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Jeanette organized a class reunion under the pretense of apologizing to me.
She claimed that she had hurt Vivian’s feelings at the last gathering, so she had specially arranged a banquet in the largest private room of a hotel under her husband’s name, hoping everyone would show up.
There was no way for me to avoid it.
Not that I had planned to. But just as I was about to leave work, a last–minute meeting
was called. By the time I arrived at the venue, nearly all of our classmates were already there,
drinking and chatting enthusiastically.
The moment they saw me, the atmosphere turned slightly awkward,
“Well, well, the guest of honor has arrived! Vivian, you should be grateful. Jeanette put this
whole gathering together just for you.”
The class president stood up and walked toward me.
As he approached, I noticed he was holding a bottle of 1970 Romanée–Conti.
My heart sank. I glanced toward Vivian, who was seated at the head of the table.
She was wearing a hot pink mini dress, paired with an extravagant diamond jewelry set. A
ruby–studded tiara sat atop her head, and a limited–edition platinum handbag rested beside
her.
Her heavy makeup and lavish outfit screamed wealth and status.
I blurted out, “Does your husband, Herbert Yates, know you took out this bottle of wine?”
The words had barely left my mouth before I regretted them.
As expected, Vivian’s expression immediately darkened. She scowled and snapped, “Vivian, I
am his wife. Do I need to report to my husband just to open a bottle of wine?”
She deliberately emphasized the words “my husband.”
The people around us picked up on her displeasure and chimed in.
“Vivian, this is between a husband and wife. What gives you the right to butt in?”
“Exactly! You and Jeanette may be best friends, but you’re overstepping here.”
“The whole hotel belongs to them. Forget one bottle, Jeanette could take ten, and no one
would say a thing.”
Listening to their words, I felt a bitter taste in my mouth. My gaze toward Vivian grew more
complicated.
She had no idea how terrifying Herbert truly was.
“There are still some bottles left, right? Put the unopened ones back. If Herbert finds out, it
could be a huge problem…”
I couldn’t help but warn her out of goodwill. But Vivian saw my words as a challenge to her
authority. She slammed the table and shot to her feet.
“Vivian, are you Herbert’s wife, or am I? Since when do you have the right to interfere with what’s mine? You’re not delusional enough to think you can take my place, are you?”
“You’d better mind your own business!”
11:56 Mon, 17 Mar
“You’d better mind your own business!”
“To think I went out of my way to organize this reunion to mend our relationship!”
Her words were cruel and cutting.
Not a single person in the room spoke up for me.
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Especially not the class president, who had been drinking the most from that bottle of Romanée–Conti. My words had angered him so much that he shoved me and sneered, “Vivian, who do you think you are, acting like you own this place?”
“That’s right! Jeanette treats you kindly, calling you her best friend, but do you even realize
the difference between you two? You’re just a fat loser!”
“You keep bringing up Herbert, but Herbert is Jeanette’s husband. Are you out of your mind, thinking you’re his wife?”
It was the first time I had heard an entire room of people hurl insults at someone all at once. The usually mild–mannered class president had a vicious side after all.
The classmates who had always seemed friendly could turn their words into knives.
At the head of the table, Vivian looked down at me with smug satisfaction. Her eyes flickered, and suddenly, she covered her face and began sobbing.
“Vivian, I know… I know you’ve always wanted to seduce my husband. But Vivian, he wo
never, ever want you…”
The room exploded.
Some people cursed at me. Others rushed to comfort Vivian. Some grabbed my arm and
demanded that I leave the room.
Amidst the chaos, I caught a glimpse of the triumph hidden beneath Vivian’s fingers as she covered her face.
I never should have come tonight.
