The Wife
An unputdownable psychological thriller with a breathtaking twist
Shalini Boland
Books by Shalini Boland
One of Us Is Lying
The Other Daughter
The Marriage Betrayal
The Girl from the Sea
The Best Friend
The Perfect Family
The Silent Sister
The Millionaire’s Wife
The Child Next Door
The Secret Mother
Available in Audio
One of Us is Lying (Available in the UK and the US)
The Other Daughter (Available in the UK and the US)
The Marriage Betrayal (Available in the UK and the US)
The Perfect Family (Available in the UK and the US)
The Silent Sister (Available in the UK and the US)
The Child Next Door (Available in the UK and the US)
The Secret Mother (Available in the UK and the US)
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Epilogue
The Secret Mother
Hear more from Shalini
Books by Shalini Boland
A Letter from Shalini
One of Us Is Lying
The Other Daughter
The Marriage Betrayal
The Girl from the Sea
The Best Friend
The Perfect Family
The Silent Sister
The Millionaire’s Wife
The Child Next Door
Acknowledgements
*
Prologue
The skin beneath my fingers is warm and soft. Pliant. She’s stopped yelling now, but I’m drowning in shock as she beats her fists against me. Kicks, scratches, tries to spit in my face. I can’t let go. Can’t let her ruin everything. Although I think it’s already too late for that.
Her scent catches in the back of my throat. I grit my teeth. The world has suddenly and violently shrunk down to just me and her. Nothing else matters. Sweat beads on my forehead and under my arms. I should stop this. Release my grip. I should let her come for me again and take the consequences. But I can’t. I daren’t.
I have too much to lose.
One
THEN
The first thing I notice is the funny taste in my mouth – metallic and earthy. Blood. I run my tongue over my teeth and wince, realising I must have bitten my tongue. The second thing I notice is the worried face of my fiancé peering down at me.
‘Toby,’ I croak.
He crouches and takes my hand and I realise he’s trembling. ‘Are… are you okay? You really gave us a scare.’ His face is whiter than bone, his neck red and mottled beneath a partially open shirt, his black tie pulled undone. ‘We were so worried.’
‘Where…?’ I try to sit up, but my brain feels as though it’s floating loose in my skull, so I give up and sink back down. It’s then that I realise I’m lying on the floor, my head on a cushion. ‘What happened?’
‘Don’t you remember?’ he asks.
I try to think, but my mind is fuzzy. ‘What’s going on? Why do I feel weird?’
‘You fainted, love.’ Toby’s mum Celia kneels by my side, one hand on my forehead, the other on my wrist. She looks different somehow. Maybe it’s her hair – she’s had it cut or styled or something. It looks straighter than usual, and browner. She must have had the grey coloured. ‘Looks like you came down a real cropper.’
I now see that as well as Celia, Toby’s dad Malcolm and his elder brother Nick are also in the room, staring down at me, deep worry etched across their brows. Nick and Malcolm are both wearing grey suits, which seems strange, and I notice how similar they look, with their square frames and brown eyes. Nick’s hair not quite as grey as his dad’s. Toby, on the other hand, is leaner, taller and more classically handsome, his hair a rich mahogany.
‘You feel a little clammy, but your pulse is steady. I think you’ll be okay.’ Celia is a nurse, so if she says I’m okay, I guess I must be okay.
‘I can’t remember what happened.’
Celia looks up at her eldest son. ‘Nick, can you get Zoe a glass of water?’
‘Uh, sure.’
I notice Toby’s right leg is quivering, and his hands are trembling. He’s not the sort to get anxious, so his concern for me makes me love him even more. ‘Toby, you’re shaking!’
‘I was so worried.’ He swallows and leans in to kiss my forehead. ‘If anything happened to you I don’t know what I’d do.’
‘I’m fine, silly. Just a bit dizzy, that’s all. Tell him I’m okay, Celia.’
Toby glances at his mother and she gives him a comforting smile. ‘Relax, Toby. Zoe’s going to be just fine.’ Celia sits back on her haunches. ‘Well, this is an unusual wedding day.’ She raises an eyebrow and squeezes my hand.
‘Wedding day?’ Only now do I remember. That explains Celia’s hair, the suits, and – I peer down at myself – my lace wedding dress. ‘Oh no! It’s today! Did I wreck it? Is it too late?’ This time I manage to sit up despite my woozy head. ‘I can’t believe I—’
‘It’s okay,’ Toby interrupts. ‘We’ve still got time. The ceremony isn’t due to start for another’ – he checks his watch – ‘forty minutes.’
‘What happened? You said I fainted, but I don’t remember that at all. It’s so hazy… I was getting ready and then…’
‘Like Mum said, you hit the deck.’ Toby shakes his head. ‘Are you sure you can’t remember anything about it? That’s quite worrying, Zo.’
I frown and try to recall what happened, but my brain hurts. Little stabbing pains flit across my scalp, coming to rest above my eyes, where they throb and pulse like flickering lights. ‘Last thing I remember, I was getting ready. Celia, you were here with Lou and Becky, helping me get into my dress. That’s it. That’s the very last thing I remember.’
Nick returns and hands me a glass of water.
‘Small sips,’ Celia instructs. ‘We left you to go get our make-up done at the spa. Then Nick came in to borrow a phone charger. It’s a good thing he was here, because that’s when you fainted, and he called me. I told the other two to stay there – didn’t want you getting crowded with too many people fussing. Looks like you hit the back of your head on the desk on your way down.’
I reach up to gingerly pat the back of my head and wince. Sure enough, I feel a pebble-like lump beneath my fingers.
‘Do you feel nauseous at all?’ Celia asks.
‘A little. Not too much. I’ve got an evil headache though.’
My mother-in-law-to-be rummages in her handbag a
nd pulls out a packet of paracetamol. ‘Take a couple of these.’
I put the pills in my mouth one at a time, knocking each one back with a slug of water.
‘Maybe we should get you checked out?’ Malcolm runs a hand through his sparse grey hair. He turns to Toby. ‘She looks decidedly peaky, son.’
‘I know, but Mum said she’ll be okay,’ Toby replies uncertainly.
‘I know what your mum said, but it can’t hurt to—’
‘Thanks, Malcolm,’ I interrupt, ‘but I don’t want to miss my wedding because of a bump on the head. If I still feel bad, I’ll go to the doctor’s later.’
‘Well, okay. But perhaps I should let Guy know. You might be unsteady on your feet as he walks you down the aisle.’ Malcolm turns to leave.
Toby stands and puts a hand on his father’s shoulder. ‘Wait…’
‘Toby’s right. Don’t tell my dad. He’ll only worry.’ I stagger to my feet and find to my dismay that I have to lean on a chair to steady myself. My legs are so shaky. What if I’m not strong enough to stand and say my vows? I think of all the people in the little chapel next to the hotel who have come to see us get married. All the weeks of planning. My utter joy and excitement at the thought of becoming Mrs Zoe Johnson. I can’t not get married, no matter how shaky I feel. I let go of the chair and square my shoulders. ‘Do you know what? Celia’s right, I’m absolutely fine. Honestly, I already feel so much better. I think it must have been nerves that made me faint. Or maybe hunger. Thinking about it, I did skip breakfast.’
‘Well, that’ll be it,’ Celia declares. ‘Let me call room service and get you something sugary. A piece of cake maybe. In the meantime, you should sit down, love. Rest a while.’
‘No, I’m fine, honestly. Lou and Becky will be back soon.’ My bridesmaids must still be downstairs. As my sister couldn’t be here, I asked my two best friends to step in. I went to school with Lou and I work at the salon with Becky.
Celia picks up the phone on the bedside table. ‘I’ll have the kitchen send tea and cake – enough for the three of you.’
‘Four of us,’ I amend. ‘You should stay too.’
‘No, I’ll let you three have some time to yourselves. You don’t want an oldie cramping your style.’
‘Don’t be daft. Of course I want you with us.’
‘Okay, if you’re sure.’ She gives me a soft smile.
Celia is the closest I’ve got to a mum. My mother died when I was thirteen after a two-year struggle with cancer. And my younger sister Dina left home to go travelling when she hit sixteen. I’ve only spoken to her sporadically since then. Dad was devastated after Mum died. He never really got over it and was rarely there for me and Dina. Well, not emotionally anyway. He made sure we were fed and clothed, but he wouldn’t talk about Mum, or about anything really. Our household was a sad place. I tried to fill the void Mum left as best I could, but I don’t think I did a particularly good job. No wonder Dina got the hell out as soon as she could.
I stuck around in Shaftesbury, as I couldn’t see myself living anywhere other than the small Dorset town where I grew up. But when I met Toby and his family, my world finally developed some colour. Some warmth. Ever since the two of us got together three years ago, his mum has treated me like the daughter she never had. We chat daily, meet for lunch, go on spa days, and tell one another pretty much everything. And Malcolm is a soft-hearted sweetie who would do anything for his wife. Don’t get me wrong, I love my dad. It’s just… difficult.
‘I hope I haven’t jinxed things.’ I turn to Toby. ‘It’s supposed to be bad luck for us to see one another before the wedding.’
‘You don’t really believe that.’ He gives me an indulgent smile.
‘No, but I wanted to do things the right way. I didn’t want any drama. And I wanted to wait until I reached the chapel to see you. Now I’ve ruined it.’
‘You haven’t ruined anything.’ He puts his arms around me, and I lean into him. I’m only a couple of inches over five feet so my cheek rests comfortably against his chest. ‘I know you wanted everything to be just so. It’s what I love about you, Zoe. You love family. You love tradition.’
‘Even though I fainted and now have a giant egg-shaped lump on my head?’ I give him a wry look. ‘That’s not exactly traditional.’
‘Zoe, it’s all going to be perfect. You’re perfect.’
My heart lifts at his words and for a moment my head clears, and the pain disappears. Until I remember… ‘I’m not perfect,’ I murmur. ‘No one is.’
‘Okay, well you’re perfect for me.’
I inhale deeply and push out the knowledge that this isn’t exactly true. I try to focus on the day ahead. To ignore the tiny bead of worry in my chest. Today is a day for fairy tales and happy ever afters. What’s past is past. All that matters is that I’m about to become the person I’ve always wanted to be, with the man I love.
Two
NOW
Serving platters are brought out and laid on the dining table by the waiting staff, who then give us a detailed account of the gourmet finger foods artfully arranged before us.
‘I hope you’re hungry,’ I say, eying up the amazing selection. I thought the view of the forest through the mullioned windows was spectacular, but the sight of this food is just as incredible.
‘I’m starving.’ Madeline’s eyes are wider than the plates. ‘I actually skipped breakfast in preparation for this.’
Celia and I laugh at my sister-in-law’s blissful expression.
The three of us are having a taster lunch at the five-star Regis Hotel where Toby and I got married. It’s a beautifully restored country house just outside Shaftesbury, set on a hillside overlooking ancient woodland. The décor is laid-back luxury and it’s a real treat being here for lunch.
It’s coming up to Toby’s and my ten-year wedding anniversary and we thought it would be lovely to have a party here to celebrate. It’s quite extravagant, but Toby and Nick’s landscaping business is doing really well these days, and he said he wanted to celebrate our life together. We laughed at the cheesiness of that line, but at the same time, it warmed me. Made me feel safe and loved. Celia and Madeline have been helping me organise the party, and today we’re choosing the food.
‘It’s so nice to eat something that I haven’t prepared myself.’ Madeline runs a catering company and offered to do the food for our anniversary, but Toby and I thought it would be a bit mean if she had to work while everyone else was enjoying themselves. She has such a generous nature; we didn’t want to take advantage.
‘I can’t believe we’ve been married ten years already.’ I sigh. ‘It only seems like a couple of years ago.’
‘And what a wonderful ten years it’s been, Zoe.’ Celia pats my hand. ‘I couldn’t have asked for two more perfect daughters-in-law.’
Madeline and I share a smile. ‘And we couldn’t have asked for a more gorgeous mum-in-law,’ I reply.
‘Hear, hear,’ Madeline agrees, raising her glass.
Madeline met my brother-in-law Nick the year after my wedding and married him the year after that. She and Nick are perfect for one another. She’s been really good for him – we’ve all noticed his confidence and happiness grow since they’ve been together. And although she’s nothing like my usual friends, who tend to be feisty, sharp-witted and sociable, Madeline is calm, loyal and kind, and we get on surprisingly well. I bring her out of her shell, and she always gives me good advice. The four of us have grown really close, and our kids adore each other. I feel extremely lucky to have the whole Johnson clan in my life. This party will be a celebration of that as much as anything.
‘Okay, well I don’t know where to start with all this food!’ I sit back in my chair, feeling a little overwhelmed by everything.
‘I’m going to go for the shrimp and avocado,’ Madeline says, diving in. ‘And these little Caprese bites look yummy.’
We load up our plates and start tucking in, oohing and aahing over each delicious
morsel.
‘Didn’t you have your newspaper interview yesterday, Madeline?’ Celia asks, dabbing at her lips with a napkin.
‘Oh, yes!’ I turn to my sister-in-law. ‘I forgot to ask you about that. How was it?’ She’s been campaigning to stop developers building new houses on a patch of land next to the forest. Unfortunately, planning permission has already been granted, but the campaigners have requested an appeal and created a petition. If the development goes ahead it will really spoil the view from this hotel for a start, not to mention that the area in question is on a flood plain. You’d think with my husband also being a town councillor, he’d have been able to help, but he has no sway with the planning committee.
‘I think it went okay,’ Madeline replies. ‘The journalist was really nice, and she seemed quite sympathetic. It should be in this week’s edition, but she couldn’t guarantee it.’
‘Fingers crossed you get the appeal. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help. More wine?’ I hover the bottle above Madeline’s glass.
She thinks for a moment. ‘Why not. I can leave the car and we can share a taxi home, can’t we?’
‘Good idea.’ I top up all our glasses. ‘May as well enjoy ourselves.’