urprise. This wasn’t true. “You knew?” I said, standing up.
“Yes,” she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. “I’ve known for some time now?
“And let me guess, like Maria, you kept it to yourself. All of you knew about his affair, but I was the one who wasn’t aware, played the fool by you all.”
She shook her head. Julie, please. Sit down. Let me explain”
I didn’t move. My heart pounded in my chest. “Explain what, exactly? That you’ve been covering for him? That you’ve been okay with him deceiving me?”
Her eyes filled with tears. “It’s not like that. I begged him to stop, Julie. I did. But he’s stubborn. And I didn’t want to ruin everything.”
I laughed bitterly. “Ruin everything! He’s ruined our marriage, our family. Do you even know about the life insurance policy he took out on Avery?”
Her face paled. “I do.”
I was a fool, expecting his mother wouldn’t be aware of his affair. “Of course, you do. And you’re his mother, after all. Do you know that he’s gambling with your granddaughter’s life, Ruth? Do you even realize how sick that is?”
She reached out to me, but I stepped back, shaking my head. “Please, Julie. Don’t leave him. He needs you?
“Need me?” My voice cracked. “He doesn’t need me. He needs someone to clean up his messes while he cheats and spends my money. Worst of all, he’s destroying my life with the way he is going”
1/2
1:59 PM
Chapter 5
Ruth began to cry. “He’s my son, Julie. I know he’s done terrible things, but he’s still my son. Without you, he’ll fall apart.”
“That’s not my problem anymore.” I said coldly. “I’m done being his safety net.
She grabbed my hand as she made to get up. “Don’t divorce him. Pretend you don’t know. For me, Julie. Please. I can’t bear to see him lose everything. He’s had such a hard life, ever since childhood. You know how rough his life has been, so please, just this once.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “You’re asking me to ignore his affair? To overlook him risking our daughter’s life? For what?”
–
“Don’t pretend as if you are not also at fault. He has been tolerating all these years, so why can’t you just tolerate this little fault of his?”
I stared at her in disbelief. “You’re blarning me for this?”
“You always come home complaining about the little things he does not having his bed made before he sleeps in it, money, not wanting to have sex…” She continued with the list of how I had made her son’s life unbearable.
“You are unbelievable. You and your son should suit yourselves,” I said.
I pulled my hand away from her..
You should focus on fighting your illness, Ruth. Live as long as you can.”
Her face brightened as she smiled, wiping the tears from her eyes. “You mean you’ll stay?”
“No,” I said as I held onto her shoulders. “Live long enough to watch your son lose everything
“Because I will make sure to destroy him. I will make his life miserable, so please, do live long enough to watch him pay for what he did to me and my daughter,” I said as I was about to walk to the door.
Ruth slumped forward.
“Ruth!” I shouted, rushing back to her side, trying to catch her.
But it was too late. She had fallen to the ground, unconscious.
I stood there, frozen, as I checked her pulse.
Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy DaisyNovel. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.