Chapter 3 - Richard Comes to Collect His Wife
Richard began calling at 6:14 the next morning.
Nebula watched the phone vibrate.
Twenty-three missed calls.
Then messages.
Come home.
We need to talk.
You're destroying Chloe's wedding.
Then:
You know what happens when you embarrass me.
Nebula screenshotted everything.
Rebecca had told her to.
At 8:03, Chloe called.
Nebula answered.
“Neb?”
“Hey.”
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere safe.”
Silence.
Then Chloe whispered, “Richard said you had some kind of breakdown.”
Nebula closed her eyes.
Of course he did.
“He hit me.”
“What?”
“He hit me outside the reception.”
“No.”
“He did.”
“But Richard said—”
“Chloe.”
Her sister went silent.
Nebula took a breath.
“I need you to decide whether you're asking what happened or telling me what Richard says happened.”
Another silence.
Then Chloe's voice broke.
“I'm asking.”
So Nebula told her.
Not everything.
Enough.
When she finished, Chloe whispered, “Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because yesterday was your wedding.”
“I don't care about the wedding!”
“I did.”
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you yet.”
“Is Gilbert with you?”
Nebula hesitated.
“How do you know?”
“Richard told everyone Gilbert Mercer kidnapped you.”
Nebula actually laughed.
“Of course he did.”
“Nebula, Dad is furious.”
“At me?”
“At Gilbert. Richard told him Gilbert threatened him.”
“He didn't.”
“What happened?”
“Gilbert stopped Richard from grabbing me.”
Chloe lowered her voice.
“Richard's at Mom and Dad's right now.”
Nebula sat upright.
“What?”
“He's telling them you're being manipulated.”
A knock sounded downstairs.
Nebula froze.
“Chloe.”
“What?”
“Someone's here.”
“Don't open it.”
Another knock.
Then Richard's voice.
“Nebula!”
Her blood turned cold.
Chloe heard him through the phone.
“Oh my God.”
Nebula immediately called Rebecca.
The attorney answered.
“Don't open the door.”
“How did he find me?”
“We'll determine that later.”
Richard pounded again.
“I know you're in there!”
Nebula backed away.
Then another vehicle stopped outside.
Gilbert stepped out.
Nebula's stomach dropped.
Richard saw him.
“You!”
Gilbert remained on the sidewalk.
Nebula opened an upstairs window.
“Gilbert!”
Both men looked up.
“Don't touch him.”
Gilbert raised both hands slightly.
“Understood.”
Richard laughed.
“Look at you. Her trained dog.”
Gilbert said nothing.
Richard approached him.
“You think she's yours again?”
“No.”
“She'll come crawling back to me.”
“No.”
“You don't know my wife.”
Gilbert looked toward Nebula.
“I know she told you to leave.”
Richard shoved him.
Gilbert didn't move.
“Hit me,” Richard said.
Gilbert smiled faintly.
“No.”
“Come on.”
“No.”
Richard shoved him again.
“You want to.”
“Very much.”
“Then do it.”
Gilbert's smile disappeared.
“You want me to become the story.”
Richard stopped.
Gilbert nodded toward a security camera mounted across the street.
“You show up after being told not to. You threaten her. You attack me. Then I hit you, and suddenly you're the victim.”
Richard's expression shifted.
Gilbert stepped closer.
“I'm not giving you that.”
Police arrived minutes later.
This time Nebula had photographs.
Medical documentation.
Messages.
Video.
And witnesses.
Richard watched from beside the patrol car as Nebula finally came outside.
“You're really doing this?”
“Yes.”
“You're ruining my life.”
Nebula looked at him.
“No, Richard.”
She handed Rebecca her phone.
May you like
“I'm finally stopping you from ruining mine.”
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