I clamped my hand over my mouth to smother a sob. My lungs burned for oxygen, but I couldn’t breathe.
The house. This wasn’t just any house. It was the house my father had built with his own hands. When he passed away four years ago, he left it entirely to me, free and clear of any mortgage. It was my only safety net, my childhood sanctuary, the only piece of my parents I had left. When Bruno and I married, I foolishly allowed his name to be added to the title for “tax purposes,” a decision I was now realizing was the first step in his long con.
“What about the ‘cleaning lady’ angle?” Chloe asked, laughing again. “How does that fit into the court case?”
“That’s the best part,” Bruno chuckled. “I’ve been keeping a paper trail. Every week, I withdraw cash from our joint account under ‘household labor.’ I’ve been taking photos of the pristine house and logging them. If she tries to fight the divorce or claim spousal support, my lawyer will present evidence that she was completely negligent, forcing me to hire outside help, while she spent all her time hiding cash and committing financial marital fraud by pocketing the cleaning funds. She’s building the cage that’s going to trap her, and she’s doing it with a smile.”
The bathroom door handle jiggled.
Panic exploded in my chest. I snatched the mop from the floor, threw myself backward into the kitchen, and grabbed a dish towel, frantically pretending to wipe down the already spotless granite countertop. My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird.
Bruno walked out of the bathroom, casually adjusting his tie. He looked at me, his eyes sweeping over my stained t-shirt, my sweat-dampened hair, and the yellow rubber gloves still gripping the towel. A look of profound amusement and disgust flickered across his face.
“Wow, honey,” he said, walking over and kissing the top of my head—a gesture that now felt like the kiss of Judas. “The house looks incredible today. The ‘girl’ really outdid herself, didn’t she?”
I forced my facial muscles into a mask of compliant docility. I looked up, squeezing my eyes briefly to force back the tears, hoping he would mistake the redness for exhaustion.
“Yes,” I managed to say, my voice tight but steady. “She worked extra hard on the master bedroom today. She said she found some dust behind the nightstands.”
“Excellent,” Bruno smiled, tapping his pocket. “I’ll leave her envelope on the dresser. Make sure she gets it. We wouldn’t want our hard-working maid to get discouraged, would we?”
