Marcus froze, utterly bewildered. He had expected a hysterical outburst, pleas for forgiveness, the usual terror in her eyes. Instead, he was met with an icy composure and a chilling resolve he had never seen before.

“What did you say?” he asked, completely thrown.

Anna didn’t answer. She simply turned and walked out of the room, leaving Marcus and his parents standing in the wreckage of their perfect family dinner, utterly baffled.

Walking out into the cool night air, Anna’s mind went back to the first time. It was a year after their wedding. A minor argument had escalated into a shouting match, and suddenly, Marcus had lost control. He’d slapped her, then immediately fallen to his knees, begging for forgiveness. Anna had believed his tears, his promises. She had hoped it would never happen again.