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Mason and I had been married for ten years, and our relationship had always been
stable.
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He came from a modest background but treated me with unwavering care and devotion. Whatever I needed, he made it happen.
For me, he willingly stayed home, managing everything in the household with precision. When I came back late and drunk from work events, he’d pick me up and have a steaming bowl of hangover soup waiting for me.
So I wasn’t particularly worried about Miss Taylor’s little schemes.
Even if she was hellbent on seduction, it would only work if Mason took the bait.
What I didn’t expect was for her to target my daughter first.
I’ve always been busy with work, but I’ve made sure to maintain a close bond with my daughter, Angie. Lately, though, she had grown distant, and her words had taken on a
strangely sharp edge.
One day, I picked her up from school, planning to take her to McDonald’s for a treat.
But as soon as she saw me waiting, she started crying and whining at the school gate.
“Why did you have to come? I don’t want you to pick me up! I hate you!”
At first, I thought she was upset because I’d been so busy with work. I took a deep breath, crouched down, and tried to soothe her.
After a lot of coaxing, she finally stopped crying long enough to get into the car, her eyes red and puffy.
I smiled gently and said, “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Mommy’s been so busy with work these past few days. That’s my fault. I’ll spend more time with you from now on, okay? How about going to McDonald’s for some ice cream?”
But Angie turned her head away, pouting.
“I don’t need you to spend time with me. I have Miss Taylor! She’s the best person in the whole world. If I want ice cream, she gives me as many as I want. Not like you, always telling me what I can’t do.”
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me to the zoo with Daddy today. But now you ruined everything by picking me up!”
Her tears started falling again, and she looked like she was about to completely lose it.
I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. My voice slipped into a sharper
tone. “Angie, that’s no way to talk to your mother!”
Angie broke down completely, wailing in the car. “You don’t love me! I hate you! I hate you
so much!”
Then she added, her voice filled with spite: “Daddy said he’s going to divorce you soon.
You won’t be my mommy anymore! I want Miss Taylor to be my new mommy!”
I told myself it was just childish nonsense, Angie was too young to understand what she
was saying.
But someone had clearly been feeding her these words.
When we got home, Angie jumped out of the car and ran to the front door.
She shoved it open and shouted, “Daddy! Daddy!”
Mason emerged from the kitchen, wearing an apron and cleaning gloves. Angie ran up to him, tears streaming down her face.
“Daddy, when are you divorcing Mommy? I don’t want to spend another day with her!”
“Can you bring Miss Taylor home instead? Please?”
At the mention of Miss Taylor’s name, Mason froze for a fraction of a second, his hand instinctively rubbing his nose–a telltale sign he was guilty of something.
But he quickly recovered, putting on his “loving dad” face.
“Don’t cry, Angie. Daddy’s heart breaks when you cry! Whatever you say, Daddy will do. You want me to divorce Mommy? Okay, Daddy will do that.”
He crouched down, wiping her tears. “Now, let’s go try those cookies Daddy made just for you, okay?”
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Father and daughter both turned to look at me then.
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Mason’s gaze was full of helplessness, while Angie’s eyes sparkled with triumphant glee.
I took a deep breath and asked, “Angie, who’s been teaching you to say such things? Don’t you know how to tell right from wrong anymore?”
Angie’s tears started up again. She clung to Mason’s leg like a frightened kitten and whimpered, “Daddy, look at Mommy! She’s so scary, like a wicked witch!”
Mason scooped her up into his arms, giving me an annoyed look.
“Jenna, she’s just a child. Do you really need to argue with her?”
“Can you leave your work persona at the door for once? You’re so strong and commanding at work, but this is your family. Stop bringing that attitude home.”
With that, Mason carried Angie to her room, leaving me rooted to the spot in the living
room.
I could still hear snippets of his soothing voice through the walls. “There, there, Angie.
Bad Mommy won’t bother you anymore.”
Alone in the silence, I realized my hands were trembling uncontrollably.
