Then Margaret laughed.
“Oh, Daniel. She’s going to learn quickly.”
I stood frozen.
Daniel leaned toward me.
“My wife will not keep my family waiting. Do you understand?”
I looked toward Charles.
He continued reading his newspaper.
Ethan stared at me, then lowered his eyes.
Nobody defended me.
Nobody asked whether I was hurt.
Daniel pointed toward the kitchen.
“Now clean yourself up and serve breakfast.”
Something inside me became completely still.
For months, I’d wondered whether Daniel’s controlling behavior was a warning.
Now I had my answer.
I looked around the table one last time.
Then I placed my hands beneath its edge and overturned it.
The crash was enormous.
Margaret screamed.
Daniel stumbled away.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
I straightened.
“Nothing, Daniel. But you have no idea what you’ve just done.”
He stepped toward me angrily.
I took out my phone.
