AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I put it to one side, deciding it can wait another few hours, and reach into my bag, pulling out Lara’s diary. I open it and take a bite of my sandwich.
The diary started off well. She seemed happy and madly in love. But I’m starting to feel her happiness deplete.
Dear Diary,
Today we fought. Not like before, where Ivan yells and I stay quiet. This time, I yelled back, and it surprised him. It also angered him. He was so angry, he smashed things in the house. That seems to be his go-to whenever he doesn’t like what I have to say. And it was all over something so pointless. I didn’t tell my boss I was leaving. Ivan doesn’t understand why I’m reluctant to stop work, but I love my job, and it doesn’t matter how many times we discuss it, he just can’t seem to grasp that I’m not going to leave. So, we fought. Hours of yelling and screaming until I eventually got so tired, I locked myself in the spare room to sleep. He hates when he can’t be near me. I swear, if I stop work, he’ll be glued to my side.
I quite like it in this room. I might have it decorated so I can come here when I need to breathe. We hardly ever visit our smaller home. Ivan says it’s because his business is conducted from his office here, but he could easily make an office there too.
Love, Lara.
I finish my sandwich and grab the pregnancy test. I have to put my mind at rest, or I’ll never sleep.
I go to the bathroom and pee into the plastic cup, then I dip the test and lay it flat on the side. The telephone rings, distracting me, and I sigh. I already know it’s going to be him, or someone with more news.
I sit on the bed and pick up the receiver. “Hello, Ms. Morozov. It’s reception. We have a call for you from your husband.”
I roll my eyes.He knows I’m using Lara’s name. “Thank you. Put it through.”
The line goes silent for a second before I hear the reconnection. “Ivan,” I say, my tone bored, “you found me again.”
“We’re giving your old friend a funeral. Would you like to say any words?”
I bite my lower lip, thinking over my words very carefully. “Yes, please. Lenny, my good friend, you were a legend, always happy to help, and the only man who was ever kind to me. I’ll forever remember you. And I’ll make your killer pay. I promise you.”
Ivan chuckles. “And how do you suppose you’ll do that, Grace, when you’re so far away in France?”
“Aren’t you bored?” I ask with a sigh. “You’re letting me consume your thoughts instead of getting on with your life.”
“Apparently, you’re my wife, Grace. Or should I call you Lara?”
“You wanted me to be just like her at one point, Ivan. I thought you’d be pleased.”
“I’ve spent a lot of time wondering why you ran when I was offering you so much.”
I scoff. “You really believe that, don’t you?”
“Didn’t we have it good?” he asks. “Before Maxim tried to tear us apart?”
“Speaking of Maxim,” I say, grabbing Lara’s diary, “I have something to read to you.”
“I’m all ears, my wife.”
“Dear Diary,” I read. “Today, I realised two things. One, it doesn’t matter what Maxim does, Ivan is blind to it. And two, Maxim is very aware of this. Today, he told me how he pictured me naked in his bed. Naked in his bed! He makes my skin crawl. When I said I’d tell Ivan, he laughed and told me exactly what would happen to me if I try.
“When Ivan returned home, I tried to tell him I was uncomfortable being around Maxim, and Ivan laughed. He told me that his childhood friend was practically his brother, and I should basically suck it up because Max wasn’t going anywhere. Do I risk telling him how his friend feels about me? Would he believe me?”
“Where are you reading that from?” snaps Ivan.
“Didn’t you know? Lara kept a diary.”
“What?”
“It’s heartbreaking stuff, Ivan. Like, a real tearjerker. Do you know she hated you in the end?”
“I want that diary,” he barks.
“And I want you to stay the fuck away from me, you psychopath.”
