Chapter 29: A thread of Lies

Chapter 29: A thread of Lies
Renee’s POV

“Kiara!”

I turned to see Sarah waving me over. I whispered to Andy, “Take Rosie inside, I’ll meet you in a minute.”

He nodded and kissed my forehead before crouching slightly. “Hey baby, give mummy a kiss.”

Rosie planted a loud kiss on my cheek. Andy grinned like an overgrown boy, then lifted her and headed toward the gate. I watched them disappear… my man and the child he was quickly becoming attached to… before finally facing Sarah.

I straightened. “Hey… I’m really sorry I couldn’t make it to Lovie’s playdate. How did it go?”

Sarah bit her lip, embarrassment flashing across her face. “It’s fine… it’s just… well.. no one showed up.”

I offered the perfect sympathetic nod while enjoying every delicious drop of her discomfort.

“Oh no,” I murmured. “I’m so sorry. Is Lovie okay? Did you find out why they didn’t show up?”

“Well, Most parents said they were busy and no one could bring them. kids to us. Anyways I was hoping for a redo… but then I got Rosie’s playdate invite instead.” Her tone made it clear she was trying not to sound desperate.

“My husband insisted on this one,” I said apologetically. “It’s the first playdate he’ll be attending.”

Her brows lifted. “Your… husband? So you made up?”

My brow creased..

“Made up?” I echoed carefully.

“Yes.. You told me you were going through a divorce, remember?”

I mentally smacked myself. Hard.

Damn it, Renee… you need to start keeping track of  lies.

“Oh…right.” I forced a small laugh. “I didn’t realize I told you something that personal. But yes… we were going through divorce process but he apologized. Took me and Rosie on a romantic trip to Paris. And I forgave him”

I pulled my phone from my purse, opened the folder Lydia had created, and showed Sarah a perfectly photoshopped picture of me, Andy, and Rosie in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Her eyes darkened with jealousy, exactly as I hoped.

Before she could reply, Andy jogged back toward us. “Baby, sorry… I had to run. Rosie didn’t want to let go.”

He then noticed Sarah and offered a polite, charming smile. “Hello.”

“Andy, this is Sarah,” I said. “Lovie’s mom.”

They shook hands.

“Oh, Lovie,” Andy said warmly. “Rosie talks about her nonstop. Looks like our girls have become little best friends.”

Sarah brightened a little.

Andy continued, “And your husband? Is he involved? I’ve heard about you a couple of times, but Rosie hasn’t mentioned Lovie's dad.”

That’s my man.. he’s doing this whole thing better than I’d ever done..

“Oh… yes. He’s in her life,” Sarah answered quickly, being defensive.

“Good,” Andy said with a nod. “Looking forward to meeting him soon.”

She nodded before he turned to me. “Baby, we have to go. I’ve got a meeting, and I’m dropping you off at the spa.”

I faced Sarah. “Do you want to come? Pamper yourself a little? Bills on me!”

She hesitated. “Maybe next time… I have errands to run for my mother-in-law.”

I exhaled dramatically. “Girl, you’re not her slave, you know. You need to care for yourself too. Right, baby?”

“Absolutely, you should go with Kiara.. she does this every two weeks, that’s why she’s so soft and beautiful” Andy chimed in, leaning in to give me a peck.

Pressed from both sides, Sarah finally sighed. “Fine… I’ll come but just for one hour..”

“That’s enough time to get you back in shape.” I linked my arm through Andy’s, pushing back a smile. “Let’s go.”

And with that, we all headed to the car… Sarah trailing behind, already tangled deeper into the web I was spinning.



Sarah’s POV

When we finished, it was almost noon.

I stepped out of the mall beside Kiara with my hands completely full…shopping bags brushing against my legs, the faint smell of new fabric rising every time I moved. My hair felt lighter after the trim, my nails shone when the sunlight hit them, and my body… my body finally didn’t ache for the first time in weeks.

She really hadn’t let me leave that spa room until the masseuse declared I was “fully reset.”

I laughed quietly at the memory, shifting the bags in my hands. “Kiara… I don’t even know what to say. Thank you. Really.”

She waved it off with that small, effortless flick of her fingers. “Don’t be silly. What are friends for?”

Friends.

The word settled warm in my chest, almost unfamiliar.

I exhaled softly and nodded. “I just need to rush home and drop these things. Then I’ll come back to pick Lovie by three.”

Kiara stepped closer, eyes thoughtful as she studied my face. “Sarah… listen to me.” Her voice lost its playful edge. “You need to care for yourself once in a while. You’re a woman too. The moment you stop taking care of yourself, you begin to age faster. And husbands…” she shrugged lightly, “they notice things like that.”

The comment hit somewhere deep… somewhere sore.

Because she was right.

I had let myself go.

Not deliberately… just out of exhaustion, out of trying so hard to please everyone in that house except myself.

“I’ll do better,” I murmured.

She smiled. “That’s all I’m saying.”

I flagged down a cab, the heat rising from the pavement making the air shimmer around us. The driver helped me with the bags, and I turned back to Kiara.

“Thank you again. I really mean it.”

She returned the smile, soft but steady. “You deserve it. See you later.”

The cab pulled away, and I let my head fall back against the seat. My muscles still tingled from the massage, and my hair smelled faintly of the lavender shampoo the stylist used. For once, I didn’t feel invisible. I didn’t feel like someone’s shadow.

Her words replayed again.

You need to care for yourself… husbands notice… you don’t want him losing interest.

A small, nervous breath escaped me.

Was that already happening?

Had Clark already grown distant because I’d stopped looking like the girl he married?

I looked down at the bags…soft fabrics, brighter colors, a few daring necklines Kiara made me try on.

Maybe this was a fresh start.

Maybe I could fix myself… fix my marriage… fix the way I felt when I saw myself in the mirror.

The cab pulled into the driveway faster than I expected. I paid the driver, grabbed the bags, and walked toward the front door, already planning to hide the new clothes in the back of my wardrobe until the right moment.

The house was quiet.

Cool air brushed against my skin the moment I stepped inside.

But I didn’t even take two full steps before… 

“WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN?!”

I froze

Marlene’s voice tore through the silence like a slap.

She stood in the middle of the living room, arms crossed tightly, her gaze sweeping over the shopping bags… my hair… my nails… my entire appearance.

Her expression twisted into something sharp, something that made my stomach drop.

All that lightness from today… gone in an instant.

My fingers tightened around the shopping bags, the plastic handles cutting into my palms as her rage rolled toward me.

And just like that, the good day Kiara gave me shattered at my feet.