Page 97 of Obsession (Dark Revenge)
“No,” I responded.
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t trust that you’ll return to dry land, and this time, I won’t be able to enlist anyone to retrieve you if you refuse to leave the water on your own,” I explained.
“I will get out.”
“I don’t trust that.”
She crossed her arms, displaying her annoyance, but she seemed to misunderstand her purpose in this place. I needed to reinforce the message that she wasn’t here to relax. I reached out and took her coffee, placing it on the kitchen island before turning my attention back to her.
“You appear remarkably calm,” I observed.
She looked at me with a puzzled expression. “Is that a problem?”
“Yes, because you used to be far more apprehensive around me and in this place. Has your fear dissipated?” I questioned.
“I’m returning home soon,” she pointed out. “I understand that you likely have some grand finale planned for me one of these days, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’m going home.”
“Yes, to such a splendid life,” I scoffed.
“You’re right. It’s not perfect, but I can fix it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh really? How?”
“Starting by eliminating the skeletons in my closet and ensuring that no one can exploit my secrets again.”
“You can’t undo the wrongs you’ve committed.”
“No, but I can prevent myself from believing I’m invincible. Back in school, it was easy because my parents always covered for me. Unfortunately, I’m no longer a child, and I must learn to fend for myself.”
“Does that mean you’ll tell your husband about his secret child?” I inquired, noticing her tense reaction as she averted her gaze.
“I... don’t know.”
“Do you genuinely want to remain with him?”
“It’s not like I have much of a choice,” she sighed.
“You aren’t obligated to stay with him,” I reminded her before taking the final bite of my meal. I gestured for Alison to begin eating, but she remained in her seat, gazing at the door further ahead.
“In some ways, I suppose I am.”
“How so?”
“Because getting a divorce in my world is viewed more negatively than infidelity,” she explained. “No one would understand why I left him, even though he repeatedly cheated on me. They would simply wonder why I didn’t try harder.”
“But you did put in the effort,” I pointed out, and she slowly turned to me, offering a melancholic smile.
“You’re the only one who would acknowledge it. Everyone else would think I gave up too easily, because who would discard a remarkable man like Warren, right?”
I let out a small sigh, not agreeing with her assessment of Warren’s greatness, though it was evident that Alison didn’t truly mean it.
“That’s simply what they’d believe,” she added.
For a moment, I struggled to comprehend her predicament, but then it struck me that I would soon find myself ensnared in a similar marriage, without an escape route of my own.
Chapter 39
