You’re Richard.
You sound exactly like your messages.”
“What messages?”
“The ones you sent after Daniel passed away.
You told me Helen knew about me and wanted no contact.”
I gripped the back of the sofa.
“You wrote to her in my name?”
Richard shook his head.
“She’s lying.”
Eleanor opened her suitcase and removed a bundle of printed emails.
“‘My mother considers you an embarrassment.
Do not contact her again.’ You signed every one.”
“I was protecting Mom.”
“From what?” I asked.
“The truth?”
“From finding out her marriage was built on a lie.”
The words landed harder than I expected.
My knees folded, and I sank onto the sofa.
“You’re right,” I whispered.
“I don’t know which parts of my life were real anymore.”
Eleanor knelt in front of me.
“Don’t let him take your marriage away from you.”
“You were Daniel’s child.
He hid you from me.”
“
