Chapter 2

The next day, I was planning to visit Mom and ask if she'd be willing to move closer to where I worked.

For the past year, I'd worked in food prep for a catering company and picked up a few weekend shifts in event kitchens. I didn't earn much, but as long as I stopped handing over my pay, Mom and I would have enough to start over.

Nathan had promised to pay for any treatment her insurance didn't cover. All I had to do was deposit my pay into the household account and leave the rest to him.

I'd believed him. That was why I'd put up with Vivian's rules, over and over.

Instead, I went first to a shop on the corner that bought jewelry.

The woman behind the counter examined my wedding ring under a light.

"I can't offer you anything close to the original purchase price today. If you're willing to wait, we could sell it on consignment for you."

"I'll sell it now."

I signed my name and watched her put the ring in a box.

On our wedding day, Nathan had slipped it onto my finger and told me I'd never have to face everything alone again.

A year later, I had to sell it just to pay my own way to see Mom without asking Vivian's permission.

After leaving the jewelry store, I went to the market and bought chicken to roast, potatoes, green beans, and Mom's favorite apple pie.

Maggie, the vegetable vendor, knew me. When she saw me add a carton of mushrooms to my basket, she smiled. "No waiting for that woman to send you money today?"

I gave her a small smile and didn't answer.

Vivian gave me only twenty dollars a day to buy food for the apartment. If I needed an extra bottle of cleaner, I had to message her first. Once, Maggie had given me a small handful of herbs. When Vivian noticed they weren't on the receipt, she'd made me explain exactly what had happened in writing and send it to the group chat.

Nathan had read it and said at least she kept track of where the money went.

I went home, roasted the chicken and vegetables, packed them into containers, and cut two slices of apple pie. The last time Mom called, she'd said the pie in the dining hall was always too sweet.

I'd just picked up my coat when Nathan and Vivian walked in.

Vivian glanced at the counter, and her smile vanished.

"Where did all this come from?"

She pulled the lid off a container and turned the chicken over, sending sauce dripping down the side.

"What are you doing? That's for my mom."

"I asked where you got the money."

I reached for the container, but she tipped it straight into the trash. The chicken and potatoes landed on last night's coffee grounds, followed by the vegetables and, finally, the apple pie.

I grabbed her wrist. "Stop!"

Nathan immediately pulled me away.

"Claire, answer the question first. Have you been hiding money this whole time?"

Vivian had already picked up my bag and emptied it onto the couch. My wallet, keys, and tissues scattered across the floor. She took the cash left from selling my ring and slipped it into her purse.

"No wonder you keep saying twenty dollars isn't enough. You've been stashing it away."

"That's not your money. Give it back."

She stepped behind Nathan.

But Nathan bent down and picked up the jewelry store receipt. His expression changed when he read it.

"You sold your wedding ring?"

"Yes. I wanted to cook Mom something she likes and pay for the trip myself. Now you know."

He looked at my bare ring finger, as if he was finally realizing this wasn't like the other times.

"Claire, we can talk. You didn't have to do this."

Vivian took his arm.

"We certainly do need to talk. Today it's her ring. Tomorrow she'll be hauling everything out of the apartment. It's not like her mother has nothing to eat. Why waste money on this?"

Nathan's expression hardened again as he looked at me.

"Why do you always have to make everything so difficult? Why couldn't you just tell me what you needed?"

"I did."

I looked at the food in the trash. My hands were still shaking.

"I told you every single time."

He didn't answer. But as I headed for the door, he called after me.

"You don't have a cent on you. Where are you planning to go? Talk things through with Vivian first. You can't just slam the door and walk out every time there's a problem."

My phone buzzed just then.

It was a message from Lydia, the lawyer.

"Claire, I've checked the wedding details and documents you sent me. I couldn't find an official record of the marriage, and there are problems with the certificate you gave me."

Another message followed immediately.

"You may never have been legally married to him."