William noticed the bruise under his daughters eye and made a phone callhis son-in-laws life was about to unravel.
Emily stood in the doorway, greeting her parents with her usual cheerful smile. Only the dark, shining bruise betrayed the subject she refused to discuss.
“Mum, its nothing, dont worry about it,” she said quickly, catching her mothers sharp gaze.
Margaret sighed deeply. “Its your life, love. You have to live it…”
Her father didnt even acknowledge his son-in-law. He walked slowly to the window and stared blankly, as if he hadnt heard his daughter muttering something about a cupboard and the dark.
“I just… tripped last night. Come on, Mum, everythings fine with me and Edward!”
Fine? Emily remembered exactly what had happened. Edward, always quick to anger, hadnt just shouted at her. When shed dared to say shed had enough, hed grabbed her collar so hard it tore at the seam.
“What, you stupid cow, have you forgotten whos kept you alive? Whos put up with you?” hed roared, shaking her. “Remember when I dragged you back from the pub after you ran off with that bloke Daniel? Whos loved you, eh? Whos carried you?”
Then a hard puncha proper blow. Stars flashed before her eyes, pain bloomed… and Edward kept screaming obscenities.
“Yes, love. Cupboard… dark,” murmured Margaret, though she knew exactly what had happened.
She felt guilty. Shed been the one who pushed Emily to marry Edward! Shed been the one who drove Daniel away, convinced he was a bad influence.
“And your wardrobe, love, seems to have fists,” Margaret said pointedly, glancing at her son-in-law.
John never turned from the window. He stepped onto the balcony to smoke. Unlike his wife, hed never supported Edward. The man was hollowselfish, charmless. Yes, he came from moneyflat in London, nice car, connections. But he was rotten inside.
Now the rot had surfaceda bruise under his daughters eye.
John couldve grabbed Edward by the lapels and given him a proper thrashing. But that would only cause a scene. So he stepped outside.
Hed handle this another way. And he already knew how.
Hed spent a long time on the phone out there…
Meanwhile, Emily bought her mother tea, chatting about nothing. Half an hour later, her parents left.
Edward, expecting a row, finally relaxed. He slumped on the sofa, cracked open a lager, and smirked. To him, their silence meant approval. Family sticks together, bruises are just life. No one crosses him.
“See, Em? Told you itd blow over,” he drawled. “Your folks are decent. Not like you… Yesterday, winding me up like that! So I had a drinkbig deal.”
He took a swig and reached for crisps.
His relief didnt last.
Not even half an hour later, someone knockedfirm, decisive. Edward froze, put the bottle down, and crept to the door. He peered through the peephole… and paled.
Daniel stood there. His rival. Emilys ex. The one whod nearly married her but let her go. Tall, confident, in a sharp suitwith that same smirk that made women weak and men want to punch him.
“What dyou want?” Edward snarled, barely opening the door.
“Times up,” Daniel said calmly, shouldering past him.
Edward stumbled back like a ragdoll.
Emily stood, wide-eyed. “Daniel…”
“Pack a bag,” he said briskly. “Well go to mine or your parents. But you dont need this waste of space.”
“Who you calling a waste?” Edward spat, but he stayed rooted in the corner.
He had reason to fear Daniel.
“I called you, Eddie. Just now,” Daniel smiled. “Didnt want to interfere, but when your father-in-lawa proper bloke, by the wayrang saying youd hit her? Well, I took over.”
“What… what are you on about?” Edward croaked.
“Didnt take it literally, of course,” Daniel chuckled. “But the lease for your club? Belongs to a mate of mine. A very good mate. Youll get noticeno renewal. Already sent to your office.”
Edward sagged like a deflated balloon.
“Plus, I tallied six months unpaid rent. Remember when they said itd go up if the club turned profit? Well, it did. And you ignored the notice. Now its a debt. A big one. Shall I name the figure?”
Daniel leaned in.
“And youve got nothing to pay it with. Too busy drinking with your mates.”
Edward collapsed into a chair.
“This… this is a setup!” he wheezed.
“Think what you like,” Daniel shrugged. “Sue me. But your solicitors quit. Wholl defend you? Your bartender with the nose ring?”
Edward gaped wordlessly.
“Emily, lets go. Dont bother with your things. Ill buy you new. This junk isnt worth it.”
“Daniel, wait,” Emily said, confused. “This is all so… sudden.”
“Sudden is taking a punch and still making excuses. Everything else is too slow.”
He held out his hand. She took it.
“Youre all mad!” Edward roared. “This is my house! My wife!”
“Wife?” Daniel scoffed. “Youre the husband who hits her, then hides behind a beer and telly? Youre not a man. Just a loud, bitter nobody. Cant even swing a proper punch.”
Edward sputtered.
“Take it to court, then. Tell them about the cupboard. Or how your club failed because you drank instead of worked, riding your dads coattails.”
Emily followed Daniel without looking back. At the door, she paused.
“Sorry, Edward. Goodbye.”
“Piss off!” he hissed. “Yeah… go on…”
And they left.
Two days later, Edward sat in an empty flat. The club was closed. Papers littered the tableeviction notices, debt demands.
Daniel wasnt just an ex. He was an ex with connections. Hed waited, then struckprecise, brutal, flawless.
Meanwhile, peace settled in Emilys parents home. Her mother cooked, her father read the paper.
Then Emily walked in.
“Hi,” she said.
“Whereve you been, love? Edward called,” her father said sternly.
“I was… with Daniel.”
“So you left Edward?”
“Yes.”
Her mother clasped her hands. Her father nodded approvingly.
“Good. And know thisif that wanker comes near you again, Ill rearrange his face.”
“Dad… did you call Daniel?” Emily asked.
“Course. Who else?” Her father winked. “Hes a good bloke. Unlike that other one.”
“Thank God youre rid of that idiot!” her mother cried. “Sorry, loveI nearly ruined your life. Thank heavens youve no kids with him…”
“Oh, Mum, always with the drama!” her father laughed. “But the important thing is, she knows nowshe made a mistake.”
Outside, Daniel leaned against his black Range Rover, smiling. He knew. No one would ever hurt Emily again.
Well, maybe with love and pleasant surprises. But thats another story.
The lesson? Silence isnt approvalsometimes its the calm before justice. And no one stays trapped forever.
