Vivian's pov
Then she appeared.
Vanessa.
From a side door, gliding in like she belonged, her curvy figure poured into a tight red dress that screamed seduction rather than pregnancy glow. Her platinum-blonde hair cascaded in perfect waves, and she carried herself with triumphant malice.
She wasn’t even supposed to be here,this was a “family” dinner..but of course she was.
“Well..well…well..How brave of you to show up. Still hoping to play the devoted wife?”
Vanessa purred, stopping beside my chair before I could even settle. Her voice was low enough for only me to hear, but loud enough to draw curious glances.
“Still clinging on? How adorable. Did you come to beg for scraps? Or maybe to offer yourself as a nanny for my baby? Since, you know… you couldn’t bake one yourself.”
The words hit like a slap. I gripped the of my dress, my heart pounding a furious rhythm. Pain bloomed fresh in my chest, hot and sharp.
*Breathe, Vivian. Don’t let her see you break.*
But my eyes stung. Three years of love reduced to this public humiliation.
“Vanessa,” I said, voice steady despite the tremor in my throat, “this isn’t the time or place. I’m here to talk to Ryan.”
She laughed, a light, tinkling sound that drew Ryan’s attention.
“Oh, honey. There’s never a wrong time to remind you of your place. Useless. Barren. Replaceable. I'm sure you cried like a child yesterday. Pathetic.”
“But….”
Her hand shot out suddenly, grabbing my wrist with surprising strength. Nails dug in again, reopening old marks.Then she yanked and flung herself back, body hitting the side table with a crash of glassware, Then she suddenly hit the floor with a gasp, clutching her stomach.
“She pushed me! The baby!”
“Oh God!” she cried out, voice pitching into pitiful sobs. Tears,real-looking ones spilled down her cheeks.
“Vivian, why? I was just trying to be civil! The baby… it hurts!”
Chaos erupted.
Ryan appeared from nowhere, striding across the room like a knight to his damsel. His athletic frame moved with purpose, blue eyes flashing with fury as they landed on Vanessa crumpled on the floor, then snapped to me still seated, wrist throbbing.
Ryan rushed , dropping to his knees beside her, his strong arms enveloping her protectively. “Vanessa! Are you alright?” His voice, once my solace, now twisted the knife.
“Vivian!” His voice cracked like a whip. He dropped beside Vanessa, helping her up with the same gentle care that used to be mine. “What the hell did you do? I warned you yesterday!”
“I didn’t…” My words died as the entire table turned to stare. Despise poured from every direction. Margaret’s sharp blue eyes could have frozen hell. Edward looked mildly annoyed, as if I were a faulty spreadsheet. The relatives murmured disapproval, a comedy of judgmental eyebrows and whispered “Of course she did” that would have been hilarious if it wasn’t my life collapsing in real time.
Margaret’s fury erupted. “You vicious, barren woman! Trying to harm an innocent child because you’re jealous and useless”
“Vivian , you have embarrassed this family for the last time. Attacking a pregnant woman? In my house? You barren, jealous little nobody. If you couldn’t give my son an heir, the least you could do is disappear quietly instead of trying to murder the future of the Lancaster line!”
