Chapter 7 - The Second Wife
The video continued.
Ryan’s face appeared in profile.
“Go inside.”
Sabrina answered.
“No.”
Then came the sentence.
“You told me she knew we were figuring things out.”
The garden was silent enough to hear the fountains.
Ryan reached the projector.
The coordinator stepped away.
He pulled the cable.
The screen went black.
Too late.
Everyone had seen it.
My father stood.
“Did you cheat on my daughter while she was pregnant?”
Ryan turned.
“This is private.”
My father stepped forward.
“It stopped being private when you humiliated her.”
Margaret rose next.
She looked at Sabrina.
“How long?”
Sabrina glanced at Ryan.
He said nothing.
Margaret repeated the question.
“How long have you been sleeping with my son?”
“Margaret—”
“How long?”
Sabrina lifted her chin.
“Almost two years.”
The sound Margaret made was barely audible.
I had suspected three.
Two was enough.
Margaret turned toward Ryan.
“You sat beside Claire through two miscarriages.”
Ryan looked away.
“You let us praise you.”
“Mom.”
“You let me tell everyone what a devoted husband you were.”
“I love Claire.”
Sabrina laughed.
Everyone looked at her.
Ryan’s face hardened.
“Stop.”
She ignored him.
“He told me the marriage was already dead.”
My heart did not break.
That part was already done.
“He told me Claire wanted the baby more than she wanted him.”
Margaret looked sick.
Ryan moved toward Sabrina.
“That’s enough.”
“No.”
Her voice sharpened.
“You promised me after the birth.”
Charles Whitmore looked up.
“Promised you what?”
Sabrina realized too late that she had said too much.
Ryan stared at her.
“Sabrina.”
She looked at him.
Then at me.
Something angry and reckless entered her face.
“He promised we would be together after the baby was born.”
The garden erupted.
Questions.
Gasps.
My aunt began crying.
Ryan’s father swore.
I remained seated.
Charles lifted one hand.
Silence slowly returned.
He looked at Ryan.
“Why after the birth?”
Ryan said nothing.
Charles asked again.
“Why did timing matter?”
Ryan’s jaw tightened.
Sabrina looked toward him.
Then she made the mistake that destroyed whatever remained of their alliance.
“Because of your trust.”
May you like
Charles’s expression went cold.
And suddenly the affair was no longer the worst secret at my baby shower.
