She told me shed married me out of pity, and I gave her an hour to pack.
A courier job for someone of my standing? No, thank you. At my last firm they valued me, respected me. Now Im supposed to dash around the city with parcels like a schoolboy.
Victor, you said yesterday youd start at any level, I said calmly.
You forced me to say that! she snapped.
Victor leapt up, pacing the room.
Always nagging, nagging, nagging! Victor, find a job, Victor, go to the interview, Victor, you promised. Yes, I promised! But I also promised to be your husband, not your puppet!
Staring at the coffee stain spreading across the white linen, I was suddenly back at our first night out. A restaurant in central London, candles flickering, Victors confident voice that I wanted to believe:
Poppy, with me youll forget all troubles. Ill make your life a fairytale. I have so many plans, so many opportunities
Back then Victor seemed solid. The sharp suit (now I know it was rented), the watch (a cheap knockoff), the polished manners hed picked up from business seminars. Most of all, his certainty of being exceptional, which I mistook for strength. It was all smoke.
Im going for a walk, get some fresh air, Victor said, ignoring the stain. And you, think about how you behave. Sometimes I feel the problem is you. If you earned less, maybe Id feel more confident.
You know its important for a man to be the provider. When my wife runs an advertising agency it drains my masculine energy.
He slammed the door. I sank into a chair, eyes fixed on the halfeaten scrambled eggs.
Masculine energy? There was none. In all our years together he hadnt nailed a single nail. He claimed his hands werent meant for grunt work. What energy was he bragging about?
I drifted through memories, trying to pinpoint when Victor changed. The more I recalled, the clearer it became that Id ignored the early warning signs.
The first red flag rang during our honeymoon, when Victor forgot his wallet at the hotel. Then his card was blocked. Later, his accounts were temporarily frozen for a compliance check. I covered everything, soothing myself with the thought that everyone has hiccups.
Then the odd calls began.
Hello, is this Victor Harper? You promised to return the loan from last month
He brushed it off as a misunderstanding. I believed him. I wanted to.
I run my own consultancy, built from scratch. Im used to reading peopleclients, partners, stafflike open books. They admired my insight, but now my vision was clouded.
My friend Lucy, a business partner, tried to warn me.
Poppy, youre sharp, Lucy said, twirling her pen and avoiding my gaze. Cant you see hes just?
Whats he? I asked, still defending him.
Hes an opportunist, a classic golddigger. He latched onto a successful woman and leeches. How long has he been looking for work?
Hes in the process! Hes got a few promising options, I replied.
Give me a break! What options? He spends his days at home playing video games.
I snapped at Lucy, accusing her of envying my marriage. She only shook her head sadly.
Poppy, what have you gotten yourself into
In the second week of our relationship he began badmouthing former bosses, claiming they never recognised his brilliance. It later emerged his previous venture collapsed due to partner disputes a polite way of saying hed racked up debt.
One day his mother, the sweetmouthed Valerie Harper, sighed at our introduction:
Maybe with you, dear, hell finally settle down
I stood, cleared the table, tried futilely to wipe the coffee stain, then loaded the dishwasher. The mechanical routine soothed my thoughts.
The phone rang. Victor had left his handset behind. A woman identified herself as Marina, HR manager. After learning who I was, she said,
We were expecting him for an interview today, but he never showed. Is he still interested in the role? Did something happen?
Nothings wrong. He just decided a courier job is beneath him, I replied.
But this was a logistics manager position. The salary was generous, full benefits Your husbands CV impressed us!
Logistics manager, you say? Id heard Victor brag about being a courier. Was he trying to make me feel guilty? Could I ask what experience he listed?
Ten years in logistics, senior roles at major firms
Thanks, Marina. He wont be contacting you again.
After the call I sat at my computer and finally did what Id meant to do six months earlier: I ran a background check on Victor. My contacts made it easy.
The picture was bleak. His last official post was junior sales rep at a windowfitting company, dismissed for absenteeism. He owed money to several banks, faced court orders from an expartner, and had child support obligations hed never mentioned.
I stared at the screen, feeling not anger but a strange calm, as if a fog had lifted and the world had become clear.
Victor returned that evening, grinning, a bouquet of supermarket flowers in handpromopackaged, price tag still attached.
Poppy, Im sorry! I was wrong. It just slipped, you know? Ive thought it through. Guess what? Im starting my own business!
I listened silently as he spun another pipe dream. All he needed was seed capital, which, of course, Id have to provide.
In six months, maybe a year, Ill pay you back tenfold! Imagine us buying a country house, you quitting your consultancy, taking up painting, yoga, whatever you like maybe even kids!
Victor, I cut him off, pack your things.
What? he froze, flowers still in his grip. What are you talking about?
I mean youre moving out. Today. You can go back to your mum, anyonethis isnt your home any longer.
You cant! Im your husband! Were married! You have no right to
What marriage? You never wanted children; you just mentioned them now to sound grand. Yesterday you said kids would be a burden to your great plans.
Its all because of your money! he shouted, flinging the blooms onto the floor. Youve crushed me with your wealth, your success! Any man next to you feels worthless!
No, Victor. Only those who accept that label feel worthless. Successful men beside successful women see themselves as partners.
Youre useless at my age! A lone careerwoman! I married you out of pity, you know, out of pity!
Those words didnt sting. They fell into place, shattering the last illusion.
Im giving you an hour to gather your things, Victor, I said. After that Ill call the police.
