The last spark of hope inside me finally died.
I stopped struggling, my voice calm and empty. “Then throw me out.”
A tremor ran through Cassandra’s body. Her grip on my collar loosened unconsciously. She saw my drenched clothes, the angry red welt already forming on my forehead, and her expression softened.
She pulled me into the bedroom, closing the door behind us.
Her voice was laced with exhaustion and disappointment. She fought to control her temper, keeping her voice low. “No matter what, that’s no excuse to hurt Scott. He’s still young. Even if he does something wrong, you should be the bigger person and talk to
him.”
(And besides, she continued, her tone hardening as she found her footing again, “I asked you to make dinner. Look how much time
has passed, and you’ve done nothing. It’s no wonder Scott got impulsive and acted out!”
She had found a reason to blame me, and she seized it.
“Daniel, your behavior today has been a huge disappointment.”
“Even if you don’t like Scott, you could at least pretend, couldn’t you? If you keep this up, you’ll just make everyone miserable. How
are we ever supposed to get remarried if you can’t get Scott to approve?”
I listened silently, the feeling of desolation growing deeper with every word. When did our marriage become something that requir- ed Scott’s approval? It was undeniable now; he held a special, untouchable place in her heart.
My face remained a blank mask. “I’m sorry,” I said flatly. “I understand.”
At my apology, a smile instantly returned to her face. She pulled some clean clothes from the closet and handed them to me.
“Good, I’m glad you understand, Daniel. Go out there in a bit, apologize to Scott, and we can put this all behind us.
I snapped my head up to look at her, a bitter, pained smile twisting my lips.
“He does this to me, and it’s my fault? And now I have to apologize to him?”
Cassandra’s face froze. The calm, reasonable tone vanished, replaced by an icy chill. Her brow furrowed, her eyes glinting with cold warning.
“Tm not negotiating with you, Daniel. If you want to keep living here, you will do exactly as I say. Apologize to Scott, make dinner as fast as you can, or get the hell out.”
With that, she turned and left the bedroom.
I stood there for a long moment, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. Every word she’d said was a knife to the heart.
But she was right. This was her house. Every brick, every nall was hers. What right did I have to be here? When we were married, I could justify my existence. But now? We weren’t even husband and wife. She could kick me out with a single sentence.
I thought back to three years ago, when we first met through our professor. We fell in love and got married. Back then, Cassandra was just starting her company and needed the professor’s help. She had made a solemn promise to him.
Wherever I am, that will be Daniel’s home.
It was all a lie. All promises were just words, and all feelings could change. The only
only person you can ever truly count on is yourself.
