Chapter 4
Three days later, Daniel’s mom showed up at my apartment.
She banged on the door so hard the walls shook.
I opened it, already knowing who it was.
She stood there in her designer suit, her hair perfectly coiffed, her face twisted with rage.
“You little gold digger,” she spat, pushing past me into the living room. “You’ve ruined my son’s life. You and that trashy woman and her brats—”
“Get out,” I said, calm.
She ignored me. She paced the room, her heels clicking on the hardwood.
“Daniel was supposed to be partner at the firm next year,” she said. “Now he’s suspended. All because you couldn’t keep your mouth shut. All because you had to make a scene at the church—”
“Your son had two kids he hid from me for two years,” I said. “He stole $20,000 from me. He lied to every single person who loved him.”
“Those kids are a mistake,” she snapped. “A one-night stand. That woman trapped him. She’s just after his money—”
I cut her off. I pulled the paternity tests out of the folder on the coffee table and shoved them in her face.
“Three labs,” I said. “All positive. Read them.”
She stared at the papers, her face going pale.
She didn’t read them. She swatted my hand away.
“Even if they are his,” she said, her voice colder now, “it doesn’t matter. You should have looked the other way. You should have been a good wife and stood by him. Now you’ve humiliated our entire family—”
“Get out,” I said again. Louder this time.
She glared at me.
“You’ll regret this,” she said. “No one will ever want you now. You’re damaged goods. You’ll die alone.”
She turned and stormed out, slamming the door so hard a picture fell off the wall.
I stood there, my hands shaking, for a long time.
Then I walked to the bedroom, to the closet where I’d stored all of Daniel’s things he’d left here over the years.
I grabbed the old work phone he’d forgotten to take back when he moved out.
I’d charged it last night, curious.
I turned it on.
It was full of texts.
Thousands of them, between Daniel and Clara, dating back two and a half years.
I sat on the floor and read them all.
Every “business trip” to Atlanta was a long weekend with her and the kids.
Every “late night at the office” was him at their small apartment, making dinner, helping Lily with homework.
Every time he’d canceled our plans, said he was sick, said he had to help his mom—he was with them.
I read the texts where he told Clara he loved her.
Where he told her he’d leave me soon.
Where he told Lily he’d come to her recital, then never showed up because he was at my bridal shower.
I read the texts where he begged Clara to abort Milo.
Where he called her a burden.
Where he threatened to take the kids and move across the country if she ever told me the truth.
I threw up in the bathroom.
When I was done, I sat on the cold tile, my back against the tub, and cried.
Not for me this time.
For Lily, who’d drawn me a picture even though I was the woman her daddy was supposed to marry.
For Milo, who’d never had a real birthday party with his dad.
For Clara, who’d spent two years alone, scared to tell anyone, working two jobs to feed her kids because Daniel’s hush money was never enough.
For all of us, who’d loved a man who didn’t know how to love anyone but himself.
When I stopped crying, I stood up and washed my face.
I looked in the mirror.
My eyes were red, my face swollen, but there was a fire in them I’d never seen before.
I grabbed the phone and the folder of evidence.
I called Clara.
“Tomorrow,” I said. “We go to his work. We show his boss everything. He doesn’t get to keep his perfect life while we all suffer.”
She hesitated.
“Charlotte, he’ll be furious,” she said. “He’ll hurt us.”
“Let him try,” I said. “I’m not scared of him anymore.”
I hung up.
I put the phone and the folder in my bag.
May you like
Tomorrow, Daniel’s lies would finally catch up to him.
And I was going to be the one to make sure of it.
