Chapter 10 - Tove Finally Explained What She Wanted
When Tove was interviewed, she initially denied deliberately withholding any treatment.
She claimed confusion.
Busy schedules.
Multiple caregivers.
Mistakes in the log.
Some of that remained possible.
Then investigators asked why she repeatedly described Mireya as faking symptoms.
Tove’s answer revealed the emotional truth.
“She controlled Cullen.”
The interviewer frowned.
“She was three.”
“If she coughed, he dropped everything.”
“She was three.”
“If she cried at dinner, the entire evening became about her.”
“She was three.”
Tove became frustrated.
“You don’t understand what it was like. There was never room for us to become a couple.”
That was it.
The wedding was supposed to mark Tove becoming Cullen’s wife.
Instead, she experienced Mireya’s dependence as competition.
Margaret made it worse in her mind because Margaret always defended the child.
Tove wanted Mireya spending more nights away.
Then weekdays.
Then most of the time with her grandmother.
Not because Margaret was a bad caregiver.
Because physical distance would finally give Tove the version of marriage she wanted.
May you like
Cullen without the constant needs of Cullen’s daughter.
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