Chapter 5

Joshua bought a variety of groceries, all Kathleen's favorites.

He busied himself in the kitchen, occasionally glancing at Kathleen on the couch. Something about her seemed off today.

Kathleen calculated silently. She'd leave tomorrow and needed to pack her things.

Her phone pinged with a new friend request. As soon as she accepted, the sender flooded her with over a dozen photos.

The images showed a child, from her birth to her first day at kindergarten, each capturing the girl's growth. Kathleen recognized her-Joshua's daughter, Tara.

"Kathleen, I'll be direct. I'm Ella Campbell. This is my daughter with Joshua. She's four," the message read. "You've been married five years, yet our daughter is four. Figure out the story yourself."

"Joshua loves us. If not for you, our family wouldn't be torn apart. You're the homewrecker, Kathleen."

"Do you know how he describes you? Arrogant, spoiled, boring. Sleeping with you is a duty. I'm the one who drives him wild."

"Can you imagine how compatible we are in sex? Even when you were hospitalized, he'd rush to me daily. I'm the one he truly loves."

"I said I liked your parents' house, so he let me move in. I found your cameras long ago. How's our performance? Satisfied?"

...

Kathleen's breathing grew unsteady. Years of medication left her body fragile, unable to handle such blows.

She forced herself to stay upright. Ella wanted her dead. She wouldn't let her win.

"I know you saw the messages. If you're still clinging on, I'll show you who he really cares about," Ella texted.

Just then, Joshua's phone rang.

Kathleen glanced toward the kitchen. Joshua frowned but answered. "Hello, Manager Brown? What? Okay, I'm coming. Wait for me."

He turned off the stove, removed his apron, and rushed to the door. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry. Urgent company business. I'll cook when I'm back. Rest for now."

His words barely landed before he dashed out.

Kathleen's phone buzzed again.

"See, Kathleen? One word from me, and he drops you," Ella wrote. "Every 'urgent company matter' is me. Today, I just said I bought new lingerie. Look how fast he ran. Hahaha."

Kathleen trembled with rage. She glanced at the chaotic kitchen, tears streaming down her face.

She hadn't eaten all day, yet her stomach churned with nausea.

By midnight, Joshua still hadn't returned.

Kathleen entered the kitchen and threw out all the ingredients.

She never ate leftovers.

A man used by another was beneath her notice.

In five years of marriage, Joshua had never stayed out all night-until now.

At four in the morning, Kathleen received another photo from Ella.

Joshua lay asleep in Ella's arms, surrounded by used condoms. "He went all night and just fell asleep. Can you satisfy him like this, Kathleen? You don't deserve him," the message read.

Kathleen set her phone down, ignoring Ella's taunts, and continued sorting what to discard.

She didn't sleep. By five in the morning, the house held nothing of hers.

If she was leaving, she'd vanish completely.