"It's all Baby's fault. Baby was just too curious, and that's how Big Sister's secret slipped out. I'm so sorry, Sis!"
The moment those words left her mouth, the entire room erupted.
Every single table in the banquet hall broke into whispers, a hundred and eighty tables' worth of guests buzzing at once.
Some didn't even bother to lower their voices, pointing at me right to my face.
"Oh my God, the Cobbs' eldest daughter is that kind of woman?"
"Eight abortions? Can she even still have children?"
"So Harrison basically married damaged goods?"
Every word sliced straight into my mother-in-law Greta Finch's ears like a blade.
Her face went dark, eyes cutting toward me like a pair of knives.
"You had better explain yourself. Now."
Even Harrison, my own husband, lunged forward from beside me, his eyes bloodshot, boring into mine.
"Sandra. Is what your sister said true?"
I was about to answer when Marilyn beat me to it, waving her hands and shaking her head frantically.
"No, no, Harrison, please don't fight with Sis over this. It's Baby's fault, Baby said the wrong thing, it's not true, none of what Baby said is true."
It sounded like she was defending me. In reality, every word dug the hole deeper.
Crack!
Greta shot to her feet in a fury and slapped me across the face.
"Everyone knows how you Cobb sisters are. The older one plays every angle, and the younger one's an innocent little thing."
"Sandra Cobb, you've humiliated the Weiss family in front of everyone today. If you don't give my son an explanation, I will go to the police and report you for marriage fraud!"
I held my left cheek, the skin still numb and stinging, and looked toward Harrison. My gaze was flat, empty.
"You believe her too?"
Harrison froze. His lips trembled, and it took him a long time to force the words through his teeth.
"Marilyn is pure-hearted. She wouldn't lie."
Off to the side, Marilyn heard that and burrowed her face even deeper into my mother's arms.
Everyone else thought she was scared. Only I knew she was hiding a smile.
Go ahead and smile. You won't be smiling for long.
I strode to my mother and yanked Marilyn out of her arms, dragging her into the open.
"You're going to tell the truth. Every last detail. When exactly did you go to the hospital with me, and when exactly did you hear a doctor say I'd had eight abortions?"
Marilyn's eyes reddened the instant I grabbed her arm.
As if throwing caution to the wind, she wrenched free of my grip.
"Fine. Baby doesn't want to lie. If Sis wants Baby to talk, Baby will talk."
"Last month, the twentieth. Sis told Baby she had to go to work and wouldn't celebrate Baby's birthday."
"Baby was curious just how busy Sis really was, so Baby secretly followed her. And that's when Baby found out Sis went to a hospital."
"Baby even recorded a video to show Daddy!"
She pulled out her phone and hit play on a clip she'd filmed while tailing me.
In the video, I was wearing a disguise, but there was no question I walked into the OB-GYN clinic.
I was visibly on guard the entire time, acting exactly like someone terrified of being recognized.
"Does Sis dare say that's not her in the video?"
When the clip ended, Marilyn stared at me with absolute certainty plastered across her face.
In an instant, countless pairs of eyes locked onto me, every one of them carrying a different shade of judgment.
They were all waiting to see how I'd explain my way out of this.
Harrison held his breath, waiting for an answer.
I inhaled slowly and answered without flinching.
"That's me."
Two words. Like cold water hitting a vat of boiling oil.
"You filthy whore!" Harrison jabbed a finger at my face, spitting the words like venom.
"Trash! Son, we're leaving!" Greta seized Harrison's wrist and stormed away from the table.
