Page 82 of The Wife Stalker

My mother called to tell me she’d come see me in jail, but I told her not to bother. The only good thing about being here is that I don’t have to feel guilty about not taking care of her anymore. No more cooking and cleaning up after her, trying to cheer her up. I had lived in her dreary, cramped house all my life, but now I wouldn’t end up like that pitiful woman in the obituary I read, the one who took care of her mother until she died. Despite the fact that I was in a locked cell, I felt free for the first time in years.

The last person I had to settle the score with was Celeste. She’d be happy to know that I was no longer obsessing about Piper. But she wouldn’t be happy to hear the rest of what I had to say. I’d heard from my attorney that Celeste’s license had been suspended and her office temporarily closed. I asked him to arrange for her to visit me. At first, she refused; then I told him to tell her that I knew who had leaked her files on her Facebook page, and suddenly she was ready to meet.

She would be here any minute. Finally, the guard opened the door and she walked in. Her appearance was shocking. She was disheveled, her face pale and devoid of makeup, and she had dark circles under her eyes.

“Hello, Celeste.” My voice was cold.

She sat across from me and shook her head. “What have you done?”

“I’m sure you’re up to speed on why I’m here. Maybe if you’d been a better therapist...”

“I don’t mean that. What do you know about my computer being hacked?”

“You’re really not that quick, are you?”

“Look, Joanna, I don’t want to play games here. I only came because your lawyer said you know what happened.”

I had to be careful what I said, but I’d prepared for this. I leaned back in my chair. “Well, first of all, you should be careful about opening attachments. You’re so fond of emailing your patients, but I guess you didn’t know that theoretically someone could add a little Trojan horse to one of the documents they send you and clone your whole computer. Not that I’m saying that anyone did that. But someone could.”

Her mouth dropped open. “All that confidential information was posted to my Facebook page. I’m going to lose my license, and I’m being sued.”

“What a shame. Although I must say, you’re a pretty shitty therapist, so it’s no loss to the mental health community.”

“You’re crazy. I don’t know why I didn’t see it—howI didn’t. You lied to me. You told me that Leo was your ex-husband, that Evie and Stelli were your children. You were never even married. I should have recognized that you’re delusional.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not delusional. I always knew he wasn’t my husband, you idiot. Of course I lied to you. But theyaremy children. Olivia gave them to me.” Now I was getting angry. I had to focus and get back to why I had wanted to see her. I leaned in closer. “Remember when I told you that my father had replaced me with another daughter?”

She looked confused.

“Putting the pieces together yet? Did you ever wonder why your stepfather was gone so much? Why he didn’t live with you full-time until you were a teenager?”

A spark of recognition appeared in her eyes. “No... I don’t...”

“Because he left my family for you and your whore of a mother.”

Celeste looked at me in shock. “Myfather isyourfather? I... I didn’t know. He traveled for work.”

“He was my father first. But he wanted to spare you and your mother the embarrassing truth of our existence. He didn’t give a shit about us. You wanted to know why I never told him how I felt—because he didn’t want me to be a part of his family,yourfamily.” I laughed. “Couldn’t let your mom know he’d been cheating on his wife for years with her. Even though she had you out of wedlock, for some reason he thinks she’s a saint.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know, Joanna.” She sounded like therapist Celeste for a minute.

“Yeah, well, too late for ‘sorry.’ He paid for your collegeandyour graduate degree. That money was supposed to be for my education. I’d be a lawyer now if it weren’t for you. I guess nowneitherof us has the profession she wants.”

“You came to me purely for revenge?”

“Ah, for once you’re showing some insight.”

“You were never interested in therapy,” Celeste said, shaking her head. “You didn’t actually want help.”

“If I had, I’d have chosen someone who knew what she was doing. Tell Daddy I said hello.” Before she could respond, I called the guard and then turned to her. “You can go now.”

Finally, the playing field was leveled. If I had to lose everything, so did she.

55

Piper

Piper nestled against Leo as they sat on the sofa and watched the children work on a jigsaw puzzle together. Snow had been falling since late morning, and when she’d peered outside after sunset, there was already a five-inch accumulation, with no letup in sight. A wood fire crackled and gave the room a cozy glow on this wintry evening. She smiled and closed her eyes in pure contentment.

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