‘And remember, you did everything you could,’ the policewoman said and smiled sympathetically. She placed a hand on Amber’s shoulder. ‘And if you ever need to talk, call the number I gave you.’ The police officer shot him a look and headed back to the house. The bruise. They thought he was abusive too.

When the policewoman was out of view, he trusted himself to look down again. A smirk had appeared on Amber’s face.

‘Surprise,’ she whispered.

* * *

As the door shut, Amber’s façade fell. The sadness slipped from her face and was replaced with a stony expression. She put Penelope down on the carpet and headed down the hall, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She needn’t pretend that she had a heart in front of her husband, who knew her for who she really was. Richard lunged for her. She screamed as he snatched a handful of her hair and dragged her towards him. Her eyes rolled into her head as he slammed her into the wall. He wrapped both hands around her neck and squeezed. Penelope ran into the kitchen and out of sight.

‘What have you done?’ he yelled. ‘WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?’

Spittle landed on her face as he spoke. Her face blushed pink and veins elevated at her temples.

‘I’ve fixed your mistakes,’ she replied hoarsely. ‘I’ve cleaned up your mess.’

He squeezed harder. He could feel her pulse racing against his palms. She didn’t scream. She didn’t beg him to stop. She just looked into his eyes with a smirk.

He let go of her neck and punched the wall. Plaster exploded in the air and showered down on the carpet.

‘Damn you!’

He strode to the kitchen and paced back and forth. Penelope cowered behind the curtain.

It’s not me you should be afraid of, he thought, as he finally allowed the tears to fall.

‘Damn me?’ she replied as she reached the doorway. ‘Damn me?’

Her neck was red from where his hands had been and her chest was heaving for breath, but her eyes were filled with scorn.

‘You betrayed us. You nearly broke up this family. I fixed your mistakes.’

‘You killed him!’

He could barely see her through the tears. His hands opened and closed at his sides. He longed to wrap them around her throat again and squeeze until she fell limp.

‘You’re a fool, Richard.’

She pulled a wad of paperwork from inside her coat and threw them to the floor.

‘Read them. Read what your darling James was planning to do to you.’

He looked at the paperwork and back to her face. She wasn’t done.

‘You were played, Richard.’ She walked towards him. The corners of her lips turned up with another smirk. ‘You were just another Neena.’

Her hand rose to his face. He batted it away.

‘Bullshit.’

‘The proof’s right here.’