked forever.
01:15He'd attributed it to the lingering exhaustion from her battle with leukemia, the stress of co-parenting with a manipulative ex, the general wear and tear of life in Port Charles.
01:25He'd been patient, or so he told himself.
01:27He'd given her space, brought her tea, held her when she woke trembling from nightmares he assumed were about her illness.
01:35He had constructed a narrative of her pain, a comfortable, understandable narrative, and he had nestled into it, believing his love and support would be enough to see her through it.
01:44He was wrong.
01:46The truth was far more terrifying, and it was a truth he had meticulously, desperately, tried to bury.
01:52You're quiet tonight, Michael finally said, his voice unnaturally loud in the stillness.
01:58He cleared his throat, trying to inject a note of normalcy.
02:02Is it Wiley?
02:04Is he okay?
02:06Willow's twisting fingers stilled.
02:09She didn't look at him.
02:11Wiley is fine.
02:13He's sleeping.
02:15Dreaming of dinosaurs and chocolate cake, probably.
02:17A ghost of a smile touched her lips, but it didn't reach her eyes.
02:22It never did anymore.
02:25That's good, Michael said, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees.
02:30Then what is it, Willow?
02:32Talk to me.
02:34Please.
02:35I feel like I'm losing you, and I don't even know why.
02:39This time, she turned her head.
02:42Her gaze, usually so warm and filled with a light that had pulled him from his own darkness,
02:46was clear and sharp, like shards of sea glass.
02:50It was a look of assessment, of seeing straight through the carefully constructed facade of the
02:54concerned husband to the rotten core beneath.
02:56I've been thinking, she began, her voice low and even, devoid of its usual melodic quality.
03:02About the past few months.
03:05About my treatment.
03:07About the bone marrow transplant.
03:10Michael's blood ran cold.
03:11It was a physiological reaction, a sudden plunge into an icy abyss.
03:17He could feel the color draining from his face and fought to keep his expression neutral,
03:21concerned, loving.
03:23That was a horrible time.
03:26It's natural to still be processing it.
03:29The fear, what you went through.
03:31What I went through, Willow repeated, the words hanging in the air between them.
03:36She untucked her legs and sat up straighter, letting the blanket pull around her waist.
03:41I've been going over it, Michael.
03:44Again and again.
03:46The timing of it all.
03:48The, convenience.
03:51Convenience, he echoed, a hollow laugh escaping him.
03:54It sounded fake, even to his own ears.
03:57There was nothing convenient about you fighting for your life, Willow.
04:02Wasn't there, she asked, her head tilting.
04:06For you?
04:07For your mother?
04:09The mention of his mother, Carly, was a second, more targeted blow.
04:14Michael felt a surge of defensive anger, a familiar, protective shield.
04:19What are you implying?
04:21My mother was a wreck.
04:23We all were.
04:25We did everything we could to save you.
04:28You did, Willow agreed, her tone dangerously soft.
04:32You found a donor.
04:34A perfect, anonymous match when no one in my family was suitable.
04:39It was a miracle, everyone said.
04:41A miracle that saved my life.
04:44It was, Michael insisted, his voice gaining a desperate edge.
04:49We were blessed.
04:50We got our miracle, and we have our family because of it.
04:54Why are you picking at this?
04:57Why can't you just let yourself be happy?
05:00We have everything we ever wanted.
05:02Do we?
05:04Willow's question was a whisper, but it cut through him like a scalpel.
05:08Do we really have everything, Michael?
05:11Or do we have a life built on a foundation of a terrible, painful secret?
05:15The room seemed to tilt.
05:18The ticking of the clock was now a deafening countdown to an inevitable doom.
05:23Michael's mind raced, scrambling for purchase, for a denial, for any story that could derail
05:28this conversation.
05:30He saw the knowledge in her eyes.
05:33It wasn't a suspicion anymore, it was a certainty.
05:36She knew.
05:38Willow, I don't know what you're talking about, he said, the lie tasting like ash in
05:42his mouth.
05:43She stood up then, a slow, deliberate movement.
05:47She walked to the fireplace, her back to him, and stared at the cold, dark hearth.
05:52For a long moment, she said nothing, and the silence was more terrifying than any accusation.
05:58I saw Nina, she said finally, her voice flat.
06:02Nina Reeves.
06:04The name was a curse in their household.
06:07His mother's nemesis, his own complicated history, the woman who was, unbeknownst to
06:12Willow, her biological mother.
06:14The woman who had donated the bone marrow that saved her life.
06:18Nina?
06:20Michael forced to scoff.
06:22Willow, whatever she said to you, it's a lie.
06:26You know she's manipulative.
06:28She'll say anything to drive a wedge between us, between our family.
06:33She's been trying to get to you for months.
06:35Willow turned around.
06:38There were no tears in her eyes.
06:40Only a profound, bone-deep sorrow that seemed to age her a decade.
06:45She didn't say anything to me, Michael.
06:48I saw her at the metro court.
06:51I was having lunch with Chase, and I saw her across the restaurant.
06:54She was looking at me.
06:57And it wasn't the look of a bitter rival.
07:00It was, something else.
07:02Something maternal.
07:04And something so, so guilty.
07:08Michael stood up, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.
07:12You're imagining things.
07:14You're still not yourself, Willow.
07:16The stress, the meds.
07:19Stop it.
07:21The words cracked through the room, sharp and final.
07:25Stop treating me like I'm fragile, like I'm broken, like I can't see what's right in front of me.
07:30I'm not the same person I was before the cancer, Michael.
07:34I faced death.
07:36It changes you.
07:38It makes you see things clearly.
07:40And I see this.
07:42She took a step toward him, and for the first time, he saw the full force of her pain, a pain he had directly caused.
07:49I put it all together, Michael.
07:52The way you and your mother were so adamant that I not seek out my donor.
07:57The legal threats, the pressure.
07:59The way you both reacted any time Nina's name was even mentioned in relation to me.
08:04The anonymous donor who was a perfect match.
08:07The timing, it was right after Nina found out I was her daughter.
08:12The daughter she'd been searching for her entire life.
08:15Her voice broke on the last word, but she steadied herself, her gaze never leaving his.
08:21She was my donor, wasn't she?
08:24Nina is my mother, and she is the one who saved my life.
08:28And you knew.
08:30You knew all along.
08:31The confession hung in the air, the truth he had fought so hard to conceal now laid bare between them, ugly and irredeemable.
08:39Michael could no longer deny it.
08:41The lies had run their course.
08:44He saw the absolute conviction in her face, and he knew that any further denial would only deepen the wound,
08:49would only make him more of a monster in her eyes.
08:51He sank back onto the sofa, his legs unable to support him.
08:57He dropped his head into his hands, the image of defeat.
09:01The silence stretched, thick with the weight of his unspoken confession.
09:05Yes, he whispered, the word torn from the deepest, most shameful part of his soul.
09:10A small, broken sound escaped Willow's lips.
09:14It was the sound of the last vestige of hope dying.
09:18She had known, but hearing him say it, hearing the confirmation, was a different kind of agony.
09:24Why?
09:25The single word was laden with a universe of hurt.
09:29Michael, why?
09:31How could you keep that from me?
09:33How could you let me believe a stranger had saved me when it was my own mother?
09:37A mother I never knew, a mother I had a right to know.
09:41He looked up, his own eyes glittering with unshed tears of frustration and fear.
09:46To protect you, he exploded, the guilt transforming into a desperate, misplaced anger.
09:52Don't you see that?
09:54Nina is toxic, Willow.
09:57She's manipulative and selfish.
10:00She abandoned you at birth.
10:02She spent years making our lives, my mother's life, a living hell.
10:07What good would come from having her in your life?
10:10From being indebted to her for your life?
10:12It wasn't your decision to make.
10:15Willow cried, her composure finally shattering.
10:19Tears streamed down her face, silent and relentless.
10:23It was my life.
10:25My mother.
10:27My choice.
10:28You took that from me.
10:31You and your mother, you decided what was best for me.
10:34You treated me like a child, like a pawn in your endless war with Nina.
10:38We were trying to spare you the pain.
10:41Michael argued, standing again, closing the distance between them.
10:45She would have used it, Willow.
10:48She would have used the donation to manipulate you, to force her way into your life, to tear
10:53our family apart.
10:54Look what's happening now.
10:57I was right.
10:59No.
11:00Willow shouted, pushing him away, not physically, but with the sheer force of her anguish.
11:05You were wrong.
11:08So, so wrong.
11:10This, this secrecy, this lie, this is what's tearing us apart.
11:14Not Nina.
11:16You.
11:18She wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to hold her broken pieces together.
11:23Do you have any idea what you've done?
11:26Any idea at all?
11:27You let me live these past months in ignorance.
11:31You let me build a life with you, a family, on a lie.
11:35Every time I thanked God for that anonymous donor, I was thanking her.
11:39Every time I felt a pain of sadness that I would never know who gave me the second chance,
11:44it was her I was longing for.
11:46And you knew.
11:48You stood there and you held me and you knew.
11:51Her words were lashing him, each one a whip of truth.
11:54He had no defense.
11:56The righteousness he had felt, the certainty that he was protecting his family, crumbled
12:01to dust, revealing the raw, ugly selfishness at its core.
12:05It wasn't just about protecting Willow, it was about controlling the narrative, about
12:09winning against Nina, about preserving the world he and his mother had built.
12:13I was going to tell you, he said, the fight draining out of him, leaving only a hollow shell.
12:19I swear, Willow, I was.
12:22I just.
12:23I was waiting for the right time.
12:26When you were stronger.
12:28When was that, Michael?
12:30She asked, her voice now terrifyingly calm again, the storm of tears replaced by an icy
12:34resolve.
12:36When I was strong enough to hear that my husband, the man I trusted with my life, had been lying
12:40to me every single day since the moment I woke up from that transplant?
12:44There is no right time for that.
12:47There is only the truth, and you chose to hide it.
12:50She looked at him, her eyes scanning his face as if seeing him for the first time.
12:56The loving husband, the devoted father, the pillar of strength, the image was gone, replaced
13:01by that of a stranger, a manipulator, a man capable of a profound and intimate betrayal.
13:06All this time, she whispered, shaking her head slowly, I thought the most painful thing
13:10I would ever experience was the cancer.
13:13The chemo.
13:15The fear of leaving Wiley without a mother.
13:17She took a shuddering breath, her body trembling with the effort of containing her emotion.
13:23She looked him dead in the eye, and delivered the eight words that he knew, with a chilling
13:27certainty, would haunt him for the rest of his days.
13:30I wish the transplant never would have worked.
13:34The air left Michael's lungs as if he'd been punched.
13:37He physically recoiled, stumbling back a step.
13:41Of all the things he had expected, the anger, the tears, the shouting, he was not prepared
13:45for this.
13:47This was not anger.
13:49This was a curse.
13:51This was a profound, soul-crushing regret that struck at the very heart of their story,
13:56of their miracle.
13:57Willow, no, he gasped, his voice a ragged plea.
14:01Don't say that.
14:03Don't ever say that.
14:05You have Wiley.
14:07You have me.
14:08We have our life.
14:11What life, she asked, her voice eerily vacant.
14:15A life built on a lie?
14:17A life where my husband and my mother-in-law decided that I wasn't capable of knowing my
14:22own truth?
14:23A life where my own mother was kept from me while she was literally giving me a part of
14:27herself to keep me alive?
14:29You think that's a life worth living?
14:31You think that's a miracle?
14:34She gave a bitter, hollow laugh.
14:36It's not a miracle, Michael.
14:39It's a transaction.
14:42My life for my autonomy.
14:44My survival for my right to know who I am.
14:47And you, you were the broker.
14:50You made the deal without my consent.
14:53The finality in her tone was more frightening than any outburst.
14:57This was not a temporary rage that would cool with time and apologies.
15:00This was a fundamental shift in the landscape of their marriage.
15:05The foundation had not just cracked, it had been vaporized.
15:09I can't.
15:11I can't be here right now, Willow said, her voice thick with unshed tears she now refused
15:16to shed in front of him.
15:17I can't look at you.
15:20She moved toward the door, picking up her purse from the side table.
15:24Where are you going?
15:26Michael asked, panic seizing him.
15:28Willow, please, we need to talk about this.
15:32We can fix this.
15:34She paused at the doorway, her hand on the frame, but she didn't turn back.
15:39There's nothing to fix, Michael.
15:42You broke it.
15:44You broke us.
15:46And some things, some things can't be put back together.
15:49And with that, she walked out.
15:51The soft click of the front door closing was the loudest sound Michael had ever heard.
15:57It was the sound of his world ending.
16:00He was alone.
16:02The ticking of the grandfather clock resumed its merciless rhythm, each second a mockery
16:06of the happiness he had believed was permanent.
16:09He looked around the room, at the pictures of their wedding, of Wiley's first birthday,
16:13of the three of them laughing, a perfect, happy family.
16:17It was all a lie.
16:19A beautiful, painstakingly constructed lie.
16:22He had hidden the terrible truth, believing it was for the best, believing he was shielding
16:27the woman he loved from a painful reality.
16:30But in doing so, he had committed a greater sin.
16:33He had robbed her of her agency, her history, and the right to make her own choices.
16:37He had treated her not as a partner, but as a possession to be protected, even from herself.
16:44And now, the consequence of that choice had been delivered in eight searing, painful words
16:49that echoed in the silence of the empty brownstone.
16:52I wish the transplant never would have worked.
16:55They were words born of a pain so deep, a betrayal so absolute, that death seemed a preferable
17:00alternative to a life built on his deception.
17:02In her eyes, the miracle of her survival was now tainted, the gift of life transformed into
17:07a chain that bound her to a man and a truth she could no longer bear.
17:11Michael Corinthos, the son of a mobster, a man who had faced down enemies and survived
17:16countless crises, finally broke.
17:19He sank to his knees on the expensive rug, the sobs wrenching from his body, raw and ugly.
17:24He had spent his life trying to be a better man than his father, to build a legacy of love
17:29and honesty. But in this, the most important test of his life, he had failed catastrophically.
17:35He had become the villain in his own love story, and the cost was the very heart of that story
17:40itself. The terrible truth was no longer hidden. It was out, and it had eviscerated everything in
17:47its path. And as he knelt there in the devastating quiet, he knew with a certainty that chilled him to his
17:52soul, Willow's painful words were not just an expression of her anguish. They were a verdict.
17:59And he feared, with every fiber of his being, that it was a verdict from which their marriage
18:03would never recover.
18:05The truth had set Willow free from ignorance, but it had imprisoned them both in a new,
18:09more painful reality, one where the miracle of her survival had become the tragedy of their love.
18:15Willow sat quietly on the couch, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched the mug of tea that had
18:19long gone cold. The gentle hum of the Corinthos' kitchen clock was the only sound filling the
18:25silence. Her heart pounded as if warning her that the next few minutes would change everything.
18:31Michael walked in, his usual calm and confidence replaced by something else,
18:35nervous energy, the kind that came from guilt. He glanced at Willow, trying to read her face,
18:41but what he saw made his stomach tighten. She looked pale, her eyes glossy with unspoken pain.
18:46He hesitated before speaking, hey, what's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost.
18:54Willow's lips parted, but no words came out. Instead, she studied him for a long moment,
19:00as though she were memorizing every feature, every lie. Finally, she whispered, Michael,
19:06we need to talk. The words hit him like a familiar warning. He swallowed hard, forcing a smile that
19:13didn't reach his eyes. That sounds serious, he said, trying to keep his tone light.
19:19What's wrong? Willow drew in a shaky breath. I wish I didn't know, Michael, she began softly.
19:27I wish I could just go on pretending, believing everything was fine. But I can't. Her voice cracked,
19:35and she turned her head away to hide the tears pooling in her eyes. Michael frowned,
19:39taking a few steps closer. Pretending about what, he asked, his heart rate picking up.
19:46She looked back at him then, her expression sharp with hurt.
19:50About you, she said quietly. About the truth you've been hiding from me.
19:56Michael froze. For a moment, he couldn't breathe. He had worked so hard to keep everything under
20:03control, to protect her, to protect their family. But now, the truth was staring him in the face.
20:10I don't know what you're talking about, he said quickly, though the tremor in his voice betrayed
20:14him. Willow shook her head, almost sadly. Don't, she whispered. Don't lie to me anymore.
20:23I know. Michael's mind raced. Did she know everything? About what he'd done with Dex?
20:32About keeping Sunny's secret, or worse, betraying it? He'd convinced himself that his actions were
20:38justified, that he was protecting the people he loved. But if Willow knew, his chest tightened.
20:44Know what? he asked carefully, searching for an escape route in her tone. Willow rose from the
20:50couch, setting the mug down with trembling fingers. You think you can protect me by hiding things,
20:56she said. But you're wrong. Lies don't protect, they destroy. She stepped closer, her eyes locked on his.
21:06I know about the secret, Michael. I know what you did behind Sunny's back. The blood drained from
21:13Michael's face. His throat felt dry, his voice barely a whisper. Willow, it's not what you think.
21:20She gave a soft, bitter laugh. Really? Because what I think is that you worked with Dex to take
21:28down your own father. That you recorded Sunny, you planned to send him to prison, and then you
21:33destroyed the evidence only when it suited you. Her words cut like knives, each syllable tightening
21:39the noose around his conscience. Michael tried to step forward, but she raised a trembling hand.
21:44Don't, she said firmly. Don't come any closer. I can't even look at you right now.
21:52He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. Willow, I didn't want to hurt anyone.
21:59I did it because I thought I was protecting you, protecting our kids. Willow shook her head in
22:05disbelief. Protecting me? By betraying your own father? By lying to me every single day we've been
22:13together? Her voice cracked with emotion, tears spilling down her cheeks. You think that's
22:19protection? Michael's own eyes glistened, his defenses crumbling. I made a mistake, okay? A huge
22:28one. But everything I did, I did for you, for our family. I couldn't let Sunny drag us into danger
22:35again. I couldn't let his world touch ours. Willow stared at him, her heart breaking. Then you should
22:43have trusted me enough to tell me, she said softly. You made that decision alone, and you lied to me
22:48every step of the way. Michael moved toward her again, desperate to reach her, but she stepped back.
22:55Stop, she whispered. Just stop. The silence between them felt suffocating. Finally, she took a shaky
23:04breath and said the words that would haunt them both, you broke my heart, Michael. But it wasn't just
23:10those words, there were eight others that cut even deeper. Her voice trembled as she spoke them,
23:15I don't know if I can forgive you. Michael's face went pale. The air seemed to leave the room.
23:22Those eight painful words echoed in his mind, louder than a ticking clock, louder than his own
23:27heartbeat. Willow, he whispered, his voice cracking. Please, don't say that. But she stood her ground,
23:36her hands clenched into fists. What do you expect me to say? She cried. That it's okay? That I
23:44understand? You lied to me, Michael. You kept this enormous secret while I trusted you with my life.
23:52Her tears fell freely now, but there was steel in her tone. I thought we promised each other no more
23:58secrets. Michael's voice broke. We did. And I broke that promise. I know I did. But I swear,
24:08I thought I was doing the right thing. He reached for her again, and this time she didn't move away,
24:14but she didn't reach back either. You should have told me, she whispered again, her voice barely audible.
24:20We could have faced it together. He nodded, pain written all over his face. I know, he said
24:28quietly. I should have. I was scared. I didn't want to lose you. Willow's lips trembled as she
24:37looked at him. But you did, she said softly. You lost me the moment you chose secrets over
24:44honesty. Michael took a deep breath, trying to hold himself together. Please, he said.
24:51Don't give up on us. We've been through too much to let this destroy everything.
24:57Willow's expression softened just slightly, but her heart was still too heavy.
25:02You don't understand, she said. It's not just about what you did,
25:06it's about the way you looked me in the eyes and lied. Every day. Even when I asked you directly
25:12if something was wrong, you told me everything was fine. Michael dropped his head, guilt washing
25:18over him. I know. I hate myself for it, he said. I thought I could live with the guilt if it meant
25:26keeping you safe. But I was wrong. Willow took a deep breath, her voice quiet but firm.
25:34You can't build a family on lies, Michael. You can't protect people by keeping them in the dark.
25:39That's not love, that's fear. Her words hit him harder than anything else.
25:46She was right. He had built walls instead of bridges, and now he was paying the price.
25:52You mean everything to me, he said softly. I can't lose you over this.
25:58She looked at him sadly. Then maybe you should have thought about that before you started hiding
26:03things. The sound of Wiley's laughter drifted from upstairs, an innocent reminder of the family
26:09they had built together. Willow's eyes filled with tears again as she thought of their children,
26:14what kind of example were they setting? She turned away, brushing a tear from her cheek.
26:20I need time, she said quietly. Time to think, to breathe. Michael's heart sank.
26:27Does that mean you're leaving? He asked, his voice trembling. Willow hesitated.
26:34I don't know, she admitted. But I can't stay here tonight. Not while everything feels so broken.
26:43Michael's eyes filled with panic. Willow, please. Don't do this. Don't walk away from me.
26:51She closed her eyes, her shoulders trembling. I'm not walking away forever, she said softly.
26:58But I can't look at you right now without hearing those lies all over again.
27:03He took a step closer, his voice desperate. You're my whole world. I'll do anything,
27:09anything, to make this right. Willow's voice broke as she replied, then start by being honest.
27:15With me. With yourself. Stop pretending you're protecting people when what you're really doing
27:23is controlling them. Her words stunned because they were true. Michael had always tried to be
27:29the fixer, the one who made the tough calls, but now it had backfired spectacularly. He ran his hand
27:35over his face, trying to hold back tears. You're right, he said finally. I messed up. I've been trying
27:44to live up to some impossible standard, trying to fix everything my father broke, and in the process,
27:49I became him. Willow's eyes softened with pain. You're not sunny, she said quietly. But if you keep
27:57hiding things and justifying lies, you'll end up just like him. Michael nodded slowly, the realization
28:03hitting him hard. I don't want that, he said. I want to be better. For you. For our kids.
28:13Willow's voice cracked as she whispered, then prove it. The room fell silent again, the air heavy with
28:20everything left unsaid. After a long pause, Willow turned toward the stairs. She stopped halfway and
28:27looked back at him, her eyes filled with sorrow. You say you did this to protect us, but what we needed
28:33is your honesty. And now... I don't know if we can ever get that back. Michael watched as she walked
28:41away, each step feeling like a dagger to his chest. When he finally heard the bedroom door close
28:46upstairs, he sank to the floor, his face buried in his hands. The words echoed in his mind, over and
28:53over again, I don't know if I can forgive you. They were more than just words, they were a mirror
28:58reflecting everything he'd lost because of one terrible decision. Later that night, Michael sat
29:04alone in the dim light of the living room. The house felt unbearably quiet. He picked up a framed
29:10photo of their family, his thumb brushing over Willow's smiling face. The weight of his choices
29:16pressed down on him until he could hardly breathe. He whispered into the silence, I'm sorry, Willow.
29:22I never meant to hurt you. But his apology drifted into the air, unanswered, because she wasn't there
29:29to hear it. Upstairs, Willow lay awake, tears slipping silently down her face. She loved Michael,
29:36she always would, but love wasn't enough to erase the betrayal. And though her heart ached,
29:42she knew one thing for sure, trust, once broken, is the hardest thing to rebuild.
29:46By morning, Michael would try again. He'd tell her everything, every secret, every reason,
29:53every regret. But the damage was done, and whether Willow's heart could ever heal from
29:58the eight painful words she spoke would depend on what he did next. For now, both of them sat
30:03in different rooms, haunted by the same truth, love built on lies will always crumble, no matter
30:08how strong it once seemed. Willow stepped closer, her eyes never leaving his.
30:13Don't, she said sharply. Don't play dumb with me, Michael. I deserve better than that.
30:22We deserve better than that. The room seemed to shrink around them, the walls closing in
30:27as the weight of her words settled. Michael opened his mouth to speak, but no words came.
30:33He was caught, and he knew it. Willow's heart twisted at the sight of him, her strong, confident
30:39Michael, reduced to a man scrambling for an escape from the truth. I found the messages,
30:44she continued, her voice cracking slightly. On your phone. The late night calls. The meetings
30:52you didn't tell me about. I know about her, Michael. I know about Sasha. The name hung in
31:00the air like a guillotine, sharp and final. Michael flinched, his arms dropping to his
31:06sides. For a moment, he looked like a boy caught stealing, not the powerful heir to the Corinthos
31:11and Quartermain legacies. Willow's chest tightened, her breath shallow. Saying it out loud made
31:18it real, and the reality was a knife to her heart. It's not what you think, Michael said quickly,
31:24stepping toward her. Willow, please, let me explain. Explain what? She cut him off, her
31:31voice rising. That you've been sneaking around with Sasha Gilmore behind my back? That you've
31:37been lying to me, to our family, for weeks? Months? Her hands trembled, and she clenched
31:44them into fists to steady herself. I trusted you, Michael. After everything we've been through,
31:50I thought we were past this. Past secrets. Past lies. Michael's face crumpled, a mix of guilt and
31:59desperation. It's not like that, he insisted. Sasha and I, we're not, it's not an affair.
32:07I swear, Willow, it's not what you're thinking. Then what is it, she demanded, her voice breaking.
32:14Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're throwing away everything we have for someone
32:19else. Someone I thought was my friend. Michael ran a hand through his hair, pacing a few steps as if
32:26movement could shake off the weight of her accusations. Sasha's in trouble, he said finally, his voice low.
32:33She came to me a few months ago. She's mixed up in something, dangerous. I've been trying to help her,
32:40that's all. Willow's laugh was bitter, sharp. Help her? By lying to me? By sneaking around in the middle
32:50of the night? By keeping me in the dark like I'm some fragile thing who can't handle the truth?
32:56She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. You could have told me, Michael. You should have told me.
33:03I didn't want to drag you into it, he said, his voice pleading now. This thing with Sasha,
33:10it's complicated. It's tied to some people in Port Charles who don't play nice.
33:15I was trying to protect you, Willow. You and the kids. Protect me? Willow's voice was a whisper now,
33:24but it carried more pain than a scream. You think lying to me protects me? You think hiding this
33:31protects our family? She stepped closer, her eyes burning with tears she refused to let fall.
33:37You want to know what hurts, Michael? It's not just the secret. It's that you didn't trust me
33:44enough to share it. You didn't trust us. Michael reached for her, but she stepped back,
33:50out of his reach. The distance between them felt like a chasm, one that had been growing for weeks
33:56without her even realizing it. Willow, please, he said, his voice raw. I love you. You know that.
34:06I'd never do anything to hurt you or our family. Then why does it feel like you already have? She
34:11shot back. Her voice trembled, but she held her ground, her gaze unwavering. I've given you
34:18everything, Michael. My heart, my trust, my future. And you've been keeping this from me,
34:25letting me believe everything was fine while you were out there playing hero for someone else.
34:30It's not like that, he said again, but the words sounded hollow, even to him.
34:35He took a step toward her, desperation etched into every line of his face.
34:40Sasha's in over her head.
34:41She sent the name of her heart. And I said about her.
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