**Diary Entry**
I noticed the bruise under my daughters eye the moment she walked in. That was all it tookone look, one phone call, and her husbands life was ruined.
Emily stood in the doorway, greeting us with her usual warm smile. Only that dark, shining bruise betrayed the truth she refused to speak about.
“Honestly, Mum, its nothing. Dont make a fuss,” she said quickly, catching my worried glance.
Margaret sighed. “Its your life, love. You have to live it…”
Her father, Thomas, didnt even acknowledge his son-in-law. He just walked slowly to the window and stared blankly outside, as if he hadnt heard Emily muttering something about a wardrobe and the dark.
“I just… tripped last night. Come on, Mum, Im fine! So is James!”
Fine? Emily remembered perfectly well what had happened. James, always so quick to anger, hadnt just shouted at her. When shed dared to say shed had enough, hed grabbed her dressing gown collar so hard it tore at the neck.
“What, you stupid cow, have you forgotten whos kept you alive all this time?” hed snarled, shaking her. “Forgotten how many times I dragged you back from the pub when you ran off to that Daniel? Forgotten who loved you, you ungrateful bitch? I carried you in my arms!”
Then the punchhard, deliberate. Stars flashed behind her eyes before the pain swallowed her whole. And James kept shouting filth.
“Yes, love. A wardrobe… the dark,” murmured Margaret, though she knew exactly what had happened.
And she felt guilty. She was the one whod pushed Emily to marry James! She was the one whod driven Daniel away, convinced he was a bad influence.
“And your wardrobe, dear, seems to have fists,” Margaret said dryly, shooting a glance at her son-in-law.
Thomas never turned from the window. He just stepped onto the balcony for a smoke. Unlike his wife, hed never approved of James. The man was hollowselfish, vain. Sure, he came from moneyflat in London, flash car, connections. But he was rotten inside.
And now the rot had surfaceda bruise under my daughters eye.
Of course, Thomas couldve grabbed James by the lapels and laid him out. But that wouldve just caused a scene. And he couldnt be bothered. So he stepped outside instead.
He already knew how to fix this.
Hed spent a long time on the phone out there.
Meanwhile, Emily bought her mother a coffee, and they chatted about nothing. Half an hour later, her parents left.
James, whod braced for shouting and drama, finally relaxed. He slumped back on the sofa, cracked open a lager, and even smirked. To him, their silence meant approval. Family sticks together, bruises happen. No one rats you out. Right?
“See, Em? Told you itd blow over,” he drawled, smug. “Your parents are decent. Not like you… throwing a fit last night! Had a few drinksso what?”
He took a swig and reached for crisps.
His relief didnt last.
Less than half an hour later, someone knocked. Not rangknocked. Firm. Certain. The sound made James freeze, bottle mid-air.
He peered through the peephole… and paled.
Daniel stood there. His rival. Emilys ex. The one whod nearly married her before stepping aside. Tall, handsome, confident in a tailored coatthe kind of man who made women swoon and other men want to punch him.
“What dyou want?” James growled, opening the door just enough to glare.
“Move,” Daniel said calmly, then shoulder-checked him aside like he was nothing.
Emily stood up, eyes wide.
“Daniel”
“Pack a bag,” he cut in. “Well go to mine, or your parents. But youre not staying with this washed-up waste of space.”
“Who the hell dyou call washed-up?” James spluttered, but he stayed rooted in the corner like a kicked dog.
He had his reasons to fear Daniel.
“I called you, Jimmy boy,” Daniel said, smiling coldly. “I stayed out of your life. But when Emilys dada proper bloke, by the wayrang me and said youd laid hands on her? Thats when I stepped in.”
“Whatwhat are you on about?” James croaked.
“Not personally, of course,” Daniel chuckled. “But the space you rent for your club? Belongs to a mate of mine. A very good mate. Youll be getting a noticelease wont be renewed. Got it? Its already on your desk.”
James sank onto the sofa like a deflated balloon.
“Plus, I tallied six months of back rent. Remember when they said fees might rise if the club turned profit? Well, they did. Six months ago. And the notices been sitting on your deskyou just never read it. Me and my mate waited, let the debt pile up. Late fees, interest… Get it? Now you owe. Big time. Should I quote the figure?”
Daniel leaned in.
“And I know you havent got a penny to pay it. Shouldve spent less time drinking with your slag mates.”
James crumpled like a wet paper bag.
“Thisthis is a setup!” he wheezed. “Youyou planted those papers!”
“Think what you want,” Daniel shrugged. “Sue me. But your lawyer? Resigned. Or did you sack him? Wholl defend you now? Your bartender with the nose ring?”
James gaped like a fish.
“Emily, lets go. Dont bother with your things. Ill buy you whatever you need. The rubbish here isnt worth keeping.”
“Daniel, wait,” Emily said, bewildered. “This is all so… sudden. I dont understand”
“Sudden is getting punched and still making excuses for the one who did it. Everything else is too slow.”
Daniel held out his hand. She took it.
“Youve all lost it!” James shrieked. “This is my home! My wife!”
“Wife?” Daniel scoffed. “Youre the husband who hits her, then hides behind a beer and the telly? Youre not a man. Youre a joke. Loud, bitter… nothing. Cant even look me in the eye.”
“But II” James stammered.
“Spare me,” Daniel cut in. “Take it to court if you want. Explain the wardrobe bruise. Or how your club failed because youd rather drink than work, riding your dads coattails?”
Emily followed Daniel without a backward glance. Only at the door did she pause:
“Sorry, James. Goodbye.”
“Piss off, then!” he spat. “Go on”
And they left.
Two days later, James sat in an empty flat. The club was shut. Papers littered the tablelease denial, debt notices.
Daniel wasnt just an ex. He was an ex with a grudge. And hed struck at the perfect momentswift, brutal, flawless.
Meanwhile, peace had settled over Emilys parents home. Her mother cooked, her father read the paper.
Then Emily walked in.
“Hi,” she said.
“Whereve you been, love? James looking for you?” her father asked sternly.
“I was… with Daniel.”
“So you left James?”
“Yes. Im done.”
Her mother clasped her hands. Her father just nodded.
“Good. Thats my girl. And know thisif that waste of space ever comes near you again, Ill knock his teeth out.”
“Dad… you called Daniel?” Emily asked.
“Course I did. Who else?” He winked. “Good lad. Proper businessmanunlike the other one.”
“Thank God you left that idiot!” her mother burst out. “Forgive me, love, I nearly ruined your life. At least theres no children”
“Oh, Margaret, your mouth!” Thomas laughed. “But the main thing is she saw sense.”
Outside, Daniel leaned against his black Range Rover, smiling. He knew. No one would ever lay a hand on Emily again.
Well, unless it was with love. But thats another story.
