Daniel informed Maisie that his ex-wife had died before their wedding. However, Maisie discovers Laura’s active Facebook profile one evening. As one thing leads to another, Laura makes a discovery that turns Maisa’s world upside down. She still needs to get closer to Daniel and demand everything from him.
I met Daniel in the art world. I was a young, up-and-coming artist just starting to work with galleries and exhibitions.
I had no idea how to begin traversing this kind of universe.
Then I met Daniel, the owner of a popular gallery that featured emerging artists. When I walked into the exhibit one afternoon, he introduced himself and remarked, “I’m Daniel.”
“Maisie,” I said, mesmerized by his looks and the charisma that radiated from him. Daniel invited me to dinner after I spent an hour describing my artwork and ideas to him. “Just so we can talk more,” he remarked. “But I think your art will find a home here in my gallery.
Daniel arranged the perfect opening night for me a few weeks after our first meeting. “Maisie, this is your first time in this world,” he commented, taking my hand and expressing his intentions.
I remember thinking what on earth was he seeing in me as I looked at the paint under my nails and on my sneakers. But I felt myself notice when Daniel looked at me. I discovered that I always had a painterly inspiration and that my artwork was visible. A year later, while I was painting in one of the back rooms of the gallery, Daniel proposed to me.
“You’re everything I’ve ever wanted,” he said. “That’s it, Maisie. I wanted what he wanted, of course. I envied Daniel’s existence; I wanted to tour museums around the world, visit exhibitions, and gain as much knowledge as possible about art history. I wished to live in the world he created. I wished to live in this world with him.
A few weeks before the wedding, Daniel and I had dinner in my living room one evening. He admitted that he had a previous marriage.
“Maisie,” he said gradually. “I was married before, it wasn’t for long.
“What happened after that?” He poured us wine, he asked. If Daniel hadn’t dragged the story out for so long, for some reason I thought it must be really serious.
“She died,” he said, his eyes fixed on the carpet.
“Oh, Daniel,” I said, reaching out to make contact. My whole being begged me to comfort him.
“I’m really sorry,” I said.
Holding a glass of wine, he leaned back and told me about his first wife, Laura.
“You know, she just got sick?” he asked.
“Her body eventually gave up. She also came and went from the hospital. It all took one day.”
I sat across from Daniel and wasn’t sure how to respond or what to say. I just sat there in silence.
Daniel continued to represent me and my paintings even after we were married.
Daniel gave a moving speech on ensuring financial appreciation and support for emerging artists during my second gallery appearance.
Therefore, given his experience in investing in the art market, I trusted him completely when he also suggested that I manage my money.
As a carefully planned display, our marriage was set up to be the picture of perfection.
Little did I know that the delusion would end soon.
Daniel had an evening show so I had some much-needed alone time.
I sipped my wine and looked at friends’ suggestions on Facebook as I scrolled through them—something I often did without realizing it.
I happened to find his late wife’s current Facebook profile there. That brief flash of computer activity – “Online Now” – sent a chilling sense of uncertainty over me.
I messaged her out of curiosity and anxiety, partly expecting no response.
She was dead as I was informed.
However, her reaction was swift and terrifying:
Maisie, I’ve been following you. Daniel, you have to go. Run with protected property.
My world spun with the ridiculousness of hearing such a warning from someone I thought was dead.
But the reality was that Daniel was adept at writing about widowhood marked by loss and financial prudence, so it seemed only fitting that he handle the financials of our relationship in the same way as his gallery.
Laura spent hours explaining how Daniel did the same thing to her while I sat in front of my laptop. The plot – a young artist meets a successful gallerist – was strikingly similar to mine.
As Laura revealed more information, it became clear that the gallery, in addition to being a place for art, served as a wreckage for his plans.
My husband courted artists by offering them recognition and prosperity. He made large profits selling their works to wealthy customers but pocketed the difference after reporting much lower sales figures.
After raising concerns about the differences, the artists were greeted with complicated financial messages and assurances of upcoming shows that were supposed to compensate for their losses.
Leaning back, I tried to see if I too had fallen victim to Daniel’s tactics. He lied about Laura; instead of acknowledging that she left him when she realized what was going on, he decided to pretend she was dead.
It made more sense the more I considered it.
Many of my artworks sold right away, but I only got paid for less than half of what was sold.
I simply assumed it was because of the trade, although I could not understand the cause. Art was capricious.
I immediately transferred all my savings to a protected account by logging into my banking app.
Trying to relax before Daniel got home, I took a shower. After reading Laura’s messages, I freaked out because I didn’t want to believe her. However, things picked up at the same time. I understood why it made sense.
When I thought of Daniel now, I would see nothing but a man who lied about his ex-wife.
Daniel came into the room as I was getting ready for bed.
“Honey,” he said as he entered our bedroom and undressed.
“How was the opening?” I asked as I watched the look on his face.
“It went well, quite a few people showed up,” he yawned. “The show should be lucrative overall.”
My husband went to bed and immediately fell asleep.
I wasn’t able to relax. The situation was not favorable.
I started to cry.
I waited until the next morning when Daniel left for the gallery.
He asked me, “What are you doing today?” before I got up and went.
“I’m going to paint,” I announced as I prepared my morning meal.
Even though I wasn’t hungry, I was bored.
He remarked, “Make me masterpieces, darling,” before placing his cup in the sink and walking away.
Later, in stark contrast to the last, terse lines I had written, I left him a note on our shared studio table, surrounded by a colorful jumble of unsold paintings and sculptures.
I told him I had spoken to Laura and was up to date on everything.
Daniel, the deception of our marriage is over.
After packing most of my things, I headed to my parents.
I met Laura at a coffee shop a few days after I moved in. As we sat there, one by one drawing pictures of the man hiding behind the facade of the gallery, we paved the evidence for Daniel’s lie.
Laura broke open a piece of her muffin and added, “We’ll find some other artists as well.”
“I can think of a few,” I remarked. “It won’t be hard to track them down.
Ultimately, we took legal action to protect upcoming artists from Daniel’s unscrupulous practices, as well as to recover the stolen revenue. The process was cathartic and turned our collective suffering into a powerful story of justice and unity.
I’m not sure if I’m still grieving after my marriage broke up, but I’m happy to be free of a man who didn’t love me and instead wanted to use me for everything.
For now, I’m just focusing on my art.
How would you react in such a situation?
Here’s another story if you liked this one.
Violet begins to lose it when her father-in-law enters their living room with DNA test results in hand and declares that Mona, her daughter, is not her husband’s child. As she begs her husband to undergo another test to prove her innocence, a number of truths are revealed.
After a shocking revelation, Maisa’s life takes a sharp turn, leading her down a path of uncertainty, betrayal, and ultimately empowerment. Faced with the shocking discovery of her husband’s deception, she faced a pivotal moment of decision – either face the truth or remain trapped in the web of lies that enveloped her life.
With courage and determination, Maisie decided to confront Daniel and demanded accountability and transparency. Armed with her newfound knowledge and Laura’s support, she sets out on a journey to unravel the complex web of deception that has ensnared her.
As Maisie regains her agency and seeks justice for herself and the other victims of Daniel’s schemes, she discovers a newfound sense of strength and resilience. Through legal action and collective solidarity, she transformed her suffering into a powerful story of empowerment and unity, championing artists’ rights and reclaiming her own story in the process.
Although the end of her marriage brought with it a whirlwind of emotions, Maisie found solace in the freedom and liberation that came with throwing off the shackles of deception and betrayal. Now focusing squarely on her art and her own well-being, she has embraced the opportunity to forge a new path forward defined by authenticity, integrity, and unwavering self-respect.
In the face of adversity, Maisie emerged not as a victim but as a survivor – a testament to the indomitable spirit of resilience and the transformative power of reclaiming one’s own truth.