Chapter 2 - The Woman at the Coffee Shop
Two days later, Claire saw Daniel with Vanessa Cole.
Claire did not know Vanessa's name yet.
She only knew that the woman sitting across from her husband at a coffee shop was blonde, elegant, and holding Daniel's hand.
Claire had stopped at the shop because the rain had returned and traffic was backed up near her office.
She almost walked directly inside.
Then she saw Daniel through the window.
He was supposed to be meeting a contractor across town.
Instead he sat at a small table near the back wall.
The woman across from him smiled.
Daniel leaned forward.
Their hands touched.
Claire stood on the sidewalk.
She did not enter.
She took out her phone and photographed them through the glass.
One picture.
Then another.
Daniel reached across the table and brushed something from the woman's sleeve.
Claire's stomach turned.
The woman opened her purse and removed what looked like a brochure.
Daniel pointed to something inside.
They were not arguing.
They were planning.
Claire moved closer to the window.
The brochure showed a white house surrounded by flowers.
A wedding venue.
Claire almost dropped the phone.
That evening she said nothing.
Daniel came home cheerful.
He kissed her cheek.
"How was work?"
"Fine."
He opened the refrigerator.
"Mom wants us over Sunday."
"For what?"
"Family dinner."
"Who will be there?"
Daniel hesitated.
"Just family."
Claire watched him.
"Anyone else?"
"No."
The lie came easily.
That frightened her more than the affair.
Because it meant he was comfortable.
He did not think Claire would discover anything.
Or perhaps he thought it no longer mattered.
On Sunday, Claire refused to attend.
Daniel became irritated.
"My mother cooked all day."
"I'm not feeling well."
"You're always not feeling well lately."
Claire looked at him.
Daniel seemed to realize what he had said.
He softened his tone.
"That's not what I meant."
Claire walked upstairs.
At six thirty, Daniel left alone.
At seven fifteen, Claire drove to Margaret's house.
She parked two streets away.
The Bennett family home was a large two-story colonial built in the late 1980s. Daniel had grown up there. Margaret still lived there alone.
Claire had spent countless holidays inside that house.
She knew every room.
Or thought she did.
Through the dining room window, she saw Margaret.
Daniel.
Diane.
Her own mother.
Claire gripped the steering wheel.
Why was Diane there?
Then another person crossed the room.
The blonde woman from the coffee shop.
Vanessa.
Claire sat frozen.
A young girl followed Vanessa into view.
Sophie.
Claire later learned she was Vanessa's niece, temporarily living with her while Vanessa's sister completed military training out of state.
At the time Claire knew none of that.
She only knew that her husband was having dinner with his mother, his mistress, and Claire's own mother.
Without Claire.
She lifted her phone.
Took photographs.
Then she called Diane.
Her mother answered after four rings.
"Hi, sweetheart."
"Where are you?"
A pause.
"Home."
Claire stared through the window at Diane standing six feet from Daniel.
"You're home?"
"Yes."
"What are you doing?"
"Watching television."
Claire closed her eyes.
Her own mother was lying.
"Okay."
"Claire, are you all right?"
Claire opened her eyes.
"Perfect."
She ended the call.
Inside the house, Margaret raised a glass.
Daniel did the same.
Vanessa smiled.
Claire photographed that too.
Then she drove home before Daniel returned.
At eleven twenty, Daniel climbed into bed.
Claire waited until his breathing slowed.
Then she carefully lifted his phone from the nightstand.
She already knew his code.
He had never changed it because he believed she trusted him too much to look.
She opened his messages.
Vanessa's name was not there.
But a contact listed as Victor Construction had sent him several messages.
Claire opened the thread.
I loved seeing the house again.
Your mom says the upstairs bedroom would be perfect.
Daniel had replied.
It will be ours soon.
Another message.
Are you sure everything is almost finalized?
Yes. Lawyer says once Claire signs, we can move forward.
Claire's hands went cold.
Vanessa responded.
I hate that the divorce has gotten so ugly.
Daniel wrote.
She refuses to accept that it's over.
Claire stared at those words.
Divorce.
There was no divorce.
Daniel had never asked for one.
No papers had been filed.
He still slept beside her every night.
Then came the message that changed everything.
Vanessa had written.
I still can't believe she moved out months ago and left you with all those debts.
Daniel replied.
Some people show you who they really are when things get difficult.
Claire almost made a sound.
Vanessa thought Claire had moved out.
Vanessa thought Daniel was separated.
Maybe even legally divorcing.
Claire scrolled farther.
Then she found something else.
Daniel had sent Vanessa a photograph of Margaret's house.
Can't wait until we make this place ours.
Vanessa replied with a heart.
Claire stared at the screen.
Daniel was not simply planning to leave Claire.
He was planning to marry another woman.
And somehow Margaret's house was involved.
At three in the morning, Claire copied every message to herself.
At three twenty, she found a voicemail Daniel had saved in a hidden folder.
His attorney's voice said, "She cannot sign under obvious duress, Daniel. If you want these transfers enforceable, she must appear to consent."
Daniel had replied in a text.
She will.
May you like
Claire looked at her sleeping husband.
For the first time in nine years, she was afraid of him.
