“Your mother is gone. Tears won’t bring her back—so wipe your face, make dinner, and don’t look like a grieving child when my guests arrive.” That was what my husband said.

She shook her head, panicking, and tried to extricate herself in the most cowardly way possible. Jessica screamed in a high-pitched voice, claiming she had no idea where the money came from. She excused herself by saying Mark had given it to her as a gift and that she thought it was his personal money. Jessica began to cry, but they were not tears of remorse, but crocodile tears to save herself. She pointed at Mark with a finger adorned with fake nails, accusing him of deceiving her. She said he had seduced her and pressured her into accepting those gifts. Hearing Jessica’s betrayal, Mark became furious. His face turned as red as a tomato, and the veins in his neck bulged.