4. Haley
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Haley
The manuscript was due in three days, and I had written exactly forty-seven words.
Forty-seven. In six hours.
I stared at the cursor blinking on my screen and wanted to throw my laptop out the window. Every time I tried to focus, my mother-in-law’s voice came crawling back.
I deleted the forty-seven words and closed my laptop. What was the point? I couldn’t string two sentences together without wondering if my entire marriage was built on a lie.
God, when did I become this person? The paranoid wife who couldn’t focus on her own career because she was too busy dissecting every comment her mother-in-law made.
The house was quiet. Caleb was supposed to be home an hour ago, but his text had said something came up. Of course it did. Something always came up. I’d stopped asking what those somethings were because his answers never actually answered anything.
“Why are you sitting in the dark?” He loosened his tie and tossed it on the chair. “I figured you’d be asleep by now.”
“I need to know if something is going on with Vanessa.”
Smooth, Haley. Really eased into that one.
He turned to face me, shirt half-unbuttoned, and let out a laugh that had absolutely no humor in it.
“Where is this coming from?” He shook his head like I’d just asked him if the moon was made of cheese. “Let me guess. My mother said something at the gala.”
“She told someone you should have married Vanessa instead of me.” I stood up, my legs shaky.
“And you’re taking her seriously?” He turned back to the closet and pulled his shirt off. “You know what she’s like. She’s been trying to sabotage us since day one.”
Right. So I should just ignore it. Five years of his mother treating me like trash, and I should just keep smiling and nodding like a good little wife.
“What’s new is that you’ve never told her to stop.
” I watched him reach for his sleep shirt, watched the familiar routine, and felt nothing.
When did that happen? When did watching my husband undress become about as exciting as watching paint dry?
“Five years, Caleb. Five years of her undermining me, and you’ve never once defended me. ”
“What’s the point?” He pulled the shirt over his head. “She’s not going to change because I ask nicely. You know how she is.”
“The point is showing me you give a damn.” I stepped closer. “The point is making it clear that our marriage isn’t some temporary arrangement she gets to dismantle whenever she’s bored.”
“She can think whatever she wants.” He crossed his arms, and wow, there it was. The defensive posture. The closed-off expression. My husband, ladies and gentlemen. “Her opinions don’t change anything.”
“They change everything for me.” My voice cracked.
Fantastic. Nothing like a little vocal tremor to really drive home your point.
“Do you know what it’s like walking into a room where everyone’s waiting for you to fail?
Smiling at your mother-in-law while she parades another woman around like she’s already picked out your replacement? ”
“Vanessa isn’t replacing anyone.” His jaw tightened. “She’s my assistant. She’s good at her job. That’s it.”
“Then why is she always touching you?”
“She’s an affectionate person.” He shrugged. Actually shrugged. “That’s just how she is.”
Sure. And I was the Queen of England.
“She’s not affectionate with anyone else.” I stepped closer, close enough to see the tension in his jaw. “I’ve watched her, Caleb. She keeps her distance from everyone except you.”
“You’ve been watching her? That’s what you’ve been doing at these parties? Keeping tabs on my assistant?”
Oh, that was rich. That was absolutely fucking rich.
“I’ve been watching my husband get handled by another woman while his mother cheers from the sidelines.” The anger was building now. “I’ve been watching you let it happen. And I’ve been wondering how long it’s been going on and how much I’ve missed because I was stupid enough to trust you.”
“You should trust me.” He stepped closer, his voice dropping. “I’ve never given you a reason not to.”
“Your mother seems to think Vanessa is inevitable.” I didn’t back down. “She talks about her like it’s only a matter of time before you come to your senses.”
“My mother doesn’t speak for me.”
“Then speak for yourself.” I grabbed his arm before he could turn away. “Tell me what’s really going on. Tell me why you’ve been disappearing into work for months. Tell me why you were on the phone at three in the morning saying you couldn’t leave me yet.”
His face went blank.
“You heard that?”
“I heard enough.” My heart was slamming against my ribs. “I can’t just leave her. That’s what you said. Who were you talking to? What did you mean?”
“That wasn’t what it sounded like.” He pulled his arm free and stepped back, running a hand through his hair. “I was on the phone with James about the business. We’ve been talking about selling one of the distribution channels, and I said I couldn’t just leave the decision to him.”
“Her.” I shook my head. “You said her. I can’t just leave her.”
“You must have misheard.” His voice was steady now. “It was late. You were half asleep. The distribution channel was founded by a woman, so we refer to it as ‘her.’ It’s an old joke.”
I stared at him.
But my gut was screaming.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Haley.” He sighed. “I’ve explained the phone call. I’ve told you nothing is happening with Vanessa. I’ve acknowledged that my mother is a problem. What else do you want?”
“I want you to fight for us.” The words ripped out of me. “I want one conversation where you actually see me instead of managing me.”
He went still.
For a long moment, nothing. Then he crossed the room and knelt in front of me, taking my face in his hands.
“Haley, listen to me.” His thumbs brushed my cheeks. “Haley, look at me.”
“I married you because you were the first person who made me feel like myself.” His eyes held mine. “Not the Sinclair heir. Not my mother’s project. Just me. You saw through everything on day one.”
“I still love you.” God, why did I sound so pathetic? “That’s why this hurts.”
“I know I’ve been absent.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “The expansion has been a nightmare. James and I have been drowning. That’s not an excuse, but it’s the truth. Ask him yourself if you don’t believe me.”
“I don’t want to ask James.” I pulled back to see his face. “I want you to tell me. I want you to let me in.”
“Then I’ll do better.” His hands tightened on my face. “Starting tonight. I’ll talk to my mother. I’ll set boundaries with Vanessa. You won’t have to wonder where you stand ever again.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Every word.” He kissed me, soft and slow. “You’re not a phase. You’re my wife. Anyone who has a problem with that can go to hell.”
I wanted to believe him.
God, I wanted to believe him so badly it physically hurt.
So I did.