Chapter 4 - THE HOUSE OF CARDS
The drive back to the house was a nightmare of anticipation. I knew Claire would be waiting. I knew she would have her excuses, her venom, and her manipulative charm all lined up to dismantle my resolve. But I also knew I had the registration form. It was my smoking gun—a document that tied Claire directly to the negligence of that morning.
Sure enough, Claire’s car was in the driveway. She stood on the porch, her arms crossed, her hair perfectly coiffed, looking like the picture of an aggrieved housewife. As I stepped out of the car, she didn't even ask how Nora was.
"You took her to an urgent care behind my back? Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused me?" she shrieked, her voice echoing in the quiet suburb. "The clinic called! They said you took the registration form! That is clinic property!"
"The clinic can have its form back when the police are finished with it," I said, my voice cold. I didn't look at her; I focused on Nora, guiding her inside.
"David! Don't you walk away from me!" Claire’s voice was becoming hysterical. "She’s a child, children fall! You’re making this into a domestic issue because you’re stressed and looking for an excuse to leave!"
I stopped. I turned around, my eyes meeting hers, and for the first time, she saw the man I had become—a man who had woken up from the spell. "I’m not stressed, Claire. I’m devastated. I’m devastated that I let someone like you into our house. Nora didn't fall. You pulled her. You left her hungry in an office while you played doctor. And now, you’re done."
May you like
Her face went pale, then red. She looked ready to explode, ready to scream, ready to hit me. "You think you can just leave? After everything I've done for you? I’ve balanced your schedule, I’ve managed this house! Without me, you’re nothing but a pathetic single dad!"
"I’d rather be a single dad than a husband to a monster," I said, stepping into the house. I began throwing clothes into my suitcase with a frenzied efficiency. The house I had worked so hard for now felt like a prison. Every wall, every piece of furniture, felt tainted by her presence.
