Armed with rubber gloves, jasmine air freshener, and a red sock, I turned her home into a scented circus. The laundry? I tossed in the red sock. The decor? Rearranged. The “Cupid” statue? Gone, retired to the garage.

The next morning, Elen showed up at my door, furious. Dylan was confused, and I casually handed him the list to read. When he saw what she’d done, he finally realized the control she had over him. As he began to confront her, I walked out, leaving Elen to face her own choices while Dylan finally stood up to her.It wasn’t the fairytale I expected, but it was my story, with my own rules.