«Spare No Thought for Your Own Son»
«Are you out of your mind? You spent the money weve been saving for five years on a flat for your pregnant mistress? You threw away my hard-earned savings on some… I cant even… How could you?»
Thirteen years Anna had spent with her husband, Edward. Shed loved him utterly, simply for being himselfhis perpetually messy chestnut hair, that worn-out smile he always wore when looking at their eight-year-old son, Oliver. Life in their quiet town had rolled along predictably, unchanged for years.
Edward walked in at exactly half past nine. Lately, hed been working late, but Anna hadnt thought much of ither husband was working hard for the family, after all. He slammed the door, shrugged off his jacketwhich, strangely, didnt smell of his usual cologne but something sickly sweet, floral. Anna noticed immediately.
«Hello,» he muttered, kissing the top of her head. «Dead on my feet. Rough day.»
«Hello. Hungry? Ill warm something up.»
«No, thanks. Need a shower.»
He walked past, and an uneasy suspicion settled over her. Refusing food again. Was there someone else? Hed been coming home later, his phone always on him. Once, hed left it on the bedside tablenow it was either in his pocket or face-down, locked. Any attempt to touch it made him twitch.
«Youre late,» she said, standing to clear a cup. «Busy at work?»
Edward paused in the bathroom doorway.
«Yeah, Annie. You know how it isend of the quarter. Reports. Endless paperwork.»
«Why do you smell like that?» The question came out sharper than she intended.
He froze. She could tell shed caught him off guard.
«Smell like what?» He tried to sound casual, but his shoulders tensed.
«Flowers. A sweet, floral scent. Not your aftershave.»
«Oh, must be from someone at the office. Lucy from accounting was showing off new perfume today. Probably reeks of it.» He waved a dismissive hand. «Dont hold me up, love. Im knackered.»
«Lucy from accounting,» Anna thought, returning to the veranda. «Right. Of course.»
That scent had haunted her for weeks. At first, shed told herself it was coincidencehis colleagues wore perfume too…
Their familys dream had lived in a savings account theyd opened together five years agoa flat for Oliver by the time he turned eighteen. Theyd scrimped every spare penny. Edward from his salary as an engineer at the local factory, Anna from her modest earnings sewing private orders. Theyd skipped holidays for five years, passed on a new car, pinched everywhere except Olivers future. By now, there shouldve been nearly £25,000a fortune in their town, enough for their son to study in the city without slumming it in student halls.
The blow came without warning. A client paid Anna early, adding a tip for her quick work. She went straight to the bank, wanting to deposit itthough she couldnt say why she didnt just transfer it online that day. Maybe she just needed airthe weather was glorious.
The teller, a young woman named Emily whom shed known for years, gave her a polite smile.
«Hello, Mrs. Harper. How can I help?»
«Hello, Emily. Id like to check the balance on our savings account. And deposit a small amount, if I may.»
«Of course. Your ID, please?»
Anna handed it over. Emilys fingers tapped at the keyboard.
«Well…» Emily frowned. «Mrs. Harper, your account… its empty.»
«What do you mean, empty?» Anna didnt understand.
She thought Emily must have made a mistake.
«Completely empty. Zero pounds.»
The floor seemed to drop beneath her. She gripped the counter.
«Emily, thats impossible. Are you sure? Check the dateswe opened it five years ago, under Edward James Harper, my husband. I deposit into it every single month!»
«Im afraid so,» Emily said, lowering her voice sympathetically. «The last large withdrawal was two weeks ago. Cash. A… very substantial sum.»
«How much?» Anna barely forced the words out.
«Twenty-four thousand nine hundred pounds. Withdrawn the Tuesday before last. Mr. Harper closed the account.»
That Tuesday… Edward had come home late, claimed hed been stuck in a meeting.
«Thank you, Emily. I need a full statement of all transactions from the last month. Now.»
Anna staggered out of the bank. She didnt remember reaching the car. Twenty-five grand. Edward had taken it all…
***
When Edward returned, Anna was at the kitchen table, the printed statement folded neatly in half. No tearsjust icy calm before the storm.
Edward walked in, tossed his keys onto the shelf, rubbing his temples.
«Hello. Everything alright?»
«Sit down, Edward,» Anna said. Her voice was steady, unfamiliar.
He gave her a puzzled look, then noticed the papers. Understanding crept over his face.
«Whats this?» he asked, still standing.
«Sit. We need to talk.»
Slowly, he took the chair opposite.
«Annie, I dont follow.»
«Stop lying, Edward. You know exactly what this is. I went to the bank today. The accounts empty. Twenty-four thousand nine hundred. Gone two weeks ago.»
Edward stared at his hands on the table. He didnt deny it.
«How did you find out?»
«Does it matter? What did you do with the money, Edward?»
«I… I bought a flat.»
«A flat? Where? For who?»
He took a deep breath. When he looked up, there was no remorsejust irritation and bitter resolve.
«For her.»
«Whos her?» Annas voice was eerily calm.
«Edward. Say her name.»
«Sophie. Sophia…»
Anna stared at him. Edward shrank under her gaze but kept talking.
«Annie, I dont know how it happened… Remember that team-building weekend last year? When the boss made us all go? Thats where I met Sophie…»
Anna cut in coldly.
«Keep going. All of it.»
«Well… I fancied her straight off. Got completely wrapped up. Annie, youre warm, steadyshes a whirlwind. Made me feel young again. Shes only nineteen, for Gods sake. Rides a motorbike, covered in tattoos, piercings. Lost my head, Annie… Youre like home to me, but after all these years, its more like were mates…»
Annas throat locked. She wanted to scream, slap him, smash every dish in the housebut she held back. No weakness in front of a traitor.
«Go on.»
«We didnt speak for a while. She dumped me, said I bored her. I was gutted, Annie. Called her, begged just to see herthen she took up with some lad. I was getting over it, I swear. Remember that seaside trip seven months ago? Then she rang me out of the blue, and… it started again. Next thing I know, shes pregnant. Annie, I couldnt leave her with a kid. Her mum kicked her out. I couldnt let my daughter sleep rough!»
Anna stood and walked to the window.
«So youll protect your mistresss child, but spare no thought for your own son? Brilliant. Heres what well do: tomorrow, you sign your half of our house over to Oliver. When hes older, Ill sell ithell have his own place. What happens to you isnt my concern. Ill file for divorce in the morning, and if you dare make this difficult, Edward, Ill ruin you. The whole town will know.»
Of course, Edward tried to win her backlurking outside the house, calling daily, sending pleading texts. None were answered. The divorce went through. His mistress didnt want him either. The baby, born right on time, wasnt histhe Asian features made that painfully clear. And that was that.
