Chapter 4 - Playing the Fool
|
For the next two days, I played the role of the exhausted, oblivious wife flawlessly. I cooked dinner, I asked Julian about his day, and I even ironed the tuxedo shirt he planned to wear to the charity gala. Every domestic act felt like a physical weight pressing down on my chest, but I remembered Eleanor’s words: Keep him comfortable.
On Friday evening, Julian was particularly affectionate. He kissed my forehead, rubbed my shoulders, and told me how much he appreciated my support of his career.
"The firm is going through a massive transition," Julian lied smoothly, his hands resting on my shoulders. "Once this big merger goes through next month, I promise we'll take that trip to Italy we've been talking about."
"Italy sounds wonderful, Julian," I said, offering a serene, empty smile.
He was laying the groundwork. The offshore accounts, the fake business trips, the empty promises of European vacations—it was all designed to keep me docile while he emptied our accounts and prepared to walk out the door with Chloe.
"I'll have to stay at a hotel downtown after the gala," Julian added casually, not meeting my eyes. "I have early morning meetings with the investors on Sunday. It's just easier than driving back to the suburbs."
"Of course," I agreed, smoothing the lapel of his jacket. "You have to do what's best for the company."
He practically beamed, thoroughly convinced of his own genius. He thought he was playing me like a cheap violin. He had no idea I had already packed half the house while he was at work, storing boxes of my personal belongings and financial documents in a secure storage unit rented under a false name.
As Julian walked upstairs to pack his overnight bag, Leo came out of his bedroom. He held a small, black USB drive in his hand.
May you like
"I got it, Mom," Leo whispered, slipping the drive into my palm. "The audio files from his dashcam."
I squeezed my son's shoulder, my heart aching with pride and sorrow. The trap was fully set.
