So at the next dinner, they both went pale when I slid a thin envelope across the table and said, “Before we eat, there’s something you should see.”
My dad frowned, already irritated. Liv kept that same smug half-smile, swirling her wine like she owned the place—which, apparently, she soon would.
“Open it,” I added.
He did. The color drained from his face before he even reached the second page. Liv leaned over, curious—then stiffened, her smile cracking.
“What is this?” she snapped.
“A copy of your marriage certificate,” I said calmly, “and the one before that. And the one before that.”
Silence.
My dad looked between us, confused. “Liv…?”
I folded my hands. “Her real name isn’t Liv. It’s Olivia Maren. She’s been married three times in the last five years. Each time, to a much older man. Each time, she walked away with everything.”
“That’s not—” she started, but her voice shook.
I kept going. “I also spoke to one of her ex-husband’s daughters. Funny enough, she had a story that sounded almost identical to mine.”
My dad pushed his chair back slightly, eyes locked on Liv like he was seeing her for the first time.
“You lied to me?” he asked, quietly.
Liv stood up abruptly. “This is ridiculous. You’re going to believe this over your own wife?”
I slid one more paper across the table. “Bank records. Transfers from her last husband’s account to hers—two weeks before he filed for bankruptcy.”
Now there was no smirk. Just panic.
My dad didn’t yell. Didn’t argue. He just stared at the documents, then at her… and slowly shook his head.
“Get out,” he said.
Liv froze. “What?”
“Get. Out.”
For once, she didn’t have anything to say.
She grabbed her bag and left without another word, the door slamming behind her echoing through the house.
The room went quiet.
My dad sat there for a long time, staring at the papers in his hands. Then he looked at me—really looked at me.
“…You saved me,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
I exhaled slowly. “I just didn’t want you to lose everything.”
He nodded, swallowing hard.
That night, for the first time in a long time, it felt like I had my dad back.
