The next morning, I sat in a law office, waiting to be told what I already felt…something was wrong
“Miss Claire the marriage certificate you have appears to be forged. You were never married to Xander Hart.” I stared at the man infront of me, numbness slowly seeping into my bones.
“We had a small wedding, I-I decorated the chapel myself.” I said, voice oddly detached like I was speaking about someone else’s life.
“Miss Claire you were never the wife, the children born from this union can only be illegitimate.”
The room spun around me as my entire body trembled when he continued.
“Do you still not wish to abort and completely erase your identity along with the baby’s?”
A small tear trailed down my eyes as I nodded.
“Yes, prepare everything in two days.”
For the first time, I didn’t know what part of my life had ever been real.
As soon as I walked outside, a sickly sweet voice called out to me.
“Claire, wait.” Victoria stepped out of her mercedes with a wide smile.
“What a coincidence! Were you here for… legal stuff?” She kept going, breezily linking her arm with mine before I could retreat.
“Yes.” I said almost too tired to pretend.
“Anyway, there is a special party at the Hart penthouse today.” Her tone turned sugary, eyes gleaming with mock warmth. “Xander decorated everything himself.”
“And since we are practically family now, I thought we should bond, Xander’s father insisted” she added sweetly. “You wouldn’t want to disappoint him, would you?”
I raised my eyes and on the large billboard behind was written today’s date: July 27th, my birthday.
“Also, can you do me a favor? Bring a birthday cake from the exclusive Juno bakery, The birthday girl loves it.”
Juno Bakery was the place where Xander first kissed me, celebrated my first birthday with him. So for the next five years it became our tradition to cut a cake from there.
A tiny spark fluttered before I could crush it completely.
One last time.
“Okay” I murmured, before turning away and not being able to see the wide smile on Victoria’s face.
An hour passed slowly as I entered the penthouse, draped in silk ribbons and helium balloons.
I was almost smiling until my eyes fell upon the large celebration banner before my blood ran cold.
[Happy Birthday, Princess Bella!]
With wide broken eyes I saw the gold-glitter banner at the door with the photo of a chihuahua in tiara.
A dog’s birthday.
I didn’t move…didn’t even breathe as a body collided with me from outside. Unlike my plain clothes drizzled in slight rain, the woman was dressed in gorgeous sequins.
“Claire!” Victoria spotted me and lit up like a chandelier, a spark of viciousness flashing in her eyes “You look so…. pretty tonight…almost made me recall my grandma’s dress.”
She looped her arm through mine and dragged me inside the room. “You are here with my dog’s cake!”
The laughter stopped and even the music seemed to mute behind the silence. Xander turned, glass pausing halfway to his lips. His eyes met mine, a flicker of irritation passing through them.
“Why are you here?”
“Xander, I invited Claire. I just wanted her to see how much you adore your future wife.” Victoria eyes flashed with victory as she dragged me toward to sit amongst the crowd who looked at me in disdain.
“Lets begin the game.”
Soon, the game bottle spun and stopped, its neck pointing directly at Victoria.
The host grinned. “Let’s spice it up. Ten minutes in the closet. Victoria and…” he glanced down. “Me”
Gasps sounded as Xander turned, his jaw sharp.
“Like hell she is going in.”
The host laughed. “It’s just a game.”
“Fine! Then I will go with her!” Xander said, coldly. He dragged Victoria beside him, brushing past me without a glance.
The crowd whooped and hollered as a girl said loudly.
“It is only Victoria who suits beside Xander, she saved his life… no wonder he loves her deeply.”
“Or what? Do you think he would fall for a lowly girl from the gutter who only knows how to spread her legs and seduce men?” Another chimed in with a mocking laugh.
“What to fall, with someone like, who knows how many diseases they are carrying.”
The words jabbed my heart as they didn’t even bother to hide the contempt. Regarding their words, I was almost ready to leave so why should they matter anymore.
I stood up without a word making the chatter stop abruptly before turning to walk away.
That night there were no knocks at my apartment door, Xander simply took the spare key and entered with the intention to see me as I had left abruptly.
It was until he saw the small cake still sitting on the table, misshapen. Melted with pink icing dripped down the side.
At that moment a horrified expression covered his features as he rushed inside the kitchen to see me do the dishes without even bothering to acknowledge his presence.
“Claire…” His voice came low. “July 27. Fuck! Today was your birthday! I-”
I didn’t turn around “It’s okay.”
“It’s not-” He stopped. “I should have remembered.”
“Claire listen…the party organizer had bad intentions and Victoria….she saved my life once and I am indebted to her-.”
“I understand.” Utter silence covered the surroundings as Xander opened his mouth to explain further but no words came out.
When I turned to leave Xander held my arm, a strange ache twisting his heart.
“Claire, why are you acting like this?” He said, hugging me tightly but I didn’t move…almost like a ghost in his arms, unmoving, unfeeling.
When he pulled back, seeing that I looked at him with my eyes were empty, he reached out to press a kiss to my lips to which I turned my head away.
“I am tired, I just want to sleep. When you return to the Hart estate, just lock the door properly.”
And just like that when I went inside the bedroom, not waiting for his reply, Xander looked at my back stunned, unable to understand the uncomfortable feeling blooming in his heart.
