I know the truth about your husband.
Let's meet and stop pretending everything is fine.
Elena's fingers went cold as she read the message on her screen.
The phone buzzed against her thigh. Across the table, Marcus scrolled through his tablet,unaware of what she just read.
Elena wanted to scream.
Three years of pretending, smiling through Catherine's cruelty, sleeping beside a man who had stopped touching her, defending a marriage that was held together by lies.
And now someone knew the truth.
She read the message again from an unknown number.
Stop pretending everything is fine.
Her heart pounded.
Then the doorbell rang.
Catherine's expression changed instantly,She smiled brightly, the rigid lines around her mouth softening.
Her eyes were warm,a warmth Elena had spent three years trying and failing to earn.
"Oh," Catherine said, setting down her wine.
"That must be Sophia."
Marcus looked up from his food. He smiled at the mention of that name, a real smile.
Elena's stomach tightened and uneasy crept through her chest.
"Go get the door, darling," Catherine told Marcus.
Marcus was already pushing back his chair.
"I'm going."
His voice was light, obviously happy.
Elena stared after him.
Why was Sophia here this early?
Marcus had introduced Sophia as his cousin a few months after their wedding.
Since then, she always came there with her son, whenever she had issues with her partner.
When was the last time Marcus had sounded like that with her? She couldn't remember.
The hallway fell quiet, then a few minutes passed.
Elena frowned.
She looked towards the door again.
Why were they taking so long?
Then she heard Marcus's laughter along with Sophia's.
Her hand tightened around her fork. The sound felt foreign because it didn't belong to her.
At last, they entered the hall.
Marcus walked in carrying a little boy on one arm and the child squealed.
"Higher! Uncle Marcus, higher!"
Marcus lifted him effortlessly like he had found his missing piece.
"Happy now?"
The boy giggled, nodding his head.
Sophia entered beside them dressed in a cream silk dress,hugging her body and revealing her curves, she glowed under the warm lights.
Elena rose automatically to welcome her.
"Sophia."
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her.
Sophia hugged her back briefly, then gently pulled away.
"Elena." She said without even looking at her face or acknowledging her presence.
She moved past Elena and went straight to Catherine.
"Aunt Catherineeeeee."
Catherine wrapped her arms around Sophia in a tight hug.
"My pretty Sophia."
Elena was shocked.
Sophia had left her for Catherine.
Slowly, she lowered her hands and walked back to her seat like nothing happened.
Sophia kissed Catherine's cheek before taking her seat.
Everyone settled in,Marcus carried the little boy on his lap and their conversation started without her.
As if she had never stood up and wasn't present.
Marcus cut the boy's steak into tiny pieces.
"You confirmed the reservation?" Catherine asked.
Marcus nodded. "Yes."
"And security?"
"Handled." He replied as her fed the little boy some veggies.
Sophia clasped her hands.
"Oh my God, I'm nervous."
Catherine smirked. "You shouldn't be. It's long overdue."
Elena blinked as she stared at them in confusion. Long overdue?
Sophia leaned toward Marcus. "So are we still doing the big announcement?"
Marcus lifted his wine and paused.
"If everything goes according to plan.”
Big announcement?
Elena looked between them.
"What announcement?"
Suddenly there was silence.
They all glanced at each other,deciding whether to tell her.
Sophia laughed first.
"Oh no-did we ruin the surprise?"
Marcus's jaw shifted as he sipped his wine.
Catherine dabbed her lips with her napkin.
"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with."
Elena hated that sentence. It always meant everyone knew something except her.
Sophia turned toward her with a bright grin.
"Okay, don't get mad."
Elena tried to smile. "Mad about what?"
Sophia squealed.
"My boyfriend is finally proposing at your anniversary party."
The little boy clapped. "Mummy gets a ring!"
Sophia laughed. "Yes, baby."
Then she looked at Elena softly
"I told him it might be rude."
Marcus smirked as he dropped his wine glass.
"Hope you won't mind us stealing the spotlight from the anniversary couple," Sophia asked Elena, staring at her eyes like a little child.
Catherine chuckled along with Marcus. Even the child giggled because everyone else did.
"No," Elena said softly.
"I wouldn't mind."
Sophia visibly relaxed.
"Thank you Elena, I was scared for a minute."
Marcus finally looked at Elena.
"You're not that petty."
The words landed wrong not as a compliment but something else
Elena lowered her eyes. "No."
Catherine turned to Sophia. "Marcus will send you some money tomorrow."
Sophia gasped in surprise.
"Aunt Catherine-"
"No arguments." Catherine waved her off. "You'll need gowns, jewelry and other accessories Presentation matters."
Marcus nodded immediately. "I'll handle it."
Elena's fingers froze around her glass.
She had asked for the same thing but they refused.
Now they were giving it all to Sophia.
Sophia smiled shyly. "That's too much."
Catherine snorted. "You're about to be seen with this family."
Then her gaze shifted,also her voice from sweet to cold as she turned towards Elena.
"Elena, you'll go with her."
Elena looked up. Confused. "With her?"
"Yes." Catherine sliced into her steak.
"Help her with shopping."
Marcus added casually,
"Make yourself useful. Help with Noah when Sophia needs a break."
The fork slipped from Elena's fingers and made a loud clink sound.
She was shocked. Her husband was asking her to babysit his cousin's child like she was a maid.
She looked at Marcus.
He didn't even seem aware of what he had said or maybe he did but he didn't care.
Her throat burned in anger and so many unspoken words, her chest ached because she was trying so hard not to say anything.
"Okay." She managed to get the words out.
Sophia smiled brightly. "Perfect. We'll have fun."
Fun?
Elena stared at her plate. Thinking about everything that was going on in her life.
How could she make any of it change? How could she make it sweet? Like she had always dreamed?
Her phone vibrated again.
Her heart skipped when she saw it was from the unknown number again.
It's about Sophia and your husband.
Let's meet Elena.
Elena looked up from the screen as she was suddenly put in a panic mode.
Sophia and her husband
What about them?
Was the person trying to blackmail her or scam her
She thought to herself as she watched all of them.
Marcus was laughing at something Sophia said while Catherine was smiling at the boy.
Elena was invisible again but this time, someone had seen her.
Someone knew the truth.
Someone was coming for them all.