I continue to glare at her. I’m too angry to even speak. I fold my arms in front of me and narrow my eyes.
“You can cut the shit now, Margaret.”
Her face drops. “What do you mean?”
“That was James on the phone. I’m not an idiot.”
She raises her eyebrows. “James? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Shall we take your phone out and compare it to James’ number on Robert’s phone.”
Her face drops. “Why are you spying on me?” she snaps angrily.
“So, you did lie? The whole fucking thing was a lie?” I fume.
She shakes her head. “No. No. It was all true.”
“He blackmailed you.”
She stares at me hopelessly as she tries to think of an answer.
“He never even beat you did he?”
She doesn’t answer.
“Did he?” I yell.
“Natasha, please. It’s complicated. You wouldn’t understand.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t.” I sneer. “You’re pathetic.”
“He doesn’t mean to hit me.”
I scrunch up my face in confusion. “So, he does hit you?”
“He just loses his temper.”
“Why?”
Fake tears well up in her eyes. “Because I won’t leave Robert for him.”
“What the hell?” I cry. “What are you fucking saying?”
“We have been…” she hesitates as if thinking of her wording, “involved for a long time. I could never leave Robert because I was scared Joshua would find out.”
“So, the rape story was a lie?” I yell. I can’t believe this bitch. Who makes up stories like that?
She shakes her head. “No, he has raped me in the past and he does hit me. But only because he loves me.”
“He hits you and rapes you because he loves you? Have you gone completely mad? Are you listening to what you are saying at all?”
“He so desperately loves me. So much so that he can’t stand the thought of me going home to Robert. He has even threatened to kill me, to kill himself if I don’t see him.”
I don’t believe this. She is defending his behaviour. She’s in a domestic violent relationship with him.
“I love him, Natasha.” Her eyes search mine.
I stand still on the spot as everything I thought I knew falls into place.
This was my gut feeling.
I shake my head in disgust.
“You are a lying, two faced bitch.”
Her face falls. “Natasha, please understand.”
“No!” I shout back. “I understood when you told me the lies. I understood when you kept Joshua and I apart, knowing all along that we were not cousins.”
“Natasha, please. My marriage to Robert is over. It doesn’t need to be bought up.”