8
6/10
16:17
16:17
Chapter 2
The three of them were having a massive argument. The nurse described the scene with relish. I admit, I
wanted to see the fallout. And because of my past life, I had no intention of letting Isabelle off the hook. I had my own plans for her.
When I reached the room, I could hear the shouting. Diane had Isabelle by the hair and was slamming her
head against the wall. Isabelle was desperately trying to explain, claiming she knew nothing, but it was usel.
ess. I had already shown Diane all the evidence.
“When my son was looking for a wife, he and Clara had been dating for two years! They were happy!” Diane shrieked. “Then you had to interfere! My son was obsessed with you for years, our whole family helped him
pursue you, I always treated you well, and you looked down on him! You ran off with some foreigner! Ther when he finally moved on, you couldn’t stand it! You came back, shamelessly throwing yourself at him! Let
me tell you, if my son and his wife really divorce, you’re finished! I’ll tell everyone what you did!”
Honestly, I was curious what else Isabelle had done.
I pushed open the door. “What things?” I asked Diane. “Tell me. If I hear it all, maybe I won’t divorce Alex.
From the sounds of it, this was all Isabelle’s doing. Alex probably had nothing to do with it.”
That was all the encouragement Diane needed. She knew Isabelle would never take care of her. In the past
whenever she was sick, I was the one who looked after her. Alex would barely show up. Isabelle would visit
of course, and say that if she were his wife, she’d take much better care of her. But the moment Diane threw
up, Isabelle would make an excuse and leave, unwilling to help clean up the mess.
Diane knew that if she were truly sick, I was her only hope.
“Last year, at Christmas,” she blurted out, “we told you Alex was away at a training seminar. He wasn’t. He was on vacation with her. And he paid for it with the money from your parents‘ funeral!”
That, I didn’t know. The revelation was sickening.
She went on, listing one betrayal after another, all the times she had helped them lie to me. Every word made my eight–year marriage seem like a pathetic joke.
When she was finished, she took my hand, her voice dripping with false sincerity. “Clara, I’ve always thought of you as my only daughter–in–law. No one else, no matter how hard they try, will ever be part of this family.”
She squeezed my hand. “Mom is sick now. You’re a good girl. You won’t abandon me, will you?”
I nodded. “Of course, I’ll take care of you.”
She looked at me with relief and immediately shooed Isabelle away. As Isabelle left, the smirk on her face told me I was right again.
The two of them had just put on a show for my benefit. They weren’t really fighting. They were hoping I would stay and take care of Diane, and then they could guilt me into signing the letter of forgiveness.
But I hired them the grumpiest, most ill–tempered caregiver in the entire hospital. I paid for it with a credit card Alex had left with me years ago, draining the entire account in one go.
7/10
16:17
Chapter 2
Then, I moved my company and left the city.
