Chapter 4
Two days later, Daniel’s mother came for dinner.
Her name was Judith.
She arrived with flowers, a perfect smile, and a bottle of wine she expected me to pour.
Daniel sat beside her like a little boy waiting for approval.
Judith looked around the kitchen.
“You’ve kept things neat,” she said.
I smiled.
“Thank you.”
“Daniel likes order. His first girlfriend never understood that.”
Daniel’s face tightened.
Judith continued.
“She was always so emotional. He had to end it.”
I watched Daniel.
He would not meet my eyes.
After dinner, Judith cornered me near the sink.
“A successful wife learns when to be flexible,” she said softly.
I looked at her.
“Did Daniel tell you we have problems?”
She smiled.
“My son is a wonderful man. If there are problems, I am sure you have both contributed.”
Both.
The favorite word of people who want to protect abusers.
Later that night, Daniel drank too much wine.
He accused me of embarrassing him.
“You barely spoke to my mother.”
“I was polite.”
“You looked at her like she was stupid.”
“I did not.”
He grabbed my arm.
Not hard enough to leave a mark.
Hard enough to tell me he could.
“Do not argue with me.”
I looked at his hand on my arm.
Then I looked into his eyes.
“I won’t,” I said.
He let go.
The next morning, I found a message on his tablet.
It was from his ex-girlfriend, Rachel.
I did not go searching for it.
It appeared on the screen while I was printing invoices.
The message said:
Please stop telling people I ruined you. You stole from me, Daniel. You know you did.
I copied it.
Then I found more.
Messages from Rachel.
Messages from another woman named Tessa.
Both had mentioned money.
Both had mentioned his anger.
Both had begged him to leave them alone.
May you like
Daniel had not just done this to me.
He had practiced.
