Vanishing Act

Victoria looked at the empty chair across the breakfast table. Her coffee was getting cold. Louis was gone. Again. The maid's voice startled Victoria. "Mrs. Sebastian, do you need anything else?" Victoria forced a smile. "No, thank you, Marie. I'll be leaving for work soon." As Victoria gathered her briefcase, her phone buzzed. It was a text from Louis: "Working late. Don't wait up." Victoria scoffed and put the phone in her bag. "As if I would," she muttered. At the law firm, Victoria focused on her work. Time passed quickly as she read case files. She barely noticed when her assistant knocked on the door. "Ms. Watson? I mean, Mrs. Sebastian?" Victoria looked up, blinking. "Yes, Sarah?" "It's past 9 pm. Don't you want to go home?" Home. The words felt empty to Victoria. "I'm fine. You can go." As Sarah left, Victoria's phone rang. Louis's face appeared on the screen. She hesitated before answering. "Hello?" "Victoria," Louis's voice was tense. "Where are you?" Victoria rolled her eyes. "Working. Why do you care?" "We will have dinner with the Johnsons in an hour. Did you forget?" Victoria's stomach sank. She had forgotten. "I'll be there soon." Victoria rushed home and changed quickly. When she entered the dining room, Louis was already there, looking perfect in a suit. "She sat down." "She said quietly, 'I didn't notice how much time had passed.'" Louis's eyes narrowed. "Are you too busy with your mysterious phone calls?" Victoria's temper flared. "That's rich, coming from you. Where were you this morning?" "I told you, I had work—" The doorbell interrupted their heated argument. Louis plastered on a smile. "We'll talk about this later." During dinner, Victoria and Louis pretended to be a happy couple. They laughed at each other's jokes, touched hands, and spoke lovingly about their "quick romance." But as soon as the Johnsons left, the pretense collapsed. "What was that about my 'adorable morning routine'?" Victoria demanded. "You wouldn't know. You're never here!" Louis angrily loosened his tie. "I'm running a company, Victoria. Unlike some, I can't just play lawyer all day." "Play lawyer?" Victoria's voice rose. "I work just as hard as you do!" "Please," Louis scoffed. "You're barely at the office. Always sneaking off for your secret phone calls." Victoria's heart raced. "You're spying on me?" "I'm protecting my interests," Louis shot back. "This marriage may be fake, but I won't be made a fool of." "You're doing a fine job of that yourself," Victoria spat. Louis stepped closer, his eyes flashing. "What's that supposed to mean?" "It means I'm not the only one with secrets," Victoria challenged. Something like fear showed on Louis's face for a moment. But then anger replaced it. "That's not your business," he said in a low, angry voice. "It is when I have to cover for you!" Victoria yelled. "Do you know how embarrassing it is to make excuses for my husband when he's not there?" Louis's laugh sounded bitter. "Oh, poor Victoria. It must be so hard, living in this big house and having everything you want." "Except a real marriage," Victoria shot back. The words hung between them, heavy with feelings that were not spoken. Louis turned away, his shoulders tense. "I never wanted this either, you know." Victoria's anger went down a little. "Then why don't we just end it?" Louis spun around, his eyes wide. "You know we can't do that." 'Why not?" Victoria pressed. 'We're both miserable. Our families would understand—" Louis cut her off sharply. "No," he said. "It's not an option. Ever." The finality in his voice made Victoria feel a chill. She wondered what he wasn't telling her. Before she could ask more, Louis's phone buzzed. He glanced at it, and his face hardened. "I have to go," he said, already heading for the door. "Louis, wait!" Victoria called after him. "We're not finished here!" But he left, and the sound of his car engine faded into the night. Victoria sat on the couch, her head in her hands. She wondered how her life had become such a mess. Her phone chimed. It was a text from Barry: "Coffee tomorrow?" She stared at the message, unsure. She knew it would complicate things, but she thought of Barry's warm smile and understanding eyes. She typed back: "Yes." As she got ready for bed, Victoria's mind raced. She wondered where Louis was going and why he was so adamant about staying in their marriage. She tossed and turned all night, troubled by dreams of shadowy figures and whispered secrets. Across town, Louis sat in a dimly lit bar, drinking a whiskey. A figure slid onto the seat next to him. Louis didn't look up. He said, "I don't have a choice." The man replied, "There is always a choice." He continued, "But your choice is easy: keep your wife under control, or everything will fall apart." As the stranger left, Louis drank his drink. His hand was shaking a little bit. He had gone too far. There was no going back.