Chapter 8 - The Silent Partner
Sunday passed in an eerie, suffocating calm.
Damon spent the day pretending to work in his study, but I could hear him pacing. He was constantly checking his phone. I knew why. Claire was likely panicking, trying to figure out if I knew anything or if Owen had discovered the truth.
I spent the day resting, reading a book on infant care, and preparing my own exit.
My bags were already packed and loaded into the trunk of my car. I had quietly moved my personal jewelry, my legal documents, and my mother’s heirloom silver out of the house over the past week.
On Sunday night, Damon tried to be affectionate. He sat next to me on the couch and tried to put his arm around me.
"You've been very quiet today, Nora," he said, his voice soft. "Is everything okay with the baby?"
"The baby is perfect," I said, keeping my eyes on my book.
"And us?" he asked. "Are we perfect?"
I closed the book and turned to look at him. Truly look at him. This was the man I had loved for seven years. The man I had built a life with.
"We are exactly where we are supposed to be, Damon," I said.
He smiled, apparently satisfied with the answer. "Good. I love you, Nora."
"I know," I said. I know you love what I represent. The security. The clean home. The perfect wife who stays blind.
May you like
I went to bed early, sleeping in the guest room again.
That night, I slept soundly. The storm was coming, and I was safe in the eye of it.
