Chapter 10 - MELISSA CAME TO MY DOOR
Melissa arrived at my house two days later.
It was 8:42 in the evening.
I saw her through the door camera.
For a second, I considered pretending I was not home.
Then she held up her phone.
“I know you can see me.”
I opened the door but kept the security chain attached.
She looked different without David beside her.
No silk dress.
No champagne.
No confident smile.
She wore jeans and a gray sweater.
Her eyes were red.
“What do you want?”
“To talk.”
“No.”
She nodded.
“I understand.”
Then she said.
“David lied to me too.”
I almost laughed.
“That does not create a bond between us.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
She looked down.
“I deserve whatever you think of me.”
“I’m not interested in discussing what you deserve.”
“I need you to know something about the money.”
That stopped me.
“What money?”
Her eyes lifted.
“You know.”
I did not respond.
She continued.
“He told me the consulting payments were legitimate.”
“Were they?”
“No.”
The answer came too quickly.
I studied her.
“When did you learn that?”
“Yesterday.”
“How?”
“He asked me to sign something.”
My pulse changed.
“What?”
“A document stating I had provided strategic consulting services for three years.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Did you sign it?”
“No.”
For the first time, I fully opened the door.
“Come in.”
We sat in the kitchen.
Melissa looked around.
Her eyes stopped on a photograph of Emily at age twelve.
She looked away quickly.
“How long have you been with David?”
She swallowed.
“Fourteen months.”
“Not eleven?”
“No.”
“Did you know he was married?”
“Yes.”
The honesty hurt more than an excuse would have.
“Did you know he still lived here?”
“He told me you lived separate lives.”
“Under the same roof?”
“He said you had an arrangement.”
“We didn’t.”
“I know that now.”
I folded my arms.
“Why were you at the wedding?”
She looked ashamed.
“Because he said Emily knew.”
I stared at her.
“He said what?”
“He told me Emily knew about us.”
“He said she was upset but understood.”
“He said the wedding invitation situation was complicated because you insisted on pretending.”
My hands went cold.
“He told you I knew you were coming?”
“Yes.”
“And my seat?”
She closed her eyes.
“He told me you had agreed to sit with extended family because you didn’t want awkward photographs.”
I sat back.
Of all David’s lies, that one almost impressed me.
He had built separate realities for each of us.
Then placed us in the same room and assumed we would not compare notes.
Melissa reached into her bag.
She placed a folder on the table.
Inside were printed messages.
Bank transfers.
A copy of the document David wanted her to sign.
A lease.
The condo.
“You live there?”
“Yes.”
“He told me he bought it as an investment.”
“Did you pay rent?”
“No.”
“Did you know where the money came from?”
“No.”
Her voice cracked.
“I thought he was rich.”
I looked at her.
“He is.”
“That’s the problem.”
She wiped her eyes.
“I thought the money meant nothing to him.”
“Money always means something to people like David.”
“What?”
“Control.”
She stared at me.
Then slowly nodded.
“There’s another thing.”
“What?”
“He wants to leave the country.”
My stomach dropped.
“When?”
“I don’t know.”
“He asked whether I could get away for a few weeks.”
“Where?”
“He mentioned Costa Rica.”
“Then yesterday he asked where my passport was.”
I stood.
“Did you tell him?”
“No.”
“Good.”
She looked startled.
I reached for my phone.
“Who are you calling?”
“My lawyer.”
Before I pressed the button, Melissa said one more thing.
“He has another phone.”
I froze.
“What?”
“A black phone.”
“He keeps it in his car.”
“I’ve never been allowed to touch it.”
“And two nights ago, while he was asleep, it rang.”
I waited.
May you like
She looked at me.
“The caller ID said Rebecca.”
