The Three-Year Lie: A Wife's Vengeance

. It was a cold, sparsely furnished chamber, devoid of windows,

dy still aching from Amelie's attack and the guards' rough handli

ating. He reached out, gently touching the angry red mark

aced with fake tenderness. "Amelie can be... s

as still playing the gam

t steady. I looked him dead in the eye. "She broke my

e trying to grab something. She was defending herself." He picked up the broken brooch, which he must have brought with him. He e

as twisting the truth so easily, so natural

"That was my grandmother's, Edgar! My family's! S

amily." He looked at me, his eyes hard. "You must understand, Elise, that Amelie is now the face of Everett Industries. She carries your fam

irloom. Gifts from my parents and grandparents. Given to Amelie.

n my soul. This man, my former hus

tance, my family's heirlooms, my very name... they all belong to Amelie

e. And Amelie... she is the public face. The one who carries on the name. She represents everything you once

ing fury. He was reveling in my humiliation, in my

d, the words barely audible. "Yo

forgive you. You're still recovering. And you need to be

n her position. And you, my darling, need to learn proper behavior." He reached into his pocket and p

ishes it. As she should. It's a symbol of her new life. Just as this..." He gestured to t

ift, Elise. A token of my generosity. To remind you of whose kindness k

ed. He was giving me my own mother's jewelry as a "gift" for my good behav

I said, my voice low, filled with

He walked towards the door. "Tomorrow, you will begin your 're-education.' You wi

d against my rib

ou're quite a handful when you're not properly... managed." He paused at the door. "And your first lesson

assistant. A woman I had trusted implicitly, a woman who had work

s, all my vulnerabilities. The woman who now stood there, a

ing, a genuine tremor of disgust

you how to be the perfect companion. She knows all your old habits. She knows how to break them." His

yal. Brenda, who had always been so loyal, so

, my voice thick with hatr

ng. "Such language, Elise. Brenda will

f warmth. "Yes, Mr. Daniels. I'll ensure

r me. He wasn't just controlling me; he was defiling my past, tw

d, my voice rising, fueled by a sudden, desp

ady broken. You just don't know it yet." He turned to leave, but

your new l

stood there, trembling, the emerald pendant still on the cot. Brenda stood silent

d in my soul. He wanted to break me? He would only forge me stronger. He wa

ical, and utterly devastating. A