Chapter 2

The next morning, I got up as usual.

David had already left for work.

He'd left half a bread on the dining table.

The milk carton was tipped over on its side.

I gathered up the trash and tossed it into the bin.

I turned on my computer.

I opened up Excel and started a new spreadsheet.

First column: Month.

Second column: Amount.

I started from the month we got married, three years ago.

I filled it in, row by row.

13000 dollars.‍

13000 dollars.

13000 dollars...

Thirty-six rows, all the same.

At the bottom, I typed in a formula to add it all up.

Total: 468,000 dollars.

Four hundred sixty-eight thousand dollars.

I stared at that number.

I felt nothing.

Just a number. It has nothing to do with me.

Just then, a new email popped up in the bottom right corner of my screen.

Sender: HR Department.

Subject: Sylvaria Branch Transfer Notice.

My heart skipped a beat.

I clicked on the email.

[Dear Ms. Emily Carter.

[After a thorough review by the management team, you've been chosen as the lead candidate for the Sylvaria branch's Pioneer Project.

[The project will run for six months, and you'll get a great salary plus extra perks for working overseas.

[If you're in, let us know by the end of today.]

Sylvaria.

Six months.

I stared at those words.

I didn't hesitate.

I moved the cursor to the "Reply" button.

I typed two words.

[I accept.]

I clicked "Send".

After that, I shut down my computer.

My phone rang.

It was Linda.

I picked up. "Hello, Mom."

"Emily, did you have breakfast?" Linda asked.

"Yeah, I did," I replied.

"Oh, right. David told me you asked about the money yesterday?" she said.

I knew what she was up to.

"Yeah, the property fee is due," I said.

"Oh, look at this mess.

"All the money's with me.

"I'm saving it up for you guys. You'll need it for a bigger house, and when you have kids, there'll be plenty of expenses.

"David really should've explained things to you.

"Don't overthink it. I'd never let you guys down," she said.

"No, you wouldn't," I replied.

"Just send me the payment number for the property fee, and I'll take care of it.

"If you're short on cash, just tell me. I'll transfer you 150 bucks for spending money," she said.

One hundred fifty dollars.

Out of my husband's 468,000 dollars in salary, she was willing to throw me a whole 150 bucks, like I was begging for spare change.

I almost burst out laughing. "No need, Mom. I've still got some left."

"Good, good. Emily, you're always so sensible," she said.

I hung up.

I opened the closet.

The closet was mostly empty except for my clothes, which barely filled a third of it.

Mostly work clothes.

I pulled out my suitcase.

28 inches, the biggest one I had.

I laid it out on the bed.

Then I started packing.

Only my own things.

Summer clothes, fall clothes.

I only took the makeup and skincare I actually used.

I only grabbed my favorite books.

I didn't tell David.

I didn't tell anyone.

This was my secret, just for me.

My very own escape plan.

I pulled up a travel-booking website.

I booked a flight to my parents' city for tonight.

I needed to make a trip back.

I had to put some important things somewhere safe.

Then I started putting my things up for sale online.

There was a bag I used to love, but I'd only ever taken it out twice.

A bracelet David gave me; he said it cost over three thousand dollars, but I'd looked it up and found the same fake for just one hundred.

Some unopened gifts I never needed.

I marked everything down for a quick sale.

I needed cash.

Startup money.

The company would cover some costs once I got to Sylvaria.

But before that, I needed money that belonged to me, and me alone.

Money that never touched David and Linda's hands.

All afternoon, my phone kept buzzing with "sold" notifications.

I watched the balance in my account tick up, bit by bit.

First zero, then one thousand, then five thousand.

For the first time in ages, I felt a real sense of calm and security.

*****

By evening, David was back.

He didn't notice anything was off.

He didn't see the suitcase I'd packed, because I'd already put it away before he got home.

He didn't notice the closet was half-empty, because he never cared about stuff like that.

He ate the dinner I made.

He watched TV.

"My mom paid the property fee today," David said.

"See? Having her handle the money is so much better. We don't have to worry about a thing."

I just went, "Mm."

"My coworkers' wives are always checking their husbands' phones and pay stubs. It's so annoying," David continued.

"You're way better. You never ask about that stuff."

I watched him from the side.

Suddenly, he seemed like a total stranger.

For three years, I'd called him my husband.

But it felt like I never really knew him.