The Monster Behind His Mask

children. He played the part of my devoted caretaker, but his perfect facade shattered when

s pregnant mistress, Bridgett. She smirked, calling me Declan's "p

hysterical and greedy. Declan dropped to his knees, begging for forg

ever, was far

, revealing Declan had forced her to lose their b

nd screaming that I was his, I realized I hadn't

pte

Santia

abandoned by the woman next door, kept purring against hi

rouched by the rose bushes, not tending them, but coaxing a scrawny, terrified calico out from under the porch. The cat was a recent addition to our street,

oiding everyone, even me. But

round his ankles. It was a picture of trust, of familiarity. A cold dread,

called out,

ging to his leg, its tail flicking gen

was a practiced thing, charming,

my cashmere cardigan tighter against the evening chill. My legs a

sturing to a small bowl of kibble nea

and rubbed its face against Declan' s jeans

from my bedroom window, a strange knot forming in my stomach. The cat' s unusual attachment to him, the way Decl

oor, leap onto his lap when he sat on the patio. It ignored me, mostly, a fact that both irked and unnerved me. My husband, the man who claimed to be

his tech startup. His phone was always face down, always on silent. He' d jump when I entered a roo

"late meeting," I found myself staring at Whisper

spered to the cat. It blinked slowly a

supposedly moved into and then out of. I had to see. My legs burned wit

out, along with the distinct smell of cheap air freshen

aten bowl of cereal sat on a small table. A brightly colored scarf was

h an overly bright smile. Bridgett Nash. And on her finger, a rin

out, my fingers trembling, to touch the photo. It wasn't j

My heart hammered against my ribs. I f

t. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes wide with sleep.

, her expression shifting from sl

e asked, her voice s

tated, the words tasti

... Elena, isn't it? Declan's perpetually il

voice trembling now, not from fear, but

a cat isn't exactly ideal with a baby on the way, is it?" She patted her

ted. Baby. De

as nothing compared to this. This betrayal. This lie. My infertility, my constant so

sed, the word tear

r someone who couldn't even keep her husba

a sliver of my old self, the architect who built structures that stood again

vingly loud in the silent hallway. My vision wa

walked in, whistling a cheerful tune, his briefcase in hand. The

ng room, hands clasped, a stack of papers

pale." He took a step towards

ce dangerously calm. "D

rossing his features. "Pretend what?

n the table. "These are t

ound. "What is this, Elena? Are you having one of your episodes ag

ce rising, losing its careful calm.

red to the floor. The cheerful whistling died. He loo

ly desperate. "It's not what you think. She's... sh

t being pregnant?" I felt a hysterical laugh bubble up in my chest. "You cal

this, Elena! We're married! I've given you everything! After the accident, w

me, raw and unfiltered. "You pushed me to take that black diamond run, eve

divorce papers. The truth, ugly and u

wall, ceramic shards and water scattering across the polished wood floor. He looked at me, his eyes b

ed, my voice shaking but firm. "Sign them, De

contorted. He knew I meant it. He knew I was no longe

seniors, burst through the front door, their faces a mixture of confusion and disappr

s mother, Eleanor, demanded, her eyes sweeping

ining some of its usual charm, albeit strained. He shot

a pregnant mistress living next door

My mother let out a small, terrified whimper

s father, Richard, asked,

zes. "It's a misunderstanding. A c

!" I spat, the venom satisfying on my tongue. "A

berate Declan, while Richard tried to calm her.

mother pleaded, her hand clutching my arm

t his reputation? The man who cheated on his infe

ase. Don't do this. I love you. It was a mistake. A moment of weakness. I swear, I will end it with her. Just... don't divor

drowning man. He looked up at me, his face pleading, but all I saw

insistent. "You know how hard it is for a woman alone, espe

s eyes wide with fear. "He's always taken care of

isn't about me being 'upset' or 'confused.' It's about me being done." My voice was a steel wire, t

anished, replaced by seething resentment. "You'll

" I said, turning my back on him. I picked up the divorce pa

whispers of our parents, Declan's choked sounds of frustration, and the distant wail of a siren. As I s

t had happened. I needed coffee. My usual cafe was bustling. I sat at a smal

ng a little rumpled, but still carrying that air of smug confidence. A

unwitting messenger of truth, w

re," she muttered, and with a jarring lack of hesitation, she flung the cat

It was beyond what I could have imagined. I stood

ing?" I demanded

hen she saw me. A flicker of fear, then defian

d, marching towards the dumpster. "

ed, her voice high and shrill. "It

in a corner, shivering, cowering away from

re, litt

lunged, its tiny claws raking across m

unned. Even the cat, it s

ken toys." She looked pointedly at my injured wrist, then down at my still-aching legs. "You just can't keep a man like Declan satisfied. He ne

done playing." I met her gaze, unflinching. "He might have found you shiny and new for a while, but Declan's boredom is a chronic

o furious. She raised her

ell is goin

s blazing, having seemingly arrived in a rush. He took in the scene: Brid

What have you done to her now? Can't you leave her alone for five minut

ace into his chest, her voice muffled but perfectly audi

mething akin to hatred. "You're truly losing it, Elena. You're at

s love, had not just died. It had transformed into a grotesque, twisted thing, protecting his n

ice barely a whisper, yet it felt like a thunderclap i

robbing in my wrist a small pric