Chapter 6 - The Charity Gala
The annual Mercer Foundation Gala was the biggest event of the year.
Hundreds of people in tuxedos and gowns,
champagne flowing like water,
the sound of a string quartet filling the ballroom.
I was in my ninth month now,
my body heavy and slow,
but I had never felt more sharp.
I wore a dress of midnight blue,
my hair swept up,
the Mercer diamonds sparkling around my neck.
Grant stood beside me,
his hand on my back,
the perfect husband for the cameras.
"You look beautiful,
darling,"
he whispered,
the lie as smooth as the silk of my dress.
"Thank you,"
I said,
smiling at a passing photographer.
I could feel the eyes of the room on us,
the envy,
the admiration.
"They're so lucky,"
I heard someone whisper.
I wanted to turn around and tell them the truth,
to show them the divorce papers,
the diamond bracelet for another woman,
the coldness of our bed.
But I just kept smiling.
I had a task to perform.
I waited until Grant was pulled away by a group of investors.
I moved through the crowd,
greeting people,
accepting congratulations on the baby.
I found the woman.
She was there,
standing near the bar,
wearing a dress that cost more than my first home.
She was beautiful,
yes,
but she looked nervous,
her eyes constantly searching for Grant.
I walked right up to her,
my heart a steady drum.
"It's a lovely bracelet,"
I said,
looking at her wrist.
She froze,
her face turning pale.
"I...
thank you,"
she stammered.
"My husband has excellent taste,"
I added,
my voice low and calm.
The realization hit her like a physical blow.
She knew who I was.
She knew I knew.
"Mrs. Mercer,
I..."
"Don't,"
I said,
cutting her off.
"I'm not here for a scene."
"I'm here to tell you that you're making a mistake."
"He'll do the same to you,
eventually."
"He doesn't love people,
he loves power."
I turned and walked away,
leaving her standing there,
trembling in her expensive dress.
I felt a surge of triumph,
a spark of the woman I used to be.
I found Grant a few minutes later,
his face flushed with success.
"Are you ready to go?"
he asked.
"Yes,"
I said.
"I'm more than ready."
As we walked to the car,
the flashbulbs popped around us,
capturing the image of the perfect couple.
But as the door closed,
and the car pulled away,
the silence returned.
Grant checked his phone immediately,
his face darkening.
"What did you say to her?"
he hissed,
his voice full of venom.
"I just complimented her jewelry,"
I said,
looking out the window.
May you like
The mask was finally off.
The war had begun.
