Since she was little, Alice knew she was prettyeveryone told her so.
«Our daughters a proper stunner, stands out from the other girls,» her mother would gush to colleagues and friends.
And truly, no one could deny it. Though the neighbour did mutter sceptically, «All children are lovely, but not all grow up to be beautiesnot saying it always happens, mind, but it does.»
Alice grew taller, and by Year 10, she was a striking young womangraceful, statuesque, and well aware of it. Spoilt and haughty, she knew boys would bend over backwards for her, their eyes trailing her with longing.
After school, she didnt get into university, though shed dreamed of higher education. Instead, she enrolled in a technical college, graduating with a diploma in merchandising.
«Love,» her mother said, «let me sort you a job at the factory lab. Its easy workno heavy lifting, and youre too delicate for hard labour anyway.»
«What about my diploma?» Alice asked.
«Oh, who works in their field these days? And why bother with retail?» Her mother, whod spent her life at the factory alongside Alices father, had made up her mind.
Alice became a lab technician. By then, shed grown even lovelier, knew her worth, and fell for David, an engineer from the next workshop. Their romance burned fast and brightwithin months, he proposed.
«Marry me before someone else snatches you up,» he said with a grin, offering his heart. «Will you?»
«I will,» she beamed.
The wedding was standard for the eraheld in the factory canteen, modest by todays standards, but packed with guests.
Soon after, Alice discovered she was expecting.
«David, were going to be parents,» she told him.
«Brilliant! Im chuffed, Alice, really chuffed,» he said, hugging her tight.
Their daughter, Sophie, was bornjust as pretty as her mother. The little family was happy.
Years passed. Sophie grew, started nursery, while Alice and David worked. After maternity leave, Alice changednot in looks, but in temper. She began acting like a queen, belittling David more each day. He took over raising Sophie, fetching her from nursery, reading bedtime stories, tucking her in.
Alice was always «busy.» She came home late, blaming work, though David knew no one in the lab stayed overtime. He bit his tongue, fearing her explosive rows, not wanting Sophie to witness them.
«David, your wife was seen with the chief engineer at The Ivy,» colleagues murmured, but he just lowered his eyes.
«David, whyd you marry a looker?» friends teased. «You know a fancy cake wont stay on one plate…»
Everyone hinted Alice moved in higher circles now, flirting with powerful menunlike David, just an ordinary engineer. Soon, she was seeing Anthony, a ministry official who spoiled her with jewels and designer gifts.
David became a meek, silent husband, shouldering all chores and childcare while Alice barked orders: «Help Sophie with homework, do the shopping, clean up.» Divorce never crossed his mindhe feared hurting Sophie.
Then came the upheaval of the ’90s. Anthonys position crumbled, along with others. Accusations swirled.
«Alice, if anyone asks about me, keep quiet,» he muttered one day. «Ive a feeling we wont see each other again.»
He vanishedarrested, she learned. Worse, she was hauled in for questioning, detained, pleading ignorance through tears. They released her eventually, lacking evidence, but her reputation was ruined. Returning home, she felt filthy, like shed swum through sewage. Shed lost everything. Her savings drained, David sold half their belongings to cover her legal bills. The factory sacked her, and though David refused to divorce (for Sophies sake), they lived as strangers.
Once, he nearly leftbut feared scarring Sophie. Alice swallowed her pride, begging: «Dont go, David. Forgive me. It wont happen again.»
He stayed but couldnt bear to touch her. «You slept with others.»
«I did it for us,» she insisted.
But she strayed againthis time with a young assistant, Tom. Money flowed once more. She and David coexisted, never divorcing. He knew about Tom, occasionally confronted her.
«If youd paid me attention, I wouldnt need a helper,» she snapped.
«You disgust me,» he shot back.
Years flew. Sophie graduated, married, moved to Scotland. New Years Eve, Alice jetted to China while David celebrated with mates in Norway. Reuniting for Old New Year, he gaped at her.
«Alicewhat? You look twenty years younger!»
Not a wrinkle remainedwhere shed recently plumped up, she was now svelte again.
«How much did this cost?»
She laughed wildly, then sobered. «Everything. Every penny.» She flashed bare fingers, emptied her purse. «Chinese magicmassages, acupuncture. Bloody expensive.»
She couldnt age beside young Tom. «Youre ancient. Look at me,» she taunted David.
«Were the same age!»
But she cackled. The treatments drained her funds, profits dwindled. Then David had a heart attack, hospitalised, retired early, aged overnight.
«God, is that what Id look like?» Alice shuddered, checking the mirror.
«Stay with me a while,» David sometimes asked.
«I havent got time. Times money.»
One day, at her boutique, Tom waited with a folder.
«Read this.»
«What? Im busy»
«Alice, youre done. I own everything now. Clear out.»
Her lawyer sighed. «Alice, I cant help. Toms paperworks airtight. Your signatures on every transfer.»
«But I thought it was temporarywhile I was at the hospital with David!»
«You shouldve read the fine print.»
«And pay your fees? Too rich for me,» she sneered.
«Then dont blame me for cutting corners.»
Defeated, she slunk home, then brightened. «I need money. Loads of it.»
«Alice, the business is gone,» David said weakly.
«Then well sell the flat.»
«Nonot that!»
«Well buy something cheaper outside town.»
«And whatll I do?»
«Get you a computer. Live online.»
She cackled. The flat would fund her rebirthlike a phoenix, shed rise again.
