Chapter 2

I wheeled David out, back into the spotlight.

He heard the whispers downstairs too. His face, the one I'd loved was drained white. When he saw the photos on Sophie's phone, his pupils shrank in shock, and his lips quivered so badly he could barely speak.

"David, Sophie says you're not paralyzed. Is that true?" My voice was eerily calm, even to me.

David shook hard. He wouldn't look at me, turning to soothe Sophie first. "Sophie, calm down. Let's talk about this at home. If you keep stressing like this, you'll hurt the baby!"

"Home? Which home, David? You liar!" Sophie shot back, not buying any of it.

"You said she only knew work, that she was boring, and that only I could make you feel what a real home was like. You promised you'd marry me. Now I'm heavily pregnan. How much longer are you going to keep stalling?" Sophie shouted.

Seeing his words weren't working, David took a deep breath and did something I never expected.

He suddenly grabbed my hand, tears pouring down his face. Right in front of all the neighbors, he cried his heart out.

"It's not like that..." David begged. "Claire, please, listen to me.

"I never meant to lie. That time we went hiking, I slipped and hurt my back. I thought I'd never be able to stand again. Then the doctor said it was really bad, so I got scared..."His voice cracked.

"Scared of what?" My voice was cool.

"Scared you'd leave me! You're so talented and so assertive. I try to keep up with you, but I can't. It makes me feel like I'm worthless. This marriage is suffocating me.

"I just want someone to truly care about me, give me warmth and freedom.

"The house Sophie lives in is under my mom's name temporarily. That's all!"

He cried so convincingly, so painfully, as if he were the real victim.

I stared at David who I'd given up everything for. Memories flooded my mind, against my will.

Five years ago, we went hiking together. On this steep, unprotected slope, he slipped and tumbled down.

Thinking back now, his fall seemed almost unnatural, and in his eyes, besides the panic, I caught a glimpse of something calculating, something I'd missed at the time. But back then, all I could see was how badly he was hurt.

I broke down when the doctor showed us the CT scan and said, in a heavy voice, that David would never walk again. I clung to him, crying all night, promising I'd be there for him forever.

Tears of gratitude welled in his eyes, but when I mentioned I'd keep working and wanted to hire the best caregiver, his gaze darted.

Then he said, "Claire, I'm dragging you down. I can't trust anyone else, and only you make me feel safe. You've been working too hard. Maybe this is your chance to take a break."

So I quit my job, walking away from the CFO position I'd worked for years. My simple, honest parents even gave me their entire retirement savings, saying, "Claire, take care of David, but don't forget yourself either."

All those memories I'd once seen through love-colored glasses now revealed their twisted, sinister truth.

It hit me that ever since that so-called accident, I'd been trapped in a scheme he'd woven just for me.

I was trembling, hit by a cold, piercing sense of absurdit. I'd been fooled to the very core.

I glanced at David, still playing the heartbroken husband, then at Sophie, belly out, her face practically saying, "I'm here to take over." Suddenly, it all felt like some absurd farce unfolding right before my eyes.

I peeled David's fingers off my hand, one by one.

Amid all the crying and shouting, I didn't say a word.

I turned around, walked back into the hallway, and closed the door behind me.

Then everything fell silent.

David's desperate begging and Sophie's angry curses were cut off, as if from another world.