Chapter 9 - The Unexpected Visitor
By ten o'clock that night, I drove back to the quiet, suburban house where I had spent thirty years playing the dutiful, self-sacrificing wife.
The driveway was dark except for the amber glow of the porch light. As I cut the engine and stepped out of my sedan, a familiar figure stepped out from the shadows of the maple tree near the front lawn.
It was Vanessa.
She wasn't wearing her silk robe now. She wore a heavy wool coat, her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, and her face was pale and blotchy from crying. She took a hesitant step toward me as I closed my car door.
“Mrs. Carter—Emily—please, you have to listen to me,” Vanessa stammered, holding her hands out defensively.
“I have nothing to say to you, Vanessa,” I said coldly, walking past her toward the front walkway. “You knew he was married. You knew he was bleeding me dry to pay your lease. If you’re looking for money, talk to Mark. He’s currently locked out of his accounts.”
“I don't want his money!” Vanessa shouted, her voice breaking as she followed me up the steps. “He lied to me too! He told me his wife passed away years ago from an illness! He told me this townhouse was bought with his own inheritance, and that he was only staying with a 'distant relative' out of pity when he visited your neighborhood!”
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I stopped with my key half-inserted into the front door lock, turning slowly to look at her. “You expect me to believe you had no idea he was married to me?”
“I swear to God, I didn't!” Vanessa sobbed, pulling out her phone and shoving it toward my face. “Look at these texts! He told me you were his cold, unloving sister who controlled all the family money! The moment your accounts froze tonight, he packed his designer bags, told me he was going to squeeze his 'wealthy contacts' to fix it, and drove off into the night! He left me holding the lease, the debt, and an eviction notice!”
