****
The next day.
The atmosphere at Sabrina and I's parents' house was festive. Guests arrived, bringing gifts and congratulations for our parents' anniversary.
I stood in the corner of the room, trying to keep my distance from the center of attention. My sore stomach made it difficult for me to stand for long, but I didn't want to show my weakness in front of them, especially not in front of Sabrina and Ray.
Ray, with a confident smile, strides among the guests, receiving compliment after compliment.
"You are a great husband, Ray," said one of the guests, a business associate of Dad's.
Ray chuckled, patting the man on the shoulder. "Ah, I'm just trying to be the best for Lea. I know she's had a difficult past, so I want to make sure she feels safe with me."
I felt my heart pounding uncomfortably at his words. There was something in his tone that scared me.
"What do you mean, Ray?" asked a woman standing nearby.
Ray smiled smugly, giving me a quick before continuing in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "Lea had a... bad experience. She was abused by another man, you know? I ended up saving her from a difficult life."
The whole room was suddenly silent. The guests' gazes slowly shifted to me, some were whispering, and I felt like the entire air in the room disappeared.
"No... That's not true," my voice trembled, but Ray didn't care. He was enjoying the moment, making me look weak before everyone.
Sabrina added in a mocking tone, "You poor thing, Lea. If it wasn't for Ray, I don't know what her life would be now."
I held my breath, staring at our father whose face was already bright red. I knew this was bad.
"Dad, I can explain..." my voice was barely audible.
However, before I could say anything further, dad took a quick step towards me and-
PLAK!
A hard slap landed on my cheek, making my head turn to the side. I felt a stinging heat on my face, but what hurt more was the contempt plastered in my father's eyes.
"You're such a disgrace, Lea! I threw you away years ago, and you still bring this disgrace into my family!" his voice thundered throughout the room.
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I held them back. I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me destroyed.
Ray, instead of defending me, smiled proudly, accepting compliments from some of the guests who praised him as a wonderful husband for 'accepting' a woman like me.
"Ray is a wonderful man. Not many men would accept a wife with a past like that," someone said in a tone of fake sympathy.
I couldn't take it anymore. With unsteady steps, I ran out of the house, letting the tears I had been holding back just break out. I felt like the world was so cruel.
However, when I returned to retrieve my bag left in the room, I heard a voice that stopped me in my tracks.
Ray's voice.
With slow steps, I approached one of the empty rooms in this house. The door was slightly ajar, and what I saw made me almost lose consciousness.
There, Ray and Sabrina are. Their bodies are tightly intertwined in a disgusting display of lust. They were kissing, Ray's hands clasped possessively around Sabrina's waist, while my step-sister gazed at him passionately.
My body trembled. "Ray..." my voice was barely audible, but they heard it.
Ray turned to me and instead of feeling guilty, he just smiled casually. "Lea, why are you still here? Want to join us?"
I felt my whole blood freeze. Sabrina chuckled softly while caressing Ray's face. "Lea, you should have realized long ago that Ray prefers me. He's only with you out of pity," she said in a dismissive tone.
I stared at them, unable to believe what I was seeing. "Ray... I am your wife."
Ray just shrugged. "Only on paper, Lea. I love Sabrina, and you know it."
I cover my mouth, fighting back the sobs that come with great difficulty. My body felt so weak, my stomach throbbed again, and my tears flowed relentlessly.
Without saying anything more, I turned and left, leaving the two of them who were again immersed in their forbidden passion. My heart was broken into pieces, and for the first time in my life, I felt completely alone.
