I was standing frozen at my place, completely numb. A flicker of hesitation passed through his eyes as he asked, his tone nervous, “What were you doing outside the room, Mia? Why didn't you knock or just walk in?”
I cleared my throat as I curled my lips into a faint smile before I said, “I just got here, Denver.”
“Oh,” Denver's expression immediately softened, “Why did you come out of your study room, Honey? You should have called me if you needed coffee or anything. I’m always there to help you. You should only focus on the book you are working on.”
He stepped forward, his hands slowly reaching out to my manuscript as he added, his voice still laced with gentleness and curiosity, “How far did you reach with your story? Let me see…”
But, I immediately stepped back, not letting him reach for my manuscript. He hesitated as he looked up at me with a pair of suspicious eyes.
But, I smiled mischievously before saying, “It's a surprise, Denver. I want you to read the book only when it's finished. I still have the climax to write.”
He smiled back as he stepped back to stand at his place, saying softly, “As you wish, Mia. No matter what you do, I’m always with you.”
“Denver,” I called him, my voice barely above a whisper, trying to see through his eyes, “You said You will ask the publisher to reveal to the world that the author writing behind the pen name ‘Little Fox’ is me. Were you telling the truth? Are you really going to do that?”
“Of course, Honey!” He said, his voice soft and gentle as he continued, “You have been writing for five years under this pen name and people all over the world love your books so much.”
“After they come to know that these books were written by you, they will automatically believe that you could never steal someone's book with that God gifted talent in you.”
“Your image will be cleared, and you don't have to live behind the curtains. You can proudly announce to the world that you are the bestselling author of the USA.”
Tears were formed in my eyes, not because of the sweet dream he just mentioned before me but because of realizing how good of an actor my husband was.
He was never going to announce my name as the author yet he was lying to me so confidently that I could not see even a curve of hesitation on his forehead.
I didn't argue with him. We had our dinner early that was prepared by him. After he went to sleep. I quietly walked out of our bedroom.
He didn’t doubt me as I used to take care of his work the whole day and write at night. But, this time I didn't walk to my study room but his.
The door was locked with a smart lock system invented by his company. As expected, it opened with Cindy’s birthdate.
A smile of mockery spread through my lips as I slowly opened his laptop, password Cindy's dog’s name. What a shame to our marriage!
As I opened his laptop, I discovered his chat with Cindy's and the documents he sent to her. My gaze fixed on the last text in which he mentioned,
“Don't worry about the controversy arising about your work, Cindy. After the publisher announces you as the author behind ‘Little Fox’ pen name, no one will ever judge your talent.”
“When are you going to do that, Denver? I can't wait to watch my haters die of envy.” She replied.
“Next week, Cindy. Just when Mia finishes the book.” Denver wrote.
I closed the laptop, and couldn't get to read any longer. I had been blinded in love for years that I never met my editor or publisher even for once.
I entrusted everything to Denver. The only thing I did was write my books and give the manuscripts to him. The contract, publishing and marketing, these were all done by him and I never raised a question against it.
But, all that he was doing was deceiving me. His love, his care, his motivation, all lies. He was a wolf in the skin of my husband, waiting for the right moment to bite me.
But, one thing that he didn't know was that I had seen through him. I knew what kind of a person he was, and the manuscript he had been planning to steal from me, still belonged to me.
And, I was not going to let him manipulate me again with his sweet lies. I was never going to become the fool I had been for years.
I went back to my study room, tore the last pages of the manuscript and wrote a different climax to my story. After finishing my work, I wrote a letter to Denver.
‘You wanted my manuscript, Denver. Here it is.’
