Chapter 3 - The Recording of a Lifetime
In the kitchen,
I could hear them talking in the dining room,
their voices drifting over the sound of the sizzling bacon I was pretending to cook.
Camryn was lecturing Marvin on how to maintain control,
sharing stories of how she had broken his father years ago.
"You have to be consistent,"
she said,
the clink of a fork against a plate punctuating her words.
"If she smiles too much,
remind her who pays the bills."
"If she buys something for herself,
take it back and sell it."
"She is an asset,
Marvin,
not a partner."
I pulled my laptop from the pantry,
where I had hidden it earlier,
and connected the live feed from my phone to the cloud.
With one click,
I sent the link to a private group chat.
In that chat were my brothers,
who were both high-ranking police officers,
my father,
who was a retired judge,
and the board of directors at the municipal sports center.
I also included Camryn’s own bridge club and her church’s prayer group.
I wanted the world to see the "virtuous" Camryn in her natural habitat.
I walked back into the dining room,
carrying a tray of food,
my face still a mask of submission.
"Here is your breakfast,"
I said,
placing the plates down.
Camryn looked at the eggs and sneered.
"They're overcooked."
She picked up the plate and threw it onto the floor,
right next to the shards from the night before.
"Clean it up,
and do it better."
"And while you’re down there,
tell Marvin you’re sorry for being such a difficult wife."
I didn't move.
I didn't kneel.
Instead,
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone,
turning the screen toward her.
The recording from the night before began to play,
filling the room with the sound of her own voice plotting my assault.
Then,
I switched the view to the live stream,
showing the hundreds of comments pouring in from the people who were watching us right at that moment.
Camryn’s face went from smug satisfaction to a sickly,
pale green in a matter of seconds.
"What is this?"
she hissed,
reaching for the phone.
I stepped back,
my limping gait suddenly disappearing as I stood at my full height.
"This is the end of your reign,
Camryn."
"Everyone is watching."
"Your friends,
your family,
your church."
"They just saw you encourage your son to beat his wife."
"They just saw you throw a plate like a spoiled child."
"And they just heard you admit to financial abuse."
Marvin stood up,
knocking his chair over,
his eyes wide with panic.
"Olivia,
stop this!
Turn it off!"
"It's too late,
Marvin,"
I said,
my voice ringing with an authority that made him flinch.
May you like
"The police are already on their way."
"And I think your mother’s bridge club has a few questions about where she gets the money for those pearls."
