Chapter 5

I looked her straight in the eye. "Margaret, Brian is your youngest son. His shop is his own business. If he needs help, he should hire someone, not expect his sister-in-law to work for free."

Her eyes went wide. "Oh, so you think you're doing great things, huh?"

"I've always been doing great things," I said, turned around, and walked out.

Behind me, Margaret's furious voice rang out. "David, talk some sense into your wife."

As I passed through the living room, everyone stared at me.

I didn't bat an eye and took Lily's hand. "Let's go, sweetie. We're going home."

Lily stood up obediently and slipped on her little backpack.

David hurried after me. "What the hell was that? Go apologize to my mom—"

"No." I opened the car door for Lily to climb in. "Go back and keep your mom company. I'm taking Lily home."

He stood there, his face flushed bright red. "Emma—"

I shut the car door and started the engine.

In the rearview mirror, he stood there, his figure getting smaller and smaller.

*****

After that day, David didn't say a word to me for three days.

On the fourth day, he finally spoke up. "My mom says you don't respect her."

"I respect her, but I'm not here to serve her youngest son," I replied.

"Can't you let it go for once?"

"I've been giving in for six years."

He went quiet for a moment. "Emma, what's going on with us lately?"

I looked at him. "What do you think?"

"I feel like you've changed."

"You never saw me for who I am."

He went quiet again.

*****

That night, my phone rang.

It was an unknown number.

I picked up, and a woman's voice came through, sounding a little nervous. "Is this David's wife?"

"Who is this?" I asked.

"I'm Olivia Grant. I've been with David for two years. He said he was going to divorce you"

"Two years?"

"Yeah. He said you two were over and that it was a matter of time before you split—"

I glanced at David, who was sitting in the living room, absorbed in his game. "Thanks for letting me know."

I ended the call.

It had been two years.

So it started when Lily was four.

I thought of his so-called late nights at work, business dinners, and all those lipstick stains on his collar.

I thought it was a one-off, maybe twice.

It turned out it was two whole years.

I didn't yell, make a scene, or smash anything.

I walked into the bedroom and opened the secret compartment at the very back of my closet.

Inside was everything I'd stashed away over the past six years: company share certificates, bank asset statements, education fund for Lily, and two property deeds, one for an apartment, one for a school district home, both under my name.

There was also a divorce agreement my lawyer prepared last year.

I took out the divorce agreement and read it over.

Then I put it back.

Now was not the time. There was one last step to go.

*****

The next day, I set up a meeting with Olivia at a café at 2 PM.

She was younger than I expected, maybe twenty-five or twenty-six, with long hair and flawless makeup.

She looked a little nervous when she saw me. "Hi, Emma."

I sat down. "Relax. I'm not here to start a fight."

"Then you—"

"I want to know a few things. Be honest with me."

She nodded.

"First, how much has he spent on you?" I asked.

She lowered her head, twisting her fingers. "He rented me an apartment for 1,500 dollars a month. And all the money he sent me was probably over 60 thousand dollars."

I had been pinching pennies at home for six years.

He was out there spending it on another woman.

"Second, has he ever introduced you to his family?" I asked.

"I've met his brother," she said.

I smiled. So Brian knew.

"Third, why did you call me?" I asked.

She looked up, her eyes red. "Because last month, he told me he wasn't going to divorce you. He said you put up with everything and that he couldn't find any dirt on you, so he had no reason to bring it up.

"He also said his brother told him not to divorce you, that your family has no money or power, and that he wouldn't find anyone better than you."

I picked up my coffee and took a sip. "So you got mad."

"I've put in two years—"

"You're not like me," I said, cutting her off. "You can cut your losses and walk away. I have a kid."

She went quiet.

I set my coffee cup down. "I'm not going to make things hard for you. Live your life and don't ever contact him again."

"What about you?"

"I've got my own plans." I stood up and left the money for my coffee.

As I reached the door, she called out behind me. "Emma, he doesn't deserve you."

I didn't look back.

I knew he didn't deserve me.

*****

After I got home that day, I took care of a few things.

First, I had my lawyer track David's financial transactions.

It turned out that over the past three years, he'd funneled more than 100 thousand dollars from his salary account into two different accounts, one for Olivia and one for Brian.

What he contributed to our household was less than 20 thousand dollars.

Second, I asked Sophie to help me find a place downtown.

It had three bedrooms, fully renovated, and Lily would get the sun in her room.

I made a full payment of 2.3 million dollars.

Third, I set up a meeting with HR at David's company, not to complain, but to get the inside scoop on his job and contract.

It turned out that he hadn't moved up in three years and almost got laid off last year.

Fourth, I went to Lily's school to make sure with her teacher what I'd need for the transfer.

Everything was ready.