The father noticed a bruise under his daughters eye and made a phone callhis son-in-laws life was about to unravel.
Emily stood in the doorway, greeting her parents with her usual cheerful smile. Only the dark, swollen eye betrayed the subject she refused to discuss.
“Mum, its nothing, dont worry about it,” she said quickly, catching her mothers sharp gaze.
Margaret sighed deeply. “Its your life, love. You have to live it…”
Her father didnt even acknowledge his son-in-law. He walked slowly to the window and stared blankly, as if he hadnt heard his daughter mutter something about a cupboard and the dark.
“I just… tripped last night, thats all. Come on, Mum, everythings fine with me and James!”
Fine? Emily remembered exactly what had happened the night before. James, always quick to anger, hadnt just yelled at her. When shed dared to say she was sick of it, hed grabbed her dressing gown so hard the fabric ripped at the chest.
“What, you stupid cow, have you forgotten who kept you alive when you were nothing?!” hed shouted, shaking her. “Forgot how I dragged you back from those pubs when you ran off with that Daniel? Forgotten who loved you, you ungrateful bitch? I carried you in my arms!”
And thenthe punch. A proper, full-force hit. Stars had flashed behind her eyes before the pain swallowed her whole… while James kept screaming obscenities.
“Yes, love. Cupboard… dark,” Margaret murmured, though she knew exactly what had happened.
She felt guilty. She was the one whod pushed Emily to marry James! She was the one whod chased Daniel away, convinced he was a bad influence.
“And your wardrobe, love, seems to have fists,” Margaret said pointedly, glaring at her son-in-law.
Thomas never turned from the window. He stepped onto the balcony for a smoke. Unlike his wife, hed never liked James. The man was hollowa selfish, shallow bloke. Yes, he came from moneyflat in London, flash car, connections. But he was rotten inside.
And now the rot had surfaceda bruise under his daughters eye.
Thomas couldve grabbed James by the collar and slapped him silly. But that wouldve just caused a scene. And he didnt want to. He barely held back… So he stepped outside.
He knew hed handle this another way. And he already knew how.
Hed spent a long time on the phone out there…
Meanwhile, Emily made her mother a cup of tea, and they chatted about nothing. Half an hour later, her parents left.
James, whod expected shouting and drama, finally relaxed. He slumped back on the sofa, cracked open a beer, and even smirked. In his mind, their silence meant approval. Family sticks together, bruises happenno one steps on his toes. Easy!
“See, Em? Told you itd blow over,” he drawled, smug. “Your parents are decent. Not like you… Yesterday, you started with your bloody excuses! So I had a drinkso what?”
He took a swig and reached for crisps.
His joy didnt last.
Not even half an hour later, someone knocked. Not rangknocked. Firm. Confident. The sound made James freeze mid-sip.
He shuffled to the door, peeked through the spyhole… and went pale.
Daniel stood there. His rival. Emilys ex. The one whod nearly married her but let her go. Tall, handsome, confident. In a sharp suit, with that same smirk that made women swoon and men want to punch him.
“What do you want?” James snarled, barely cracking the door.
“Step aside,” Daniel said calmlythen shouldered past like James wasnt even there.
James stumbled back like a ragdoll.
Emily shot up from the sofa, eyes wide.
“Daniel…”
“Pack a bag,” he said briskly. “Were leaving. My place, your parentsdoesnt matter. But youre not staying with this washed-up loser.”
“Who the hell are you calling a loser?” James snapped but stayed rooted in the corner.
He had his reasons to fear Daniel.
“I called you, Jimmy boy,” Daniel smiled coolly. “Didnt want to interfere. But when Emilys dada proper bloke, by the wayrang me saying you hit her? Well. I took over.”
“What… what are you on about?!” James croaked.
“Didnt take it literally, obviously,” Daniel chuckled. “But the space you rent for your club? Belongs to a mate of mine. A very good mate. Youll get noticelease wont be renewed. Got it? Its already on your desk.”
James sagged like a deflated balloon.
“Also, I calculated six months back rent. Remember when they said rates might go up if the club turned profit? Well, they did. Six months ago. Notices been sitting on your deskyou just never read it. Me and Mike stayed quiet, let the debt pile up. Late fees, interest… You get it? Now you owe. A lot. Shall I name the figure?”
Daniel leaned in.
“And I know youve got nothing to pay it with. Shouldve spent less time drinking with your slag mates.”
James collapsed into a chair like a wrung-out dishrag.
“This… this is a setup!” he wheezed. “You… you planted those papers!”
“Think what you want,” Daniel shrugged. “You could sue. But your lawyer quit. Or did you sack him? Wholl defend you now? Your bartender with the nose ring?”
James opened his mouth. Nothing came out.
“Emily, lets go. Dont bother packing. Ill buy you whatever you need. The rubbish here isnt worth keeping.”
“Daniel, wait,” Emily said, dazed. “This is all… so fast. I dont understand”
“Fast is taking a punch and still making excuses for the man who threw it. Everything else is too slow.”
Daniel held out his hand. She took it.
“Youve all lost it!” James screeched. “This is my house! My wife!”
“Wife?” Daniel scoffed. “Youre the husband who hits her, then hides behind a beer and telly? Youre not a man, James. Youre a failure. Loud, bitter… nothing. Cant even hit me properly.”
“I… I…” James stammered.
“Going to court, then?” Daniel narrowed his eyes. “Tell them about the cupboard that bruised her? Or how your club failed because you drank instead of worked, riding your dads coattails?”
Emily followed Daniel without looking back. Only at the door did she pause.
“Sorry, James. Goodbye.”
“Piss off, then!” he spat. “Yeah… sure, go on…”
And they left.
Two days later, James sat in an empty flat. Club shut. Papers on the tablelease termination, debt notices.
Daniel wasnt just an ex. He was an ex with a spine and a plan. Hed waited for the right momentthen struck. Hard. Perfect.
Meanwhile, Emilys parents home was quiet. Her mum cooked; her dad read the paper.
Then Emily walked in.
“Hi,” she said.
“Whereve you been, love? James looking for you?” her father asked sternly.
“I was… with Daniel.”
“So you left James?”
“Yeah. Im done.”
Her mum clasped her hands. Her father just nodded.
“Good. Thats it, love,” he said, smiling. “And if that idiot comes near you again, Ill knock his teeth in.”
“Dad… did you call Daniel?” Emily asked.
“Course I did. Who else?” Her father winked. “Hes a good lad. Proper businessmanunlike that one.”
“Thank God you left that fool!” her mum blurted. “Thank God no kids”
“Oh, Margaret, always with the sharp tongue!” her dad laughed. “But the main thing is she figured it out.”
Outside, Daniel leaned against his black Range Rover. He smiledknowing. Certain no one would ever hurt Emily again.
Well, maybe with love and surprises. But thats another story.
