<h1 ss="dib mb0 fw700 fs24 lh1.5">Chapter 7: Birthday Whispers, Hidden Heartbreak</h1>
ra’s eyes met Vivienne’s cool gaze. Her half-sister’s perfect smile never faltered as the executives surrounding her continued their praise.
“Your presentation on the European market was outstanding, Dr. Dubois,” gushed Sandra Phillips, the marketing director. “The board was absolutely impressed.”
Vivienne tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Thank you. It was merely a summary of my research at Oxford.”
The groupughed appreciatively, as if she’d said something incredibly witty. No one acknowledged ra’s presence. She might as well have been invisible.
“Excuse me,” ra murmured, slipping past them.
She felt Vivienne’s eyes follow her retreat, the weight of that stare like a knife between her shoulder des. Seven years of marriage to Damien, and she was treated like an intruder, while Viviennemanded respect after mere months.
At her desk, ra’s phone buzzed. A text from Chloe: “Emergency! Need you at Bellini’s now! Code red!!”
ra frowned. Code red was their signal for serious boyfriend trouble. She grabbed her purse and headed for the elevator.
Twenty minutester, she pulled up to Bellini’s, an upscale Italian restaurant downtown. As she approached the entrance, something caught her eye through therge ss windows. Her step faltered.
Inside, at a table near the window, sat Cora. Her daughter was supposed to be in Andoria with Damien, yet here she was, chattering excitedly to Vivienne.
ra ducked behind a decorative pir. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Why were they back early? Why hadn’t anyone told her?
Through the ss, she could see Cora’s animated face. The child was practically bouncing in her seat as she handed something to Vivienne. A small, wrapped box.
ra inched closer, positioning herself where she could see but wouldn’t be noticed. Cora was beaming with pride as Vivienne opened the gift.
“Look what I made for you!” Cora’s voice was faintly audible through the ss. “Dad helped me polish the shells!”
Vivienne lifted a delicate shell ne from the box, her face lighting up with what appeared to be genuine delight. “Oh, Coco, it’s beautiful!”
“We collected the shells at the beach in Andoria,” Cora exined proudly. “Dad said we had toe back early for your birthday!”
Each word felt like a physical blow. They had cut their trip short for Vivienne’s birthday. Not for ra’s two weeks ago, which Damien and Cora had both forgotten entirely.
“Is that why we rushed back?” asked a woman ra recognized as Vivienne’s friend, Charlotte. “For your birthday?”
Vivienne smiled, fastening the ne around her neck. “Damien said he couldn’t miss it.”
Charlotteughed. “Speaking of which, where is your dashing man?”
“Parking the car,” Vivienne replied. “He should be here any—”
“Happy birthday, beautiful.”
Damien appeared, looking more rxed than ra had seen him in years. He bent down to kiss Vivienne’s cheek before taking the seat beside her.
“Dad!” Cora eximed. “Vivienne loves my ne!”
“Of course she does,” Damien replied, his hand resting possessively on Vivienne’s shoulder. “You made it with love.”
ra’s vision blurred. She blinked rapidly, refusing to cry here, in public, like some pathetic, jilted wife.
“So, did you like your other present?” Charlotte asked Vivienne with a suggestive smile.
Vivienne’s lips curled into a secretive smile. “Very much.”
“I already gave Vivienne my gift,” Damien said simply.
“Oh, I bet you did,” Charlotteughed, raising her eyebrows. “Something private, no doubt.”
The table erupted inughter. Even Cora giggled, though she clearly didn’t understand the innuendo.
ra stepped back from the window, feeling sick. Her phone buzzed again: Chloe calling.
“Where are you?” Chloe demanded when she answered. “I’ve been waiting at the bar!”
“You’re here? At Bellini’s?” ra whispered, scanning the restaurant interior.
“Yes! Third stool from the left. I can see you outside! What are you doing lurking by the pir?”
ra spotted her friend waving from the bar. “Stay there. I’lle to you.”
She circled around to the side entrance, keeping her head down. Thest thing she needed was for Damien or Cora to see her.
Chloe’s concerned face greeted her at the bar. “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“They’re here,” ra said, her voice barely audible. “Damien, Cora, and Vivienne.”
Chloe’s eyes widened. “What? Show me.”
Before ra could stop her, Chloe was peering around the corner toward their table. “That bitch,” she hissed. “And your daughter is there too? What the hell?”
“They came back early for Vivienne’s birthday,” ra exined, the words tasting bitter. “Cora made her a ne. With seashells they collected together.”
Chloe’s face softened with understanding. “Oh, El.”
“They were supposed to be in Andoria for another week,” ra continued, herposure cracking. “They didn’t even call to tell me they were back. And two weeks ago, on my birthday—”
“They forgotpletely,” Chloe finished, squeezing her hand. “I remember.”
The bartender approached. “Can I get youdies something to drink?”
“Two martinis,” Chloe replied immediately. “Extra olives.”
When he moved away, ra shook her head. “I can’t stay, Chloe. I can’t be here, watching them y happy family.”
“We’ll leave right after our drinks,” Chloe promised. “You look like you need it.”
The martinis arrived quickly. ra took arge sip, weing the burn in her throat.
“How can she be sofortable with him?” she whispered. “She’s my sister. Half-sister, but still. Doesn’t that mean anything to her?”
Chloe scoffed. “Vivienne only cares about Vivienne. Always has.”
“And Cora adores her,” ra added, her voice breaking. “My own daughter.”
“Kids are easily impressed by shiny new toys,” Chloe said firmly. “Vivienne is just a novelty to her. And Damien—”
“Is Damien,” ra finished. “Cold, distant, and impossible to please unless you’re Vivienne Dubois.”
She drained her martini, the alcohol warming her chest but doing little to ease the ache in her heart.
“Let’s go,” she said, standing abruptly. “I need to get out of here.”
They paid quickly and headed for the elevators that would take them to the parking garage. As the doors began to close, a hand shot out to stop them.
Lucas Sterling, Damien’s closest friend and CFO of Thorne Industries, stepped inside. His eyes widened slightly in recognition.
“Mrs. Thorne,” he said, his gaze darting between her and Chloe. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
ra’s throat tightened. Lucas had been at the table with Damien and Vivienne. If he was heading back, he’d tell them she was here.
“Mr. Sterling,” she managed to reply, her voice surprisingly steady. “Just having lunch with my friend.”
Lucas nodded slowly, his eyes calcting. The elevator began its descent, the silence stretching ufortably.
“Cora looks well,” ra said finally, unable to bear the quiet. “I didn’t know they were back from Andoria.”
Lucas studied her face. “They arrived this morning.”
Another silence fell. The elevator seemed to move in slow motion.
“It’s Vivienne’s birthday,” Lucas added, watching her reaction closely. “The party is tonight at the penthouse.”
The penthouse. Her home with Damien. Where she still technically lived, though she’d been staying at her grandmother’s estate more oftentely.
“I see,” she said, struggling to keep her voice neutral. “Thank you for letting me know.”
The elevator doors opened at the parking level. Lucas held them for ra and Chloe to exit first.
“Mrs. Thorne,” he called after her. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes held something that might have been pity. “Damien and Vivienne are heading back to the office after lunch. They’re nning to pick up Cora around four.”
A warning. A courtesy. ra wasn’t sure which, but she nodded gratefully.
As they walked to their cars, Chloe linked her arm through ra’s. “What are you going to do?”
ra stared straight ahead, her mind suddenly, terrifyingly clear. “I’m going to call mywyer.”
“To finalize the divorce?” Chloe asked.
“No,” ra replied, a new determination hardening her voice. “To make sure I get everything I deserve.”