Chapter 6: The Man Who Followed Me
For a few seconds, neither of us moved.
Daniel stood outside in the snow.
His coat was covered with white flakes.
His face was unreadable.
But I knew him well enough to recognize one thing.
Panic.
Olivia quickly sat down.
“Don’t let him know I told you.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
“Because if he knows I’m the one who gave you this, he’ll destroy the evidence.””
I stared through the window.
Daniel opened the door.
The bell above it rang.
He stepped inside.
“Sarah.””
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
I hated that I still remembered how safe that voice used to make me feel.
Now it only made me suspicious.
“What are you doing here?””
He looked at Olivia.
Then at the folder.
“I could ask you the same thing.””
Olivia looked away.
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“Sarah, we need to talk privately.””
“No.””
His eyes narrowed.
“What?””
“I said no.””
People at nearby tables glanced over.
For once, I didn’t care.
He lowered his voice.
“Can we not do this here?””
I almost laughed.
“You mean you don’t want anyone hearing the truth?””
“That’s not fair.””
I looked at him.
“Fair?””
My voice shook.
“You want to talk about fair?””
Daniel sat down across from me.
“Your mother is worried.””
I froze.
“My mother?””
He looked confused.
“Your mother-in-law.””
I stared.
“You mean the woman who slapped me?””
His expression hardened.
“Sarah, I told you, that situation got out of control.””
“Got out of control?””
“You provoked her.””
Olivia looked at me.
I saw the sadness in her eyes.
Not surprise.
Confirmation.
I leaned forward.
“Did you know she planned it?””
Daniel went still.
“What?””
“Did you know?””
“No.””
The answer came too quickly.
I watched his face.
For years, I had ignored the little things.
The pauses.
The expressions.
The moments when his words didn’t match his eyes.
Now I noticed everything.
“Then why were you texting her about Christmas?””
His face changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
“I don’t know what you saw.””
“Exactly.””
I opened the folder.
His eyes moved to the papers.
“Where did you get those?””
I smiled sadly.
“That’s your first question?””
Daniel looked angry.
“Sarah.””
“No.””
I pushed the bank statement toward him.
“What is this?””
He glanced down.
His expression changed.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
“You went through my finances?””
“No.””
“Then how did you get this?””
“That doesn’t matter.””
“It does.””
I stared at him.
“You’re right. It does matter.””
I picked up the paper.
“Because apparently, I’m the only person in this marriage who didn’t know what was happening.””
Daniel leaned closer.
“Sarah, listen to me.””
“No.””
“Please.””
I looked at him.
“You don’t get to ask me for patience anymore.””
His face softened.
“Do you really want to throw away our marriage because of one night?””
I felt something break inside me.
Not sadness.
Something else.
“You still think this is about one night?””
He didn’t answer.
I stood.
“Christmas wasn’t the betrayal.””
I looked directly at him.
“It was just the night I finally saw it.””
Daniel stood too.
“Sarah, wait.””
But I walked away.
Outside, the cold air hit my face.
Olivia followed me.
“Sarah.””
I turned.
“What happened last Christmas?””
She looked terrified.
“I need to tell you.””
I waited.
She glanced back at the coffee shop.
Daniel was watching us through the glass.
Then she whispered:
“Last Christmas, Evelyn didn’t just try to break your marriage.””
I held my breath.
“She tried to make Daniel legally leave you with nothing.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
Olivia reached into her bag.
She pulled out one final envelope.
“He was planning something.””
I stared at the envelope.
“What is it?””
Her voice dropped.
“The document Daniel signed before Christmas.””
I took it.
May you like
And the name written across the top made my entire body go cold.
*Postnuptial Agreement.*
