The crystal chandelier cast a harsh glare over the dining room. Tonight, Irving hosted a celebratory dinner for his inner circle.
Hannah sat at the opposite end of the long oak table, wearing a custom silk gown. She had officially taken over the master suite. I stood near the kitchen door, wearing a plain gray sweater, entirely ignored by the guests.
"Thea," Hannah called out, her voice slicing through the polite chatter. "My hem is caught under the chair leg. Fix it, would you?"
Silence fell over the room. The guests turned their heads, staring at me.
"I am not your maid," I said.
Hannah smiled, a thin, cruel line. "You live under Irving's roof. You eat his food. The least you can do is make yourself useful."
Irving set his fork down against his porcelain plate. "Do not cause a scene in front of our friends. Help her."
My jaw tightened. I walked over, knelt on the hardwood floor, and pulled the silk fabric free from the wooden leg.
"While you're down there," Hannah added smoothly, "pour the Merlot. You always knew how to serve."
My fingers trembled as I grabbed the heavy glass bottle. I filled her cup, spilling a single red drop on the white tablecloth.
"Mommy!" Joe yelled from his booster seat. "I want more potatoes!"
I immediately reached for the serving bowl. "Here, sweetie, let me—"
Joe slapped my hand away hard. The silver spoon clattered loudly against the table.
"Not you!" Joe scowled, his face turning red. "The babysitter is touching my food! I want my real mom to do it!"
He turned his back to me and grabbed Hannah's sleeve.
"Of course, my perfect boy," Hannah cooed, scooping roasted potatoes onto his plate.
I looked at Irving. He took a sip of his water, his eyes completely dead.
"Irving," I whispered. "Say something."
"He asked for his mother," Irving replied evenly. "Step back, Thea. You're hovering."
The heat of humiliation burned my cheeks. I backed away, my hands shaking so violently I had to hide them inside my pockets.
An hour later, the dinner ended. Guests filtered into the main hall for coffee. I stepped out onto the terrace to escape the suffocating air of the estate.
Footsteps approached from behind. Hannah stepped into the moonlight, swirling a fresh glass of wine.
"You really should pack your bags," she said, a nasty smirk twisting her lips.
"This is still my house," I replied.
"Not for long." Hannah tilted her glass.
She simply opened her fingers. The crystal shattered against the stone patio. Red wine splattered across her bare ankles.
"Ah!" Hannah shrieked, stumbling backward. "Irving! Help!"
The terrace doors flew open. Irving rushed out, scanning the broken glass and Hannah's tear-filled eyes.
"She shoved me!" Hannah sobbed, pointing a shaking finger at my chest. "I just came to check on her, and she went crazy!"
"I didn't even touch her," I said, standing my ground.
Irving pulled Hannah into his chest. He glared at me with absolute disgust.
"You are dangerously unstable," Irving barked. "I won't let you terrorize my family."
"She dropped the glass on purpose!" I yelled.
Irving ignored me. He turned to the doorway, where the nanny stood holding Joe's hand.
"Bring him here," Irving ordered.
"Irving, stop," I pleaded, stepping toward him. "Don't bring Joe into this."
"You brought this on yourself," Irving snapped.
The nanny nudged Joe forward. Irving pulled a folded sheet of paper and a pen from his jacket pocket.
"Joe, sign this for Daddy," Irving said softly, crouching down. "It's a parental companionship confirmation. It means you only have to live with Hannah and me from now on."
Joe grabbed the pen eagerly.
"No!" I lunged forward. "Irving, he is five years old! He doesn't understand what that document means!"
Irving threw his arm out, blocking my path. "You're too unstable to be near him. If you have another outburst, I will revoke your visitation rights entirely."
Joe scribbled his name on the bottom line. He handed the paper back to his father, completely ignoring my tears.
Midnight struck. The estate finally grew quiet. I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the blank wall.
A faint murmur drifted through the air vent connecting my room to Irving's private study. I crept toward the wall and pressed my ear against the cool metal grate.
"We need her completely out of the family trust," Hannah said, her voice crisp and businesslike.
"My lawyers are drafting the final addendum," Irving replied. "She will be erased from the system by Friday."
"Good," Hannah murmured. "Joe needs a clean slate. A complete family. Just like we planned before I left for Switzerland."
"Everything is falling into place," Irving agreed.
I backed away from the wall. My chest felt hollow. The six years of late-night conversations, the shared meals, the illusion of a marriage—all of it was a calculated waiting game. They had simply parked me in this life until Hannah was ready to reclaim it.
I walked to the closet and pulled my suitcase from the top shelf. I threw my clothes inside, skipping the expensive jewelry Irving had bought me for public appearances.
I zipped the bag shut. I rolled it down the hallway, stopping outside Joe's bedroom.
The door was wide open. Joe stood by his toy chest, holding a large black garbage bag. He tossed a wooden train set inside. Next went the blue hand-knitted sweater I had spent three weeks making for his birthday.
"Joe," I said softly. "What are you doing?"
He didn't flinch. He tossed a stuffed bear into the trash.
"Throwing out the garbage," Joe snapped. "Mommy said these are cheap toys for poor people. I only want the new tablet Daddy bought me."
He tied the plastic strings of the bag together. He dragged it past me, pulling the heavy plastic over my shoes without a single apology.
I stared down the empty hallway. My son was gone. My husband never existed. I meant absolutely nothing to them.
I pulled my phone from my pocket. I scrolled past Irving's contact and tapped a number I had saved months ago but never dared to call.
The line rang twice.
"Monsieur Mercer," I said, my voice steady and clear.
"Thea? It is very late," the older man replied, his French accent thick over the speaker.
"I know," I said. "The Paris art school training you mentioned earlier... I've decided to enroll."
"Excellent," Mercer said. "When can you fly out?"
I looked over my shoulder at the dark, sprawling estate one last time.
"Tonight."
