“Eight months that I know of.”
My knees weakened against the cabinet.
“Eight months?”
“Dean is lying,” Rob said.
“He’s always resented me.”
“Then show me your phone.”
Rob slid it into his back pocket.
“No.”
“Show me, and I’ll decide whether Dean is lying.”
“I don’t answer to an ambush in my own house.”
I stared at the man I had shared twenty-seven years with.
“Our house.
Our marriage.
My granddaughter.
You dragged all three into your lie.”
“It was flirting.
Nothing happened.”
Dean spoke before I could.
“Tell her about the hotel in Brighton.”
Rob’s fist came down on the counter.
A mug jumped in its place.
“Stay out of my marriage!”
“You brought Natalie into it,” Dean replied.
“You don’t get to demand privacy now.”
Rob looked at me.
“Dean wants to destroy us.”
“No,” I said.
“You wanted me to erase Lily’s drawing so you could tell Natalie you had broken me.”
“That tattoo is still ugly.”
The words landed harder than his shouting.
I uncovered my arm and held it between us.
“This says a six-year-old loves me.
What exactly about that disgusts you?”
His eyes moved from the tattoo to my face.
“It reminds me that I’m never first with you.”
“You were my husband.
You weren’t supposed to compete with a child.”
“Your daughter calls, and you run.
Lily asks, and you say yes.
I have spent years coming last.”
“Claire called when her marriage ended.
Lily needed her grandparents.”
“She needed you,” Rob snapped.
“Never me.”
Dean’s voice softened.
“That isn’t true, Rob.”
“Be quiet!”
I ended the call, but not because Rob ordered me to.
“Leave tonight.”
Rob gave a short laugh.
“You think one screenshot lets you throw me out?”
“I think your suitcase is upstairs.”
“You should be careful, Betty.
Claire depends on us.
Her rent, Lily’s school fees, that little savings account—you walk away from me, and all of it stops.”
I stepped closer.
“You would punish them to frighten me?”
“I’m telling you what divorce looks like.”
“No.
You’re showing me what you look like.”
Rob took his coat from the chair.
“I’ll give you until morning to calm down.
Then you’ll remove that tattoo, apologize, and forget these messages.”
“And if I don’t?”
He opened the door.
“Ask Claire how long she can keep her apartment without my transfers.”
