We're on Equal Footing

My fingers clenched around my phone.

Silas drawled meaningfully in his deep voice, "Daphne, as you know, I want a marriage just like any other." As if anticipating my question, he elaborated, "In other words, I need you to carry out duties that are normally expected of a wife, including becoming the mother of my child.

"My family might be pushing me to get married, but I have no intention of marrying you only to live with you as if we are platonic roommates."

I rose to my feet and pulled the sheer drape off the flowers, then stared out at the setting sun beyond the window. "Silas, if we're going to get married, let me make it clear that I have no intention of playing pretend."

"In that case, I'll head to Brookhelm tomorrow, and you'll come home with me," Silas said.

"Give me two weeks. I've got some loose ends to tie up here," I countered.

After hanging up, I did as I was told and changed Silas' contact name to "Babe". Like he said, he was my first step to getting out of this relationship with Daniel.

Daniel did not come home that day nor in the couple of days that followed. In the past, I would have called him repeatedly to ask him where he was and when he was coming home, but now, I no longer felt the need to do so.

After all, I already knew where he was.

I called a few of Daniel's closest friends and retracted the wedding invitation, which surprised them. Although Daniel had wanted a simple wedding, I insisted on sending out wedding invites for the sake of formality.

I shoved the wedding invites into my purse and leveled a dark look at Daniel's friends. I had no plans to cover up my arrangement with Silas, so I said, "Well, it's only natural that the wedding invites need to be amended now that there's been a change of grooms."

None of Daniel's friends seemed too shocked by my announcement. Instead, they burst out laughing and teased me about it, believing this was a lighthearted joke.

Not that I could blame them. I had been so in love with Daniel that I happily overlooked his indifference toward me. No one would believe that I'd had a change of heart so suddenly, much less call off the wedding.

But it didn't matter. I would prove to everyone that I had let go of Daniel.

I retracted all the wedding invites I had sent out. Not long after that, Daniel came home.

He had always been meticulous, but his white shirt was slightly creased today, and his eyes were bloodshot. He looked exhausted.

I could tell right away that something was off about him.

When he saw me, his first words aligned with the decision I'd made without him. "Take back all the wedding invites you sent out. I'm grieving my teacher, who just passed, and won't be getting married for the next half a year out of respect."

Perhaps he had been anticipating a fight or a tantrum from me when he said this. I had been pushing him to get married, after all, and I knew my grandfather wanted me to get married more than anything else. As things were, I had every reason to fight for the wedding to go on.

Daniel had probably already thought of a retort, but I was calm as I said, "Very well. You have my deepest condolences."

"The memorial service is today. Come with me. He had always wanted to meet you," Daniel said.

I paused in washing my mug. I might not like Phoebe Lockwood, but her father was a well-respected and beloved professor. I met him once, and I thought he was extraordinary.

There were times when I wondered how a man as refined and friendly as he was capable of producing a menace like Phoebe. Then again, the man had passed. It was only right for me to show up with a bouquet of lilies and pay him my last respects.

I dried my hands and rummaged through my closet for a long, black coat. Grabbing my purse and straightening my clothes, I followed Daniel out the door.