20.

The week had passed, and as Saturday approached, the thought of the lunch party began to stir something inside me. It wasn’t the idea of spending time with Cecily that made me nervous. No, it was the idea of being at Daniel’s mansion, surrounded by his cold perfection, yet doing something unexpected. Something that might—just might—shake things up a little.

I’d been walking through each day like a robot, barely reacting to anything. But today, Cecily’s plan was like a breath of fresh air. She had suggested we host a lunch party here, at Daniel’s mansion, to "trouble" him. I couldn’t help but smile at the thought. It was simple but enough to rattle the man who prided himself on his control.

I had sent him a message earlier in the morning to let him know about the gathering. He hadn’t seemed too thrilled about the idea, but it didn’t matter. For once, it was my turn to do something just for me.

The mansion, with all its cold, towering walls and crisp elegance, had been my home for a while now. I had settled in, despite the lack of warmth or affection from Daniel. But today, the house felt different—alive with the chatter of Cecily and me preparing. The kitchen was a mess of ingredients, and I couldn’t help but feel a little lighter as I worked alongside her.

Daniel had been away for most of the morning, probably dealing with business, so I figured it was the perfect time to put our plan into motion. He was probably expecting a quiet day, as always, but we were going to make sure he got something different this time.

By the time he returned, everything was set. The table was beautifully laid out, and Cecily had chosen the dishes with a smirk. “Let’s see how he handles this,” she said, clearly enjoying the challenge.

When Daniel stepped into the mansion, I saw the slight change in his expression as he took in the scene. His eyes flicked over the setup, narrowing slightly. He didn’t say anything at first. Instead, he just stared, his usual cold demeanor masking any hint of surprise or discomfort.

"What’s going on here?" His voice was sharp, and I could tell he was already calculating what this would cost him.

I offered a small smile, determined not to show any hesitation. "Just a little lunch party. You don’t mind, do you?"

Cecily stepped forward, her tone playful. "Yeah, nothing extravagant. Just a few dishes."

He didn’t answer right away, his gaze flicking between us. But I could see the annoyance starting to creep in. "You’re going to have to clean up afterward," he said, his voice cool.

I raised an eyebrow but didn’t back down. "We’ll manage. It’s no trouble."

Cecily gave him a wink, and I could see she was enjoying this far more than I was. "Join us if you want, but it’s not mandatory."

Daniel let out a sigh, clearly irritated, but to my surprise, he didn’t leave. Instead, he just stood there, his expression unreadable, before finally muttering, "Fine. But don’t expect me to be a part of this."

We sat down to eat, the tension in the air thick. The food was good, and for once, the mansion didn’t feel so cold. But the fact that Daniel had stayed, even with all the discomfort, lingered in my mind. It was like he was trying to maintain control, even in a situation where he was clearly out of his element.

For once, it was nice to feel like I had the upper hand, even if it was just for a moment.

As we ate, I couldn’t help but glance over at Daniel. He was eating, but his mind seemed to be somewhere else. His eyes flickered to Cecily and then to me, his face carefully neutral. For someone so used to power, to being in control of everything, this lunch party was a disruption he clearly hadn’t anticipated.

And as Cecily and I exchanged knowing glances, I couldn’t help but feel a small sense of satisfaction. Maybe it was petty, maybe it was a little childish, but it felt good to do something for myself—for once. Even if it meant causing a little chaos in Daniel’s perfect world.

I didn’t know what would happen after this, but for now, I was content. I was in control of something, and it was enough for me to smile despite the quiet storm brewing in the background. The lunch party wasn’t just about food—it was about reminding myself that I didn’t have to be a robot all the time. That I could still have some semblance of control, even in this mansion.

Maybe, just maybe, I was starting to find my way back to who I used to be.

The lunch party continued with Cecily and me chatting, trying to distract ourselves from the confusion we both felt about Daniel’s sudden departure. He hadn’t said a word, just picked up his phone and rushed out of the room, the call urgent enough to pull him away without explanation. His coldness, his detachment—it had always been there, but for once, it felt more pronounced.

For a moment, I thought maybe the whole thing would fall apart. That I’d made a mistake in trying to shake things up. But Cecily wasn’t about to let the mood drop. She was already cracking jokes and encouraging me to relax, to let the tension melt away. And so, we did. We laughed, we ate, and for the first time in weeks, I felt some semblance of normalcy return.

But just as I was starting to feel the lightness of it, the doorbell rang. The sound sliced through the air, sharp and out of place in the otherwise warm atmosphere. The maid quickly stood up, looking a little flustered, and made her way toward the door.

I thought nothing of it at first. Maybe it was a delivery or someone with business. But then, I heard the faint sound of voices from the hallway, and my stomach dropped.

I didn’t need to see them to know who it was. I didn’t need to see Daniel’s face or hear his voice to recognize the unmistakable presence of Evelyn.

Evelyn. The woman who had always lurked in the background, in the shadows of my marriage with Daniel. The woman who had caused me so much pain without even trying.

The maid opened the door, and there they were—Daniel and Evelyn, standing together in the doorway.

My heart stopped.

Daniel’s expression was as unreadable as always, but there was something different about the way he stood beside Evelyn. They were... together. She was there, right in front of me, with that smug look on her face that had always irritated me so much. And Daniel? He didn’t even seem fazed. He barely glanced at me as he walked past, like nothing had changed.

Evelyn’s gaze met mine, and I could see the subtle satisfaction in her eyes. There was no apology. No guilt. Just a sense of triumph, like she’d won some unspoken battle.

I wanted to say something. I wanted to confront them both, demand answers, to ask why. But I couldn’t. My body felt like it had frozen, stuck in place as I watched them. I couldn’t bring myself to speak. Instead, I just stood there, my heart heavy in my chest.

Cecily was the first to break the silence. She stood up quickly, her usual playful demeanor gone, replaced by an unspoken understanding. She looked between me and Daniel and Evelyn, and then back to me, silently asking if I was okay.

I couldn’t answer. The words wouldn’t come.

Daniel finally spoke, his voice cold, detached. "I didn’t expect you to be here, Evelyn. But it seems we need to discuss something important."

Evelyn didn’t respond. She just followed him further into the room, her presence filling the space with an uncomfortable tension.

I watched them, my hands trembling slightly. I wanted to yell, to scream at both of them, but instead, I stayed silent. Because what was the point?

I’d been living in a world of facades, trying to play the part of the perfect wife while everything around me crumbled. And now, Evelyn was here—her arrival a cruel reminder of everything I had lost, everything I had failed to keep together.

The party that had once seemed like an act of rebellion against my own life now felt trivial, insignificant. I had wanted to escape, to feel in control, but now it just felt like a pathetic attempt to distract myself from the inevitable.

Evelyn was here, and there was nothing I could do to change it.

The sound of her voice broke through my thoughts, sharp and dismissive. "I hope I’m not interrupting anything," she said, her gaze lingering on me. It was a quiet taunt, a reminder that she had always been the one who mattered.

I forced myself to look away, focusing on the empty space around me instead of the painful reality unfolding before me.

Daniel turned to me then, his eyes momentarily meeting mine. There was no apology, no regret in his gaze. Just a flicker of something—something I couldn’t quite place—and then he looked away, turning back to Evelyn as if I were nothing more than a stranger in the room.

And for a moment, I almost felt like I was.

Cecily stayed silent, her eyes narrowed in quiet anger. She knew this wasn’t right. But even she knew there was nothing to be done now.

The two of them stood there, together in the middle of my own home, and I felt smaller than I ever had before. My heart ached, but I didn’t let it show. I couldn’t. Not in front of them.

Not when I had already lost so much.