The father saw a bruise under his daughters eye and made a callhis son-in-laws life was about to unravel.
Emily stood in the doorway, greeting her parents with her usual warm smile. Only the dark, swollen shadow beneath her eye betrayed the subject she refused to discuss.
“Mum, its nothing, reallydont make a fuss,” she said quickly, catching her mothers sharp gaze.
Margaret sighed deeply. “Its your life, love. Youve got to live it…”
Her father didnt even acknowledge his son-in-law. He walked slowly to the window, staring blankly as if he hadnt heard his daughter muttering something about a cupboard and the dark.
“I justI tripped last night, thats all. Come on, Mum, Im fine! James is fine!”
Fine? Emily remembered exactly what had happened. James, always simmering with anger, hadnt just shouted. When shed dared to say she was sick of it, hed grabbed her dressing gown collar so hard the fabric ripped against her chest.
“What, you stupid cow, dont you remember who kept you alive when you were nothing?!” hed roared, shaking her. “Forgotten how I dragged you back from those pubs, chasing after that Daniel bloke? Forgotten who loved you, you daft bitch? I carried you!”
Then the punchsolid, brutal. Stars burst behind her eyes before the pain swallowed her whole. And James, still screaming filth.
“Yes, love. Cupboard… dark,” her mother murmured, though she knew the truth.
Guilt gnawed at her. Shed been the one to push Emily into marrying James. Shed been the one to cut Daniel out, convinced he was trouble.
“That cupboard of yours, love, seems to have fists,” Margaret said pointedly, eyeing her son-in-law.
Jonathan never turned from the window. He stepped onto the balcony to smoke. Unlike his wife, hed never approved of James. The man was hollowa spoiled brat with a flat, empty charm. Yes, he came from moneyflat in London, flash car, connections. But he was rotten inside.
And now the rot had surfaceda bruise on his daughters face.
Jonathan couldve grabbed James by the lapels and knocked him flat. But that would only mean more shouting. So he stepped outside.
Hed handle this another way. And he already knew how.
Hed spent a long time on the phone out here…
Meanwhile, Emily bought her mother a coffee, chatting about nothing. Half an hour later, her parents left.
James, whod braced for yelling, finally relaxed. He slouched on the sofa, cracked open a lager, and smirked. In his mind, their silence meant approval. Family stuck together, bruises were just life. No one crossed him. Easy.
“See, Em? Told you itd blow over,” he drawled, smug. “Your folks are decent. Not like you… whinging last night. So what if I had a few pints?”
He took a swig and reached for crisps.
His relief didnt last.
Not half an hour later, someone knocked. Not the bella hard, deliberate rap. It made James freeze mid-sip.
He peered through the peepholeand paled.
Daniel stood there. His rival. Emilys ex. The one whod nearly married her. Tall, sharp in an expensive coat, with that smirk that made women shiver and men want to hit him.
“What dyou want?” James snarled, cracking the door just enough to glare.
“Youre done,” Daniel said calmlythen shouldered past him.
James stumbled back like a ragdoll.
Emily leapt up, eyes wide. “Daniel”
“Pack a bag,” he said briskly. “Well go to mine, or your parents. But youre not staying with this waste of space.”
“Who you calling a waste, you prick?” James spat, but he stayed rooted to the corner.
He had reasons to fear Daniel.
“I called you, Jimmy boy. Personally,” Daniel smiled. “Didnt want to interfere. But when Emilys dadsolid blokerang saying youd hit her? Well. Game on.”
“Whatwhatre you on about?!” James croaked.
“Didnt just barge in, of course,” Daniel chuckled. “That club you rent? Belongs to a mate of mine. A very good mate. Youll get noticelease wont renew. Got it? Its already on your desk.”
James sat down hard, as if punched.
“Plus, I tallied six months back rent. Remember when they said itd go up if you turned profit? Well, it did. Six months ago. You just never read the notice. Me and Mike kept quiet, let the debt pile up. Penalties, interest… Understand? Now you owe. Big time. Want the number?”
Daniel leaned in. “And I know youre skint. Shouldve spent less on booze and birds.”
James sagged like a deflated balloon.
“Thisthis is a setup!” he wheezed. “Youyou planted those papers!”
“Think what you like,” Daniel shrugged. “Sue me. But your solicitor quit. Or did you sack him? Wholl fight for you now? Your bartender with the nose ring?”
James gaped, wordless.
“Emily, lets go. Dont bother with your things. Ill replace them. This place is just charity-shop rubbish anyway.”
“Daniel, wait,” Emily stammered. “This is all so… sudden. I dont”
“Sudden is taking a fist to the face and making excuses for it. Everything else is too slow.”
Daniel held out his hand. She took it.
“Youve all lost it!” James roared. “This is my house! My wife!”
“Wife?” Daniel scoffed. “Youre the man who hits her, then hides behind a six-pack and telly? Youre not a man. Youre a joke. Loud, bitter… nothing. Cant even swing at me.”
“But II” James spluttered.
“Or what? Take me to court? Tell them about the cupboard that gave her that shiner? Or how your club flopped because you drank instead of worked, riding Daddys coattails?”
Emily followed without looking back. Only at the door did she pause.
“Sorry, James. Goodbye.”
“Piss off, then!” he snarled. “Yeahgo on…”
And they left.
Two days later, James sat in an empty flat. The club was shut. On the table: eviction notices, debt demands.
Daniel hadnt just been an ex. Hed been waiting. And when he struck, it was perfectswift, brutal, flawless.
Meanwhile, Emilys parents house was quiet. Her mother cooked; her father read the paper.
Then Emily walked in.
“Hi,” she said.
“Whereve you been, love? James called,” her father said sternly.
“I was… with Daniel.”
“So you left James?”
“Yes. Im done.”
Her mother clasped her hands. Her father just nodded.
“Good. Bloody good, love. And know this,” he said, grinning, “if that tosser comes near you again, Ill rearrange his face myself.”
“Dad… did you call Daniel?” Emily asked.
“Course. Who else?” he winked. “Solid bloke. Proper businessmanunlike that one.”
“Thank God you left that idiot!” her mother cried. “Sorry, loveI nearly ruined your life. At least theres no kids with him…”
“Oh, Mum, your mouth!” her father laughed. “But she knows now. She was wrong.”
Outside, Daniel leaned against his black Range Rover, smirking. He knew. No one would ever hurt Emily again.
Well, maybe with loveand pleasant surprises. But thats another story.
