Chapter 3

I noticed a red mark below Daniel's collarbone.

The color was quite pronounced.

He didn't notice it himself.

He rubbed his face and shuffled downstairs in his slippers.

I didn't follow him.

I walked over to the wardrobe and pulled open the bottom drawer.

Inside was a brown paper bag.

There was the house deed, the marriage certificate, our ID papers, and tnd three divorce agreements.

I pulled them out and checked each page carefully.

Anne would stay with me.

I'd get the house.

Daniel'd get the car.

We'd split the savings.

He wouldn't have to pay child support.

I didn't want anything else from him.

I took the documents downstairs.

Daniel was standing in the middle of the living room.

He looked like he did yesterday afternoon, lying in bed.

Cecilia was sitting on the sofa.

Austin was holding a cup of coffee.

My mom was sitting by the door.

Linda was leaning against the armrest.

Edwin was standing by the window.

Everyone was staring at the documents in my hands.

I placed the three agreements on the coffee table.

Then I set a pen down next to them.

Daniel lowered his head.

He caught sight of the two words printed right at the top, Divorce Agreement.

He looked up at me. "Miranda, what's this supposed to mean?"

I said, "Sign them."

Cecilia jumped to her feet. "Miranda, what happened? Why are you suddenly bringing out these papers?"

Daniel picked up the agreements and turned a couple of pages.

The papers shook in his hands.

He snapped, "Are you crazy?"

I replied, "No."

He pressed, "Why?"

I sneered, "You're asking me?"

He stared at me. "There has to be a reason."

Linda walked over and took the agreements.

She flipped through them quickly.

Once she was done, she set the papers back on the coffee table.

She asked, "Daniel, what did you do?"

Daniel didn't answer.

My mom spoke up, looking at me. "Miranda, you tell us."

I looked at Daniel. "I got home at 3:27 yesterday afternoon."

Daniel's lips moved, but he didn't say anything.

Cecilia froze. "Yesterday afternoon? Didn't you say you were back in the evening?"

I said, "I switched my ticket."

Daniel jumped in, "I can explain."

I shot back, "Explain what?"

He swallowed hard. "It's not what it looks like."

I snorted, "So what is it then?"

The living room fell silent.

Austin set his cup down.

The bottom of the cup touched the table, making a soft sound

Edwin looked at Daniel. "Did you bring someone home?"

Daniel glared at him. "Edwin, don't say that."

Edwin pressed, "Then explain yourself."

Daniel kept quiet.

I set my phone down on the coffee table.

I said, "I didn't take any photos."

Cecilia looked relieved for a second, and then quickly covered her mouth.

I went on, "And I didn't make a scene."

Daniel said quietly, "Miranda, let's go upstairs and talk."

"No." I refused.

Daniel said, "This is between us."

I said, "It stopped being between us when you brought someone into our bedroom yesterday."

Cecilia's legs gave out, and she slumped back onto the sofa. "Daniel!"

Daniel's face went pale. "Mom, don't take her word for it and judge me."

Linda sneered, "Come on, tell us. Who was that person in your bed yesterday?"

Daniel snapped, "Shut up."

Linda straightened up. "Shut up? Last month, you said you were going to Seafreville for work. Did you go?"

Daniel looked at her. "What are you trying to say?"

Linda blurted out, "You went to Seebay Spring."

She picked up her phone. "One of your college friends posted on social media.

"You're in the reflection of a glass door. And there's a woman next to you, wearing silver-gray high heels."

I looked up when I heard "silver-gray high heels."

Cecilia turned to Linda. "You knew about this the whole time?"

Linda gritted her teeth. "I wasn't sure."

She looked at me. "I was worried it was a misunderstanding."

I said, "You don't have to worry about that anymore."

Daniel stepped forward. "Miranda, what do you want?"

I said calmly, "Sign them."

He asked, "What about Anne?"

I said, "She's staying with me."

Daniel disagreed. "No way."

I slid the agreement over to him. "You can read the terms. Anne is my daughter."

Daniel shot back, "She's my daughter, too."

Cecilia got anxious. "Miranda, don't let your anger decide things for Anne."

I looked at her. "Cecilia, I'm not acting out of anger."

Cecilia told me, "Men sometimes mess up in the heat of the moment. You've been married for seven years, and Anne's still a kid."

I nodded. "That's why I kept quiet in front of Anne yesterday."

Cecilia was at a loss for words.

Daniel lowered his voice. "Do you really have to push it this far?"

I said, "I'm not the one causing trouble."

Daniel snapped, "Why did you bring both our families here?"

I sneered, "So you can cut the act."

Daniel's eyes flashed with embarrassment.

He looked down at the agreement. "So the house goes to you?"

I nodded. "Yes."

Daniel protested, "I helped pay the mortgage, too, you know."

I shot back, "My parents paid the down payment, I handled the renovations, and I've been paying the mortgage since we got married. All the payment records are right there."

Edwin frowned. "Weren't you always saying you were the one covering most of the mortgage all these years?"

Daniel's face went paler.