Write a statement to the police and keep quiet, dont let anyone see you! Jane hissed. Theyll be at his door soon, and hell have to prove that your disappearance isnt his fault!
What if they arrest him? Evelyn asked, her voice trembling.
Then let him rot in a cell! Jane snapped. He should pay for the betrayal!
Its a relief we sent Peter off to the training centre in Birmingham, Evelyn sighed heavily. Otherwise Id never have been able to leave
Exactly! Jane exclaimed. If we hadnt plotted our revenge, who knows how youd have gotten away!
Your Greg is far from a model of piety, and youve seen it for yourself. Hed have thrown you out onto the street with empty pockets, even stripped you of parental rights!
Do you think hell ever do that? Evelyn whispered, frightened.
Ill tell you whathell do it, Jane said confidently. He has to.
Why?
Because it makes sense! Jane said with a sly grin. Hes already gone off the rails. Youre not his number one. In his world youre just a housewife with no qualifications or job.
Since hes already found a replacement, a brandnew woman will soon take your place in his house, and shell be his number one, Jane continued. And thanks to Peter being in Birmingham, his new lover wont even see you coming through the window.
He might still turn up on weekends, though. That will give you a chance to slip by and see your son.
If you lose your parental rights, you wont even cross his new loves path.
Its all so tangled, Evelyn muttered, shaking her head.
No more tangled than logic, Jane waved it off. When we finally make him pay for his betrayal, when his last nerve snaps, youll not only restore your tarnished honour, youll be able to demand child support or a share of his assets.
Im not after his money, Evelyn mumbled. It just hurts. All these years and he
Dont lose heart! Jane urged. Well have our revenge, punish him, and still have a piece of cake left over! For now, just sit tight and dont stick your head out. Theyll be looking for youthere are already flyers, missingperson notices
Janes eyes widened. A scandal! A uproar! What if someone sees you in a shop or on the street? It would be a catastrophe, and our whole plan would go up in smoke.
I understand, Evelyn said flatly.
Ill go see him, give him a piece of my mind, if they havent detained him first, Jane promised.
Two weeks later Jane brought news: Greg had been released on a nonmovement bond. No body was ever found, so they couldnt press charges.
Im amazed at his calm, Jane said, shaking her head. I should pay him a visit, rile him up!
Do you think thats wise? Evelyn hesitated.
I think its necessary before his new lover sets up camp in your bed, Jane replied firmly.
When Jane returned she recounted the encounter: I confronted him, asked where hed gone with you, and he just brushed me off! I told him I know about his betrayal. Ill either get him to confess or tell the police he tried to have you out of the picture so he could be with someone else!
He turned pale, stammered, and said it would be better for him if you showed up, so he could divorce you.
Thats it, Evelyn sighed bitterly. Hes not even interested; he just found a replacement.
Enough whining, Evelyn! Jane snapped. Well spin him so hard hell drive his new lover away because hell miss the fun hes having now.
Will I be able to go back to him? Will everything be as it was? Evelyn asked, hope flickering.
If you have no pride left, dont even think about it, Jane replied, shaking her head. Never consider forgiving him!
Traitors are not forgiven; theyre destroyed. Were doing that nowinterrogations, statements, factchecking. Theyre shaking him so hard you cant imagine. Hes paying with his nerves. What a wretched traitor!
Let him pay, Evelyn agreed. But you have to stay put for now.
For how long? she asked.
At least a month, Jane guessed. In that time theyll either drive him mad or break him mentally. Then youll appear in white, point out his sins, and hell have to hand over his property, support, and his rights to his son!
Yes, hell give you everythingjust leave him alone!
What does one do locked in a flat with no way out? Evelyn thought, recalling every detail.
Gregs infidelity had been a thunderclap. Nothing hinted at it. Thank goodness Jane was there to stop Evelyn from spiralling into hysteria and to devise this intricate revenge.
Deep down, Evelyn wondered what had pushed Greg to stray. Nothing
***
When Greg proposed to Evelyn, she didnt blink. She hadnt even thought about it; Greg came from a wealthy family, but she fell for him entirely, without a second thought.
She could have become his plaything, a puppet, a servant, if he had loved her less.
Their marriage was called a show, their family a project. People called it whatever they liked, saying Evelyn had secured a life of comfort while Greg owned an obedient wife.
Yet Greg and Evelyn were happy. Their son was born, raised as a decent, kind-hearted lad. They didnt dodge family quarrels, though not everything was smooth at first.
Peter wanted to join the army. He begged his parents to send him to the Sandhurst cadet school. They warned him of hardships, of being away from home, but it didnt matter.
We raised him to be independent, Greg said with a grin, shaking his head. A selfreliant lad with character! Wed be proud, but letting go hurts.
We brought him up smart, brave, strong, Evelyn sighed. We never expected him to grow up so quickly. I thought hed be my boy for at least six more years!
But the boy chose his path, and Greg and Evelyn could only accept reality.
It must have driven Greg to greater deeds, Evelyn mused, pondering the fallout.
One dull morning, Evelyn received a text from an unknown number: You can ruin Gregs life! Hes mine now! Followed by a grainy, badly lit video of intimate moments. The faces were indistinct, the picture jittered, but for a split second Gregs face was clear. Those two seconds pushed Evelyn to hysteria.
Jane, her sister, walked in just then, the light flickering.
The truth is, the gods bring us to where were most needed, Jane whispered, trying to calm her.
When Evelyn showed the video, Jane erupted. Her words were a storm of metaphors, epithets, and furious declarations that darkened the room.
This is more than betrayal! Its a sacrilege against the holyagainst family! Yes, you loved someone else, but you should have been honorable, leave the family, get a divorce! Yet theyll keep denying, lying, and then blame you for not giving enough love, claiming thats why he strayed!
The fiery speech was powerful, but what to do? Sue Greg? File for divorce? Hope its a oneoff mishap?
Janes mind spun. You cant forgive him! No one will respect you then. You must forget yourself! This isnt forgivableit demands vengeance!
How do I get revenge? Evelyn asked. What can I do? Hit him with a pan? Throw him in prison? Im just a housewife, hes a highranking man!
Well do it differently, Jane smiled ferociously. Youll go to my flat. Ill make a mess as if a fight had broken out. Then youll sit quietly while I file a missingperson report for you.
There will be suspicion that he didnt want a divorce to keep the assets. Hell get rid of you in the most direct way!
But no one can prove it; its false, Evelyn protested.
Yes, Jane nodded. They wont prove it, but while they investigate, theyll drain every last nerve of his. His downfall will start at the mere mention of your name.
Whats the point? Evelyn still didnt grasp the cunning of the plan.
Later youll appear, and hell have to share his wealth honestly, not hide behind connections, leaving you not a penny poorer!
***
Evelyn sat in Janes flat for two months, replaying every memory, weighing every motive. She was ready to leave.
Jane kept repeating, He still owes us! Ive written to the Crown Prosecution Service to make the police look for you. They let Greg off the hook! I visit him every other day just to fray his nerves.
How does he react to your visits? Evelyn asked.
He flares, but he cant do anything! Im his sister, Im showing concern! Im forcing him to look for you! If you didnt steal and bury him, then look for him! Keep looking!
Ill be the cuckoo that drives his desire for women to extinction!
Evelyns patience waned. It had already evaporated. She lingered in Janes flat only out of stubborn will, but even they were losing strength.
If Jane were home, shed have stopped Evelyn.
Evelyn brushed her hair, applied makeup, dressed in a crisp, elegant coat, clutched the keys to the flat she shared with Greg, and set out to tie up all loose ends.
How long will you suffer? she demanded of the empty air. He abandoned you, your son! He stole from the safe, broke the wedding photo, took the jewellery! He wont come back, Greg!
Could he have been duped? Hypnotised? Enchanted? Janes voice echoed from somewhere.
Tell me, did you enchant him? Evelyn asked, voice shaking.
No more, Jane replied. Find him, look him in the eye! Our love cannot simply vanish!
Greg, if he ever wanted to return, would have already done so. Instead he robbed you and fled.
Youre suffering, Jane sighed, hovering close. But Im here, I understand your pain! I pity you, and that traitor! Oh, Id love to get her! Greg, look at mehere I am, all yours, just say it!
Dont worry about the boy! Ill be his aunt, his mother if needed!
Evelyn heard this as she slipped silently into the flat.
Even a lifelong housewife can add two and two together without trouble.
What will you be now? Evelyn shouted as she entered the room.
Present! Jane reacted instantly. Greg, chase her out! Traitors have no place in our house!
Evelyn! Greg shoved Jane aside and lunged at his wife.
A loud argument erupted, voices rising. Screams were just emotions; the stolen jewellery were real evidence. Jane didnt sell or discard them.
Theres no law against breaking up a family, but there is one for theft, Greg told the officer as they handcuffed Jane. Youll answer for everything!
May you choke on your own love! Jane shouted back.
True love cant be extinguished, Evelyn whispered, it can only be eclipsed. Yet the sun after an eclipse always returns, shining brightersomething youll never grasp.
The dream faded, the streets of London blurring into fog, the echo of footsteps trailing off into a night that never ends.
