Chapter 2 - The Woman Who Still Had My Name
Patricia arrived the next afternoon without calling.
She entered my house wearing white linen, oversized sunglasses, and the perfume she had used on our wedding day.
She kissed the air beside my cheek.
“You look tired.”
“You look uninvited.”
She smiled as if I had complimented her.
Patricia had always been beautiful in a way that made people forgive her before she apologized.
During our marriage, she used silence as punishment and affection as currency.
After my accident, she stayed beside my hospital bed for twelve days.
Then she began building a life that did not include me.
She walked into the living room and found Marina helping Sofía build a cardboard ship.
Patricia’s eyes traveled from Marina’s simple blue dress to the therapy bands beside my chair.
“What is this?”
“Physical therapy,” I said.
Patricia gave a small laugh.
“She’s the nanny.”
Marina stood.
“I’ll take Sofía to the garden.”
“No.”
Patricia removed her sunglasses.
“I would like to speak to my daughter.”
Sofía immediately moved closer to Marina.
The small movement did not escape any of us.
Patricia smiled at her.
“Come give Mommy a hug.”
Sofía stared at the floor.
“I’m building a boat.”
“We can build one at my apartment.”
“I want to stay here.”
Patricia’s smile tightened.
Marina rested a hand gently against Sofía’s shoulder.
“Sweetheart, why don’t you show your mother the sail?”
Patricia’s gaze cut toward Marina.
“I don’t need help speaking to my own child.”
Marina said nothing.
Sofía quietly handed Patricia the cardboard sail.
Patricia barely looked at it.
She turned toward me.
“We need to discuss the custody schedule.”
“What schedule?”
“The one my attorney sent.”
“I received nothing.”
“I’m requesting three nights a week.”
“You currently see her twice a month.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“Sofía is not an appointment you reschedule when your calendar clears.”
Patricia’s face hardened.
“You don’t get to judge my parenting when you cannot stand without assistance.”
The room became very still.
Sofía looked at me.
Marina’s jaw tightened.
I rolled closer to Patricia.
“My legs are injured.”
“My ability to be her father is not.”
“An unstable house is not good for her.”
“This house was stable until you walked in.”
Patricia picked up her handbag.
“I hoped we could handle this peacefully.”
“You came here with a custody threat.”
“I came here because people are talking.”
“About what?”
Her eyes flickered toward Marina.
“About the young nanny sleeping under your roof.”
Marina stepped forward.
“I live in the guest apartment because my work starts before school.”
Patricia smiled coldly.
“I’m sure that is the only reason.”
“Enough,” I said.
Patricia leaned toward me.
“You may enjoy playing rehabilitation with her.”
“But a judge will see a vulnerable man being manipulated by an employee.”
Marina’s face went pale.
Patricia turned and walked toward the door.
Before leaving, she stopped beside my chair.
“You should also tell your little therapist to stay away from hospital records.”
I looked up sharply.
Patricia smiled.
Then she left.
That night, I found Marina in the kitchen packing her belongings into a canvas bag.
“What are you doing?”
“Leaving.”
“No.”
She continued folding a sweater.
“Patricia will use me against you.”
“Patricia uses oxygen against people when it benefits her.”
“She can damage your custody case.”
“She can try.”
Marina zipped the bag.
“I will not be the reason Sofía is taken from this house.”
“You are one of the reasons this still feels like her house.”
Her hands stopped.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then the security system beeped.
Someone had entered the property through the service gate.
My phone showed the camera feed.
A man wearing a maintenance uniform was walking toward the rear entrance.
Marina looked at the screen.
“We don’t have maintenance scheduled.”
I called security.
May you like
No one answered.
Then every camera in the house went black.
