The father spotted a bruise beneath his daughters eye and made a phone callhis son-in-laws life was about to crumble.
Emily stood in the doorway, greeting her parents with her usual cheerful smile. Only the dark, swollen eye betrayed the subject she refused to discuss.
“Mum, its nothing, dont worry about it,” she said quickly, noticing her mothers sharp gaze.
Margaret sighed deeply. “Its your life, love. Youve got to live it…”
Her father, William, didnt even acknowledge his son-in-law. Instead, he walked slowly to the window and stared blankly outside, as if he hadnt heard his daughter muttering something about a wardrobe and the dark.
“I just… tripped last night, thats all. Come on, Mum, Im fineJames and I are fine!”
Fine? Emily remembered perfectly what had happened the day before. James, always quick-tempered, hadnt just shouted at her. When shed dared to say shed had enough, hed grabbed her by the collar of her dressing gown so hard it tore at the seam.
“What, you stupid cow, dont you remember who kept you alive when you were nothing?!” hed roared, shaking her. “Forgot how I dragged you back from the pubs when you ran off to that Daniel? Forgotten who loved you, you ungrateful brat? I carried you in my arms!”
Thena hard, deliberate punch. Stars burst behind her eyes, pain flared and James kept shouting obscenities.
“Yes, love, I understand. The wardrobe the dark,” Margaret murmured, 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, darling, by the looks of it, has fists,” Margaret said pointedly, glancing at her son-in-law.
William never turned from the window. He stepped onto the balcony to smoke. Unlike his wife, hed never approved of James. The man was shallowselfish and vain. Yes, he came from moneya nice flat, a car, connections. But he was rotten inside.
And now the rot had surfaceda bruise beneath his daughters eye.
Of course, William couldve grabbed James by the lapels and given him a proper thrashing. But that would only lead to a scene. And he wouldnt stoop to that. He barely held himself back… So he went to the balcony.
He knew 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 a coffee, and they chatted about nothing. Half an hour later, her parents left.
James, expecting shouting and drama, finally relaxed. He sank back onto the sofa, cracked open a beer, and even smirked. In his mind, their silence meant approval. Family sticks together, and bruises? Just part of life. No one rats on their own. Easy!
“See, Em? Told you itd blow over!” he drawled, smug. “Your parents get it. Not like you… Yesterday, you started on me! I had a drinkso what?”
He took a swig and reached for crisps.
His relief didnt last.
Not even half an hour later, someone knockedfirm, decisive. The sound made James freeze mid-sip.
He went to the door, peered through the peephole… and paled.
Daniel stood there. His rival. Emilys ex. The one whod nearly married her before stepping back. Tall, handsome, confidentwearing an expensive coat and that same smirk that made women weak and men want to punch them.
“What dyou want?” James snarled, cracking the door just enough to glare but not let him in.
“Step aside,” Daniel said calmly, shoving past him with a nudge of his shoulder.
James stumbled like a ragdoll.
Emily shot up from the sofa, wide-eyed.
“Daniel…?”
“Pack your things,” he said briskly. “If you want, well go to mine. If you want, well go to your parents. But why stay with this washed-up loser?”
James finally found his voice. “Who the hell dyou call washed up, you prat?” But he stayed rooted in the corner like a frightened child.
He had his reasons to fear Daniel.
“I called you, Jimmy boy,” Daniel said, smiling coolly. “Didnt want to interfere, didnt want to get involveduntil Emilys dad rang. Told me youd hit her. Then I decided to take over.”
“Whatwhat are you on about?!” James croaked.
“Didnt take it literally, of course,” Daniel chuckled. “Just so happens the lease on your club belongs to a mate of mine. A very good mate. Youll get a noticecontracts not being renewed. Already sent to your office.”
James went rigid.
“Oh, and I calculated your rent arrears. Six months worth. Remember when they said the rent might go up once the club turned a profit? Well, it didsix months ago. Notices been sitting on your desk. You just never read it. And I let the debt build. Late fees, interest… You get it? Now you owe. Big time. Want me to say the number?”
Daniel leaned in.
“And I know you havent got a penny to pay it. Shouldve spent less time drinking with your floozy mates.”
James crumpled into the chair like a squeezed lemon.
“Thisthis is a setup!” he wheezed. “Youyou planted those papers!”
“Think what you want,” Daniel shrugged. “You could sue. But your lawyer just quit. Or did you sack him? Wholl defend you now? Your barman with the nose ring?”
James opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
“Emily, lets go. Dont bother packing. Ill buy you whatever you need. The rubbish here isnt worth keeping.”
“Daniel, wait,” Emily said, dazed. “This is all… so fast. I dont understand”
“Fast is when you take a punch and still make excuses for the one who hit you. Everything else is too slow.”
He held out his hand. She took it.
“Youve all lost it!” James shrieked. “This is my house! My wife!”
“Wife?” Daniel scoffed. “Youre the husband who hits her, then hides behind a beer and the telly? Youre not a man, James. Youre a joke. Loud, bitter… nothing. Cant even punch me properly.”
“But II” James stammered.
“Or what? Take me to court? Tell them about the wardrobe that gave her a black eye? Or how your club failed because you drank instead of worked, riding on Daddys coattails?”
Emily followed Daniel without looking back. Only at the door did she pause.
“Sorry, James. Goodbye.”
“Go to hell!” he spat. “Yeah… sure, go on”
And they left.
Two days later, James sat in an empty flat. The club was shut. Papers demanding unpaid rent and debt notices littered the table.
Daniel wasnt just an exhe was an ex with a plan. Hed waited for the right moment. And when it came, he struckswift, brutal, flawless.
Meanwhile, peace settled over Emilys parents house. Her mother cooked, her father read the paper.
“Hi,” Emily said, walking in.
“Whereve you been, love? Has James been looking for you?” her father asked sternly.
“I was… with Daniel.”
“So you left James?”
“Yes. Im done.”
Her mother clapped her hands. Her father nodded approvingly.
“Good. Thats good, love. And remember,” he said, smiling, “if that idiot ever comes near you again, Ill rearrange his face myself.”
“Dad… you called Daniel?” Emily asked.
“Course I did. Who else?” Her father winked. “Hes a decent bloke. And a proper businessmanunlike that waste of space.”
“Thank God you left that fool!” her mother finished. “Sorry, love, I nearly ruined your life. At least you didnt have kids with him…”
“Oh, Mum, always with the sharp tongue!” her father laughed. “But the main thing isshe saw sense.”
Outside, Daniel leaned against his black Range Rover, smirking. He knew. No one would ever lay a hand on Emily again.
Well, except maybe with loveand pleasant surprises. But thats another story.
