“Mom, don’t be angry with her,” Nathaniel said softly, wearing Harold’s face like a mask. “She’s grieving. We look alike—it’s natural she’d get confused.”
Confused.
Not wronged. Not hurt. Just confused.
Then he pulled Delilah into his arms. She melted against him like she belonged there, one hand fisting in his shirt. Over his shoulder, she met my gaze and smiled.
Not kindly.
Triumphantly.
Lucinda’s voice cracked like a whip. “Eleanor. Kneel down and apologize.”
I stared at her, stunned. “What did you say?”
“Get on your knees,” she repeated. “You insulted your sister-in-law. Make it right.”
Blood rushed out of my face. “She isn’t my—”
I stopped myself. There was no point. Not a single person in this room was on my side.
Nathaniel looked at me with false concern. “Eleanor, you’ve been through a lot. You shouldn’t act like this. You really need professional help.”
I wanted to scream. I didn’t need therapy. I needed my husband to admit the truth. I needed my friend to stop pretending she hadn’t destroyed my life. I needed just one person to believe me.
“Don’t drag this out,” he said gently. “You’ll upset Delilah. Just apologize so we can move on.”
My lips shook. “I won’t.”
Lucinda’s patience vanished. “Do it. Now.”
The pounding in my ears drowned everything else. My legs trembled until I couldn’t hold myself up anymore. Slowly, painfully, I sank to the floor, the cold seeping into my bones.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
Delilah tilted her head, satisfied. “Make sure it never happens again.”
That was when something inside me finally gave way.
They weren’t mistaken. They weren’t confused.
They were working together to crush me.
They left without another glance, his arm tight around her waist.
And I collapsed completely.
I covered my face and cried until my chest felt hollow, until I couldn’t remember what it was like not to hurt.
With shaking fingers, I grabbed my phone and dialed the one number I swore I’d never call again.
When my brother answered, I broke.
“I was wrong,” I sobbed. “I shouldn’t have left home for him. You warned me. He ruined me. Please… please take me back.”
My voice fell apart into something between laughter and despair.
“And if you can’t save me… maybe just end it for me instead.”
My brother’s voice exploded through the phone, raw with alarm.