Chapter 10 - ETHAN'S BETRAYAL
Claire moved with Emma to her sister Natalie’s house for six weeks.
Not because Ethan had harmed the baby.
Because she could not sleep beside someone who had been warned repeatedly and never told her.
Ethan came every day.
Sometimes Claire let him in.
Sometimes she did not.
One evening he said:
“I didn’t think she was building a case.”
Claire looked at him.
“What did you think seventeen emails called ‘pattern’ were?”
“I thought she was worried.”
“And when she sent screenshots?”
“I thought she was helping.”
“When she told you I forgot feeds?”
“I thought you were exhausted.”
Claire stared.
“You let me think I was failing.”
He sat down.
“I’m sorry.”
“That’s not enough.”
“I know.”
“No. You keep saying that.”
Claire wiped tears.
“You were afraid of hurting Margaret’s feelings, so you let her rewrite me.”
Ethan’s eyes filled.
“She raised me.”
Claire nodded.
“And I am your wife.”
Silence.
“Emma is your daughter.”
More silence.
Claire continued:
“You didn’t have to know she would do this. You just had to tell me what she was saying.”
Ethan looked at the floor.
“I was ashamed I believed some of it.”
That was the first honest answer that did not sound like defense.
Then Ethan handed her an old external drive.
“I found something.”
Claire stared.
“What?”
“Margaret kept records about me too.”
The drive contained folders dating back to Ethan’s childhood.
May you like
And one file was named:
LAURA — FINAL WEEKS.
