Page 160 of The Bad Husband

But sometimes even snakes play a role in a story.

I just wish there were a different ending.

“I’m glad I had the chance to meet you,” I finally say, smiling through my tears. “So it’s not all bad.”

He brushes away my tears.

“Yeah. It’s not all bad.”

He muses over something for a second before he lowers his lips to mine.

“You’ll do great,” he says.

I’m not that optimistic about that right now.

If anyone had said something like that to me this afternoon, I would’ve wholeheartedly agreed.

But now? I’m not so sure.

“Can I at least wait for you?” I ask, still in denial.

His eyes hold mine as he slowly shakes his head.

“I can’t let you do that. There are too many variables. I don’t even know how much time I’ll be serving. And as I said before, different things will happen over the next few years. I’ll be a different man. An uglier man. I’ll most likely be vengeful and filled with hatred. And then there’s the life awaiting me when I get out. I can’t predict what that life will look like. You shouldn’t tie your life to mine. It wouldn’t do you any good. Trust me. I know what I’m talking about.”

He’s made up his mind, and it happens that he’s right.

“Goodbye, Lila. It was nice meeting you.”

With that, he leaves a kiss on my lips and rises to his feet. I can’t even look at him as his footsteps trail across the room, reach the door, and then ring outside.

I wish I had the strength to go to the window and take one last look at him.

I can’t.

My heart is broken, sobbing.

This is now officially the worst Halloween ever.

27

LILA

Two years or so later

The dark expression on her face was worth all the money, time, and effort I put into contesting my father’s will and challenging its validity.

Henrietta’s eyes would kill me if they could.

My lawyers feel like congratulations are in order. I couldn’t agree more.

I wear my best skirt suit today and heels. I wanted to be dressed sharply when I faced her, especially if she had anything to say to me outside the courtroom.

It took a persistent effort to prove undue influence by establishing that she had the motive and opportunity and actually exercised her influence by actively participating in drafting a new version of my father’s will.

I was a little skeptical after the probate hearings, but my attorneys insisted we had a good case.

My father had changed his will several times, and he only added the conditions that had tied me to this woman at a later date. He must’ve been afraid that things might go south, and poor soul, he was so right.