“You've changed everything,” she said.
I smiled politely.
“It's our home.”
She didn't respond.
Dinner began quietly.
For nearly twenty minutes, everything seemed normal.
Then Margaret put down her fork.
She looked at Daniel.
“Son, I need to tell you something.”
Daniel looked up.
“What?”
Margaret glanced at me.
Then she said,
“You need to divorce her.”
My heart stopped.
Daniel's face went pale.
“Mom…”
“She is destroying your life.”
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
Margaret continued.
“You barely see your family anymore.”
“You've stopped listening to me.”
“She has turned you against us.”
Daniel looked at me.
I could see confusion in his eyes.
Then Margaret said the sentence that hurt the most.
“If you stay with her, you'll regret it for the rest of your life.”
I finally looked up.
“Why are you doing this?”
Margaret turned toward me.
“Because someone has to tell him the truth.”
I looked at Daniel.
For the first time, I was afraid.
Not because of Margaret.
Because I didn't know whether Daniel believed her.
Then I Reached Into My Bag
I slowly stood up.
Daniel looked at me.
“What are you doing?”
I didn't answer.
I walked into the living room and picked up my phone.
My hands were shaking.
Then I returned to the table.
Margaret looked annoyed.
“What is that?”
I placed my phone on the table.
Then I pressed play.
Her own voice filled the room.
“Daniel doesn't need to know everything.”
Margaret's face immediately changed.
Daniel stared at the phone.
The recording continued.
“If he divorces her, everything will go back to the way it was.”
Silence.
Then another voice.
Margaret's voice.
“I'll make sure he realizes she's the problem.”
Daniel slowly looked at his mother.
“Where did you get that?”
I looked at him.
“I recorded it.”
Margaret immediately stood up.
“You recorded me without my permission?”
I shook my head.
“No.”
I looked directly at her.
“You called me.”
“You left a voicemail.”
Her face went pale.
I continued playing the recording.
Then came the part that changed everything.
Margaret said:
“Once they're divorced, Daniel will move back closer to us.”
Daniel's expression hardened.
He looked at his mother.
“Is that why?”
Margaret said nothing.
The Secret She Had Been Hiding
Daniel stood up.
“Mom, answer me.”
Margaret began crying.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
“From her!”
She pointed at me.
Daniel shook his head.
“You've been trying to destroy my marriage.”