Then he added, almost laughing, “The funniest part is that she honestly believes I love her.”
For a moment, even Margaret fell silent.
“You truly don’t feel anything for her?”
“I like her,” Anthony replied. “Mostly because she makes life easy. She’s beautiful, wealthy, successful. Plenty of men dream of having a wife like that.”
Natalie moved to the window and stared at the house she had bought before the wedding.
The home where she had once imagined building a happy family.
That was when Anthony suggested hosting a family dinner at their place.
“It’ll soften her up,” he explained. “After a warm, cozy evening with the family, she won’t refuse her loving husband anything.”
A bitter smile touched Natalie’s lips.
Perfect.
When the call ended, she opened the app that automatically recorded her phone conversations. She had started using it years earlier to protect her business interests.
The recording was there.
Twenty-three minutes of undeniable truth.
That evening, Anthony sent her a message:
“I’ll be stuck at work late, sweetheart. Don’t wait up. Love you.”
Natalie looked at the screen for a long time.
Then she answered with a single word:
“Okay.”
Over the next few days, she acted as though nothing had happened, all while carefully putting the final pieces of her plan into place. She invited members of both families to dinner on Saturday.
When Margaret asked for another $110 for “extra medication,” Natalie transferred the money without the slightest hesitation.
Saturday arrived.
The dinner unfolded flawlessly. Anthony played the role of the devoted husband to perfection. With her gentle manners and attentive smiles, Margaret managed to charm everyone at the table.