Chapter 3: The Paper on the Table
Nobody spoke.
The silence felt heavier than the shouting had.
Sophia stood near the doorway, one hand resting against the wall.
Ethan stared at her.
“Come back here.””
She didn't move.
“Sophia.””
“I need air.””
“You're not leaving.””
Her eyes flicked toward the front door.
Then back to Ethan.
“I haven't done anything.””
Gloria's voice was calm.
“You just watched yourself do it.””
Sophia's eyes narrowed.
“You've been waiting for this.””
“For what?””
“For Ethan to believe you.””
Gloria took one slow step toward her.
“I never needed him to believe me.””
She pointed toward the monitor.
“I needed him to see.””
Ethan walked toward the screen.
“Zoom in again.””
Gloria did.
The signature appeared larger.
Ethan stared at it.
His brow furrowed.
“I've seen this.””
Sophia's expression tightened.
Ethan touched the screen with one finger.
“This is my signature.””
Gloria looked at him.
“You said you never signed it.””
“I didn't.””
“But you recognize it.””
“Yes.””
Ethan stepped away from the monitor.
“I know what my signature looks like.””
Sophia spoke quickly.
“Then maybe you signed it and forgot.””
Ethan turned.
“I don't forget my signature.””
“You've been under stress.””
“No.””
“You've had a lot going on.””
“No.””
“You could have signed something without reading it.””
Ethan's voice hardened.
“I said no.””
Sophia flinched.
Gloria watched her carefully.
“Where did you get that document?””
Sophia didn't answer.
“Who gave it to you?””
Nothing.
Ethan stepped closer.
“Sophia.””
She shook her head.
“I don't know what you're talking about.””
“You just said maybe I signed it.””
“I was guessing.””
“You were holding it.””
“I found it.””
“Where?””
Sophia looked at Gloria.
“Your mother has cameras everywhere.””
Gloria's eyes narrowed.
“That isn't an answer.””
Sophia's voice rose.
“I found it here!””
“Where?””
Sophia hesitated.
Ethan noticed.
“So you do know.””
She crossed her arms.
“You're interrogating your wife because your mother showed you one video?””
“One video?””
Ethan pointed at the monitor.
“You staged an attack.””
“I was scared.””
“You hurt yourself.””
“You don't know what happened before the recording.””
“Then tell me.””
Sophia opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Gloria walked toward the coffee table.
There was a family photograph sitting beside a ceramic bowl.
Ethan and Sophia on their wedding day.
Both smiling.
Both holding champagne glasses.
Gloria picked up the photograph.
“You remember this day?””
Sophia stared at it.
“Yes.””
“You promised to protect my son.””
Sophia's expression hardened.
“I love your son.””
“Then why are you hiding a document with his signature?””
“I told you, I don't know what it is.””
Ethan looked at his mother.
“Can you see the rest of the page?””
Gloria shook her head.
“Not from this recording.””
“Is there another camera?””
Sophia's head snapped toward her.
Gloria noticed.
Ethan noticed too.
He slowly turned back to Sophia.
“You know there is.””
Sophia said nothing.
Ethan's voice became quiet.
“Why did you look at her like that?””
“I didn't.””
“You did.””
Sophia stepped backward.
“I don't feel safe here.””
“You didn't feel unsafe when you were pretending to cry.””
She looked wounded.
“That's cruel.””
Ethan laughed once.
It wasn't amusement.
It was disbelief.
“I slapped my mother because I believed you.””
Gloria's eyes lowered.
Ethan continued.
“And now I'm looking at you, wondering how much of my life has been a lie.””
Sophia's voice cracked.
“Ethan, please.””
He shook his head.
“Who were you talking to?””
“I can't tell you.””
“Why?””
“Because—”
She stopped.
Gloria waited.
Ethan waited.
Sophia looked at the door.
Then at the monitor.
Then at Ethan.
“Because if I tell you, you'll hate me.””
Ethan stared at her.
“That depends on what you're hiding.””
Sophia's eyes filled with tears.
This time, they looked real.
She took one trembling breath.
“I didn't forge your signature.””
Ethan's expression didn't change.
“Then who did?””
Sophia looked directly at Gloria.
May you like
And whispered,
“You already know who.””
