Emily set aside her sewing and hurried into the hallway as she heard the click of the front door lock. Meeting her husband, who was once again late after work, she pointed toward the clock with her eyes. Mark made a guilty face, shrugged, and then kissed her on the cheek.
"Waiting up? I'm sorry, honey. I had things to take care of."
"Mark, what kind of things could you possibly have at this hour?" Emily asked, her voice heavy with exhaustion.
"Em, you know my hours are unpredictable. The boss asked me to stay late today. I was the only one who stepped up, actually. Payday is coming, and Mr. Sterling promised me a bonus. Believe me, I've earned it, unlike the others."
"Why was your phone turned off?"
"I don't follow," Mark snapped, his face flushing. "Is this an interrogation?"
"No, of course not, but I have a right to know what you're doing and when you'll be home. I make dinner and wait for you, after all."
"Oh, speaking of which, what's for dinner tonight?"
"Split pea soup."
Mark grimaced with distaste.
"Emily, don't you think that's a bit much? Couldn't you have made something else?"
"Mark, look at our pantry and the fridge. They're completely empty. I told you two days ago that we needed to buy groceries."
"Well, sorry, I don't have the money for that right now."
"Then we'll eat the soup without any complaints. Little Jamie, for the record, has already eaten and been asleep for a while. I made him some oatmeal. Even a toddler understands that I can't offer him anything else right now."
"Jamie is only eighteen months old; he hasn't learned how to be picky yet. But believe me, soon enough he'll tell you exactly what he thinks of you and your pea soup."
"How can you say that, Mark?" Emily flared up. "Is this my fault? Jamie is still a baby, so I can't go back to work yet. And you... you..." Tears began to shimmer in her eyes.
Mark stepped closer and pulled his wife into an embrace.
"Look, I'm sorry. I'm just so tired. Tired of work, tired of being broke, tired of all of it." Mark picked up several pairs of socks lying on a chair; Emily had just finished darning them. "I want us to have money, but I don't know how to make it happen. Come on, dry those tears and let's go eat your soup. I hope there are at least some croutons to go with it?"
"There are," Emily smiled through her tears and followed her husband into the kitchen.
***
A week passed.
One day, while Emily was out for a walk with Jamie, she ran into her friend Sarah. Sarah was delighted to see her and, after some small talk, made a request.
"Well, come on, show me the ring!"
"What ring?!"
"Oh, stop it! I saw Mark at the jewelry store in the mall buying a gift for you. I didn't get a close look, though. Come on, let me see! You really lucked out with that husband of yours. The most I ever get from mine is a bouquet of flowers..."
Stunned, Emily didn't know what to say. Then, with pale lips, she stammered, "I left it at home... I didn't want to lose it. Mark got the size wrong... it's too big for me..."
"Oh, I bet!" Sarah exclaimed. "Emily, you've lost so much weight, you're practically a ghost. You can't go on like this. Although, if it's not a secret, share your diet. I've put on twenty pounds and just can't seem to shake them."
"A diet... yes, a diet..." Emily murmured mechanically, hardly aware of what she was saying.
Eventually, she managed to pull herself together.
"Sorry, Sarah, I have to go. It was good seeing you..."
Sarah watched her go with a hurt expression, then shook her head.
"How strange. She doesn't even want to talk... Stuck up, much?"
But Emily walked on, thinking of only one thing: who was Mark buying a gold ring for, and where did he get that kind of money? The family was living hand-to-mouth. Jamie had outgrown all his clothes and needed new ones, but there was never any money. The child benefit checks from the government barely covered anything. The utility bills were piling up every month. And Mark was out buying gold rings...
Yet when Emily had asked about his paycheck and the promised bonus yesterday, he said he hadn't received anything yet. Emily called her husband.
"Mark, do you have a minute? We need to talk."
"No, I'm busy right now. We'll talk tonight."
"Mark..." Emily couldn't hold it back. "I know about the ring. Who was it for? And where did the money come from? Don't you see the situation we're in? Well? Why are you silent?!"
"I said we'll talk at home!" Mark snapped and cut the call.
Emily was a wreck all day. When evening finally came and Mark arrived home, for the first time in ages, she didn't go out to meet him.
"Emily," he walked up to her and took her hand. "What have you dreamed up now? You've worked yourself into a state. Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me? I did buy a ring, it's true. But it was a favor for my boss. It was his girlfriend's birthday, and he didn't want his wife to catch him, so he asked me to buy the gift. And it turns out I'm the one who got caught instead of him. Funny, right?"
"Very," Emily said through her tears, but she felt a weight lifting from her heart.
"And here's that bonus I promised," Mark said, handing his wife some cash. "Let's go shopping tomorrow. We'll buy whatever you want. Come on, honey, smile!"
Emily did smile at her husband.
"If you only knew how scared I was. If you only knew..."
***
Two months passed.
One day, Mark told Emily he had to go out of town on business.
"Did something happen?"
"No, I'm just preparing a surprise for you. You'll find out what it is later."
"A pleasant one, I hope?"
"Of course, don't you worry."
A couple of days later, Mark left and... vanished. Emily spent a long time trying to find out where he was. She went to the police. She went to several morgues to identify bodies and returned home looking like a shadow of herself. But Mark had seemingly vanished off the face of the earth, as if he had never existed.
"Oh my God, something terrible happened to him," Emily sobbed, clutching her son. "What are we going to do now, baby? What are we going to do?"
Jamie, not understanding why his mother was crying, held her face in his small hands and looked searchingly into her eyes.
"Oh, sweetie," the heartbroken woman sighed. "When will Daddy come home..."
***
Time went on.
To survive, Emily sold everything of even slight value. She sold the TV, the microwave, and even the washing machine for pennies. Eventually, all that remained of her furniture and appliances were the bare essentials. Her footsteps echoed hollowly in the empty apartment. Emily started taking jobs cleaning the hallways of nearby buildings. During those times, Jamie stayed home alone. She would put him to bed and then go out to clean for those who paid her. Sometimes, upon returning, Emily would find her son in tears. More often, he would be sitting or lying silently on the bed, clutching his favorite teddy bear.
***
Several years passed.
Only Emily and God knew what she had endured during that time. But she never lost hope that one day things would be okay. It took a lot of effort to get her son into a daycare, but once she succeeded, finding extra work became easier. Still, living in a small town was difficult; jobs were scarce and paid very little. Emily decided to move to the city with her son.
The move didn't take long. All of the small family's belongings fit into one suitcase and Jamie's backpack. Strangely enough, they were lucky: Emily managed to find a tiny apartment on the outskirts, transferred Jamie to a local daycare without any issues, and found a job as a cleaner for a commercial cleaning company. A couple of months later, Emily heard from a coworker that a housekeeper was needed for a very wealthy estate.
"Listen," Megan said. "Don't even bother trying! The lady of the house is such a nightmare; nobody stays there. My friend Sophie worked there for two months and quit because it was unbearable. She said the mistress isn't looking for a housekeeper, she's looking for a servant. The old lady nitpicks every little thing..."
"Why an old lady? Is the owner elderly?"
"No, not in that sense. She's probably around fifty-five. But she's so mean, God help you."
"That's okay, I'll try. She pays very well, after all."
"Well, go ahead. But I'm warning you now: she's a tough customer. She'll drain the life out of you. You'll end up running away. But hey, you'll see for yourself soon enough."
The next day, Emily stood before a plump, well-groomed woman with a haughty expression, listening to her list of duties.
"Listen closely. My name is Mrs. Sterling. Do not think for a moment that you can idle about and get paid for nothing. I will pay you well, but I will not tolerate laziness or excuses..."
Emily listened carefully, then nodded to her new employer.
"Understood. I hope you won't have any reason to complain about my work."
"Don't count on it. Life isn't easy for the help in my house."
Emily worked diligently, and no matter how much Mrs. Sterling watched or nitpicked, she had to admit the new housekeeper was doing an excellent job. Two weeks later, the mistress called the staff together and gave orders for a dinner party on Saturday.
"My husband is arriving with our business partners. They'll be staying with us for a while. I want you all to show top-tier service, understood? And be invisible while doing it. Later, when there's time, I'll gather you all and introduce you to my husband. Most of you are new here, and he's been living abroad for the last six months. Believe me, my husband knows exactly what well-trained staff should look like."
The silent staff members nodded to the demanding Mrs. Sterling. Everyone understood they would have to work even harder than before.
***
Saturday arrived.
The house was ready for the guests. In the evening, finding a moment, Mrs. Sterling gathered the staff in the living room. Emily straightened her uniform, walked in, and froze—Mark was standing before her. There was no mistaking him; it was undoubtedly her husband. She read the recognition in his eyes, which were full of terror.
Mark looked wonderful: he had put on weight, appeared polished, and carried himself with more confidence. His stylish clothes emphasized his new status. Mrs. Sterling didn't notice their shock. She hugged her husband and told the staff that this was Mr. Sterling and his orders were to be followed strictly and without question.
"I hope I don't have to repeat myself," she said loftily. "If Mark needs anything, he will have a bell at hand. If you need anything—you come to me. I will handle it. Now, back to your stations!"
"Darling," Mrs. Sterling turned to Mark, "come with me, I've missed you so much. Then we'll go down and have dinner with our guests."
As Emily left, she heard those words. As soon as she closed the door behind her, she let out a nervous laugh. Then her lips trembled and tears filled her eyes. The nerve of him! He had abandoned her and their son to their fate while he had set himself up quite nicely with Mrs. Sterling. And she was nearly twice his age! To calm herself, she took a trash bin and went out through the back door. Emily emptied the trash, then walked over to a tall birch tree, wrapped her arms around its trunk, and let the tears flow.
"Is it really worth crying over?" a voice called out from over the fence.
Emily sobbed and saw a gardener—a man in his mid-thirties—looking at her from the neighboring yard.
"What could possibly happen to make you so upset?" The stranger paused, then asked cautiously, "I hope everyone is safe and sound?"
Emily wiped her tears and smiled at him but didn't answer, turning to go back inside. But he walked along his side of the fence, limping slightly, trying to keep up with her.
"Hey, you didn't answer! I'm going to worry! And I've got a weak heart," he said jokingly. "What's your name? I'm Victor. You can call me Vic."
Emily stopped.
"My name is Emily. Just Em is fine. Don't worry, Vic. Everything's okay. My nerves just got the best of me."
"Ah, well, that happens..."
They talked for a little longer, then Emily went back inside. But as soon as she entered the hallway, Mark stepped toward her and grabbed her arm.
"What are you doing? Spying on me? You followed me here on purpose, didn't you? Came here to ruin my life? Well, it won't work! Get out of here and don't ever come back!"
"I didn't ask for your opinion! Mrs. Sterling pays me well. And in case you've forgotten, I'm feeding our son! You left us without a cent. You bastard! You traitor! Do you have any idea what I've been through?! You didn't even ask how he is or where he is! You didn't even ask to see him! I hate you for all of it! I hate you!"
"Shut up! Don't scream like that, someone might hear! And don't you dare try to sabotage me, or you'll regret it!" Mark gripped her arm harder, but Emily wrenched it away and rubbed her wrist.
"Don't you touch me!" she hissed like a cat.
Then she walked away. From then on, Emily went to work as if to a labor camp. Mrs. Sterling, listening to Mark's complaints about her, nitpicked every detail and threatened to fire her, only holding back because Emily's work was truly excellent. Mark himself constantly insulted and humiliated Emily in front of his new wife. Only the short, rare meetings with the neighbor's gardener, Victor, offered the suffering woman any comfort. Because of a limp he'd had since childhood, Victor was shy around women and had never married.
"You know, I like working in the garden. I love plants, and they love me back. The apples will be ripe soon, and I'll make sure you get some. Then you'll see I'm not exaggerating."
"Thank you, Vic. You're a good man. Being near you is like breathing fresh air."
"That's just the way my garden smells," the man smiled back.
Victor had earned Emily's trust immediately. He called her Em, empathized with her, and advised her to leave Mrs. Sterling's employ, but she explained that she was under contract for another two months—months that now felt like years.
"Everything is done by contracts now. If I leave, she won't pay me a dime," Emily sighed. "But you know how it is; you probably have a job contract like everyone else. Anyway, I have to go, Vic. She'll be back soon, and then there'll be trouble for both of us."
One day, Mark saw Emily talking to Victor and lost his mind.
"Have you lost your head? Bringing a lover here?! Right in front of me?! Trying to get back at me, are you? If I see this again, you're out of here!"
"And who are you to me?!" Emily flared up. "What right do you have to tell me who I can see?!"
To her surprise, Mark grabbed her and began to kiss her.
"You're my wife! My wife! Mine! Mine! I won't give you to anyone, do you hear?!"
"Snap out of it!" Emily broke free and slapped him across the face. "You disgust me! Go to your aging beauty and kiss her, but don't you dare touch me! In two months, I'm leaving this place, and I hope you all rot!"
"Em, I love you, don't you remember how good we were?"
"Get out of here, you creep!" Emily snapped and walked away.
Half an hour later, she heard Mark's sweet voice: he was thanking Mrs. Sterling for the new car she had given him that morning.
***
One morning, Emily dropped Jamie off at daycare as usual, only to find a notice stating it was closed for a week due to emergency pipe repairs. She had no choice—she had to take her son with her. At least Mark had gone out somewhere and wouldn't see him. Emily knelt in front of the boy.
"Jamie, you're a very smart and good boy. Please, I'm asking you, be on your best behavior. The lady of the house is very strict and will yell at me if she sees you getting in the way. I bought this picture book for you; find a quiet spot and look at it. I'll feed you in a little while."
Jamie nodded, and Emily felt relieved. But as soon as she started her work, she heard the mistress's shrill scream. Emily ran into the living room and saw Jamie sitting on the pristine white sofa with his feet up, comfortably looking at his book. He was curiously watching the strange woman who was shrieking like a banshee.
"What?! What is this?! Who is this?!"
Emily managed to placate the woman, explaining she had nowhere else to take the toddler. It was only for one day; she would figure something else out tomorrow.
"If I see him here again, you will regret it, is that clear?!"
A fuming Mrs. Sterling left, and Emily turned to her son, only to find he was gone again. She threw up her hands and rushed to find him. Jamie was already in the garden. He was standing next to Vic, telling him something, while the gardener laughed and joked with him.
"Jamie! Oh, what am I going to do with him..." she apologized to Victor, then explained why she had brought him. "I'm sorry we're distracting you, Vic."
"Listen, why don't you let him stay with me? I'm working on the flower beds, he can play nearby, and we'll figure it out. There's a swing set in the garden here. Well, Jamie, want to come visit me?"
The boy nodded enthusiastically.
"Vic, I can't! And your bosses might be angry!"
"Bosses?! No, they're kind people. Not like yours! Come on, bring him out front, I'll meet you there."
Outside, in a burst of gratitude, Emily hugged and kissed Victor. Flustered, he took the boy and hurried away. Emily headed back inside and saw Mark staring at her. He had just driven up and had caught the kiss. He hurried after her, ready to start his accusations again. Emily tried to hide in the house, but he followed her, threatening and pleading all at once. When he tried to grab her, he heard a scream behind him:
"Mark!"
"Honey, it was her! She's always hinting at something! I told you to fire her!"
"You piece of trash!" Mrs. Sterling screamed so loud Mark winced. Emily, in a calm voice, untied her apron and threw it on the table.
"I'm not trash. I'm his wife. His legal wife. We aren't even divorced. The child you saw is our son. Mark abandoned me with him and ran off here to the city. I didn't know he was living with you. Now I'm leaving, and you two can stay here and be 'happy'!"
Emily could hear Mrs. Sterling screaming at Mark in the living room, and him whining and making excuses. But she didn't care. She was going to get her son. Emily looked over the neighbor's fence but didn't see anyone. She pushed open the gate and walked shyly up the path, looking for Vic and Jamie. They were sitting on the porch. Victor was drinking tea, and Jamie was devouring a pastry and washing it down with milk. Seeing his mother, he waved and ran to the swings.
"Vic?!" Emily stopped in surprise. "You can't do this! What if they see you?"
"Come join us," Victor stood to meet her. "I owe you something." He suddenly stepped toward her, took her in his arms, and kissed her—not like the quick peck at the gate, but for real, long and tenderly.
"This is my house, Emily! I'm the owner here. And I've been waiting for you for a very long time! Stay with me! Em, I love you, and I want you to be my wife! Jamie will be my son! And maybe not just Jamie... there are two swings, after all!"
Emily sighed and leaned her cheek against Victor's shoulder.
"I love you too, Vic! You're the only person who's ever truly cared for me." She lifted her head and smiled. "But it wasn't very nice to trick me!"
Their next kiss wasn't even interrupted by the shouting next door—Mrs. Sterling had just kicked Mark out and slammed the gate shut behind him.
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