Chapter 7%
The night of Katie’s birthday party arrived with a sense of inevitability. The invitation had been extended with a veneer of civility. But I knew what it really was. A performance. An opportunity for Katie to parade her victory while I was expected to sit back and smile.
I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of backing out.”
Dressed in a sleek black dress that hugged my figure just enough to exude confidence, I stepped into the venue. It was a grand, dimly lit ballroom filled with chandeliers and clinking glasses. The air was filled with the scent of expensive perfume and the murmurs of high society conversations. I weaved through the crowd while keeping my expression impassive.
It wasn’t long before I spotted Jairus.
He was seated in the VIP section with Katie curled into his side. She was lazily tracing patterns on his thigh with her fingers. They looked too comfortable. A perfect picture of the powerful, successful couple they wanted the world to believe they were.”
For a split second, I thought about turning around. About leaving before the night inevitably unraveled into another round of humiliation. But then Katie’s eyes found mine. Then her lips curled into a saccharine smile. And I knew I had made the right decision by coming.
“Vanessa! You made it.” Her voice was syrupy sweet as she disentangled herself from Jairus and glided toward me. Her sequined dress shimmered under the chandelier light.
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it,” I replied smoothly and matched her energy with an easy smile of my own.
Her eyes flickered over me. She seemed to be assessing me, searching for weakness. Finding none, she simply laughed and linked her arm through mine. “Come, let’s get you a drink. It’s a celebration, after all.“}
I let her pull me toward the bar, where she handed me a flute of champagne. She watched as I took a slow sip. The bubbles fizzled against my tongue. But my attention remained elsewhere. On Jairus, who was still staring at me, as if confused by my presence.@
He hadn’t expected me to show up.”
Good.
As the night progressed, Katie basked in the attention. She effortlessly played the perfect hostess. She laughed at the right moments, touched Jairus just enough to remind everyone he was hers, and made sure I saw every bit of it.”
But I had my own game to play.”
I mingled, smiled, and made polite conversation with investors and executives who had once known me as Jairus’s wife. I made sure my presence was felt. That my name was still whispered among the crowd. A reminder that I wasn’t just some scorned woman tucked away in the shadows.”
Then came the cake.}
The massive, towering confection was wheeled in with applause and camera flashes. Katie, as the star of the show, stepped forward with a coy smile playing on her lips. She raised her glass, waiting for the room to quiet.>
“I want to thank everyone for coming tonight,” she began with practiced charm. “It’s been such an incredible year for me. And I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful friends and-” she turned to Jairus, pressing a hand against his chest “-an amazing partner.“%
The room erupted in polite cheers. Glasses lifted in her honor. I stayed silent as I watched as she basked in her moment. “But before I cut the cake, I have one more thing to add to my wish list.”
The crowd hummed in anticipation. Katie tilted her head slightly. Then she locked her eyes onto mine. “This year has given me so much. Love, success, and soon, a beautiful baby.” She placed a hand on her stomach in a subtle yet unmistakable gesture. “So, my wish is for Vanessa to experience that kind of happiness too. For her to finally have a baby of her own.”
A few gasps rippled through the room. My stomach twisted. But my expression remained untouched. She had done it. Humiliated me in public. Reduced my pain to a passing joke at her birthday party.”
The whispers began almost instantly.”
Everyone knew of my supposed infertility.”
Everyone knew how Jairus and I had struggled to conceive.
And now, Katie had wielded that knowledge like a blade, slicing through whatever dignity I had left.”
I could feel their stares. Their silent pity. But what Katie didn’t know, what none of them knew, was that the joke wasn’t on me.@
I set down my champagne flute and took a step forward. Then my lips curved into a slow, knowing smile. “Oh, I will, Katie.“> Her smug expression wavered, just slightly. “What?”
“I will,” I repeated while keeping my voice light, almost playful, letting the words roll off my tongue with an ease that felt intoxicating. Because I knew the truth.!!
Just hours ago, after leaving the hospital from my physical examination, I had learned what Jairus and I had never considered in all our years of struggling &
It was never me.
Jairus was the infertile one.
The weight of that knowledge settled deep in my chest. But I kept my composure. The room continued to watch me, waiting for more. But I said nothing else.
I simply smiled!!
12:31 PM d
I simply smiled
Katie blinked. Surely, the wheels in her mind were turning. But she had no idea what was running through mine.%
The moment stretched between us. Then, the spell broke as the crowd cheered, urging Katie to blow out her candles./
The party continued.
.
