2. HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

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Even though Nicola possessed the personality of a fig tree, her hair resembled a lion's mane. At least it usually did. Today it was pinned back and littered with pearls. She wore a black dress with red flower patterns and a sweetheart neck and her signature chain around her neck with her engagement ring on it. She wore her wedding band on her finger.

She looked nice. She had the beauty to make up for her lack of personality but not to compete against her sister or mother or Natasha.

"You look like a doll!" Stacia gushed as she kissed both cheeks of her sister.

"I do feel like Chucky." Nicola said wryly. She did not like dressing up.

"Shut up!" Stacia laughed as she linked her arms with her sister's and dragged her towards Malcolm James, her husband.

"Baby!" Malcolm grinned, holding out his arms.

"BIL." Nicola nodded.

Malcolm did not take offense at Nicola's lack of enthusiasm and hugged her tight.

"Where is my nephew?" Nicola asked. Rhys was the only person she really cared about at the moment.

"The invitation strictly said no children allowed." Stacia shrugged.

Nicola rolled her eyes. That sounded like something her mother-in-law Melanie Grant would do.

"And I am pretty sure your one-month-old nephew would not have enjoyed all this grandeur and liquor."

Nicola rolled her eyes again. "Let me go find my husband. I am expected to cling to his arm all evening tonight. Like some bloody koala."

"Koalas suit you. Though you lack the koalification to be one." Malcolm chuckled at his own words while the sisters gave him unimpressed looks.

"That was such a lame attempt that I am not even going to call it a joke." Nicola gave him a wry smile before walking away.

"Baby's mean."

"And you are lame."

It was not that hard to find her six feet two husband but she hesitated for a moment when she saw that Natasha Cunningham already had her arms around his bicep.

Nicola stood there, observing the perfection that the couple was. And she took in the whispers of the same from the surroundings.

"Do you care?" She asked herself.

"Of course not."

"Then take your rightful place."

She sighed and gathered the flowy skirt of her dress in her hands and walked over to the group.

"There she is!" Benjamin, her father-in-law, beamed. "You look like a doll."

She bit down the response she had given her sister.

"I can never go wrong with a dress." Melanie smiled as she kissed the air near her cheeks. "You look so cute, Nicky."

Doll.

Cute.

Pretty.

That's all she would ever be.

Never beautiful. Never gorgeous. Never ever the first choice.

"Thanks." She bit out.

The five of them looked at one another, crickets starting to chirp. The vibrant conversation that the four of them had been sharing had ceased. And Nicola knew that it was because of her arrival.

She wanted to blow out a breath and ask them to continue, walk away, and find people who actually appreciated her company. That would be just her sister and BIL in this crowd.

It was her wedding anniversary, but her mother-in-law had bulldozed into the planning, just like last year, and hijacked the guest list, so none of her real friends were there.

She felt lonely.

"There you are!"

Everyone mentally heaved a sigh of relief when Yvonne broke the awkwardness.

"Mother." Nicola turned to her.

"Baby." Yvonne smiled tightly at her daughter. The woman had had great dreams for her younger child when she was a kid. But she had disappointed her immensely when she grew up into a boring woman. She was an embarrassment to the grandiose and vibrancy with which Yvonne and her husband, Mathew Montgomery, lived their lives.

"You both need to address the party." She pointed at Nicola and Dominic.

"We will in a while, Yvonne." Dominic nodded.

"Well, till then I am going to steal your wife." Her eyes fell on the interlinked arms of her son-in-law and his business associate but she forced herself to ignore it.

"Of course." The relief in his voice also did not go unnoticed.

Yvonne felt humiliated on behalf of her daughter but didn't say a word as she dragged Nicola away.

And Nicola? Nicola didn't care.

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Nicola felt queasy and uneasy. She had taken her anxiolytics - she was not strong enough to be in the vicinity of this narcissistic rich bunch without taking something for the nerves. And she was not much of a drinker. So she couldn't turn to the expensive scotch served for the purpose.

Dominic gestured for her to join him, Natasha unlatching herself from him only when his wife reached his side.

"You look lovely today." He spoke to her for the first time tonight, even though Melanie had clearly instructed the duo to stick to each other all night for the sake of appearance.

She looked up at him, giving no emotion away. "You look like you, in a bow."

Nicola didn't even try to converse more and made her way up the podium.

Dominic let out an annoyed sigh, flashed Natasha a quick smile, and followed his wife.

One of the staff handed a golden glittery mic to each of them.

Both of them found the items excessive but only Dominic showed his displeasure on his face.

Yvonne nodded at her daughter to speak.

Nicola sighed and tapped on the mic. "It's been two years." Any residual chatter subsided as she began to speak. "Dominic and I aren't the best of matches. But I like to believe that we are making it work somehow. Somewhat."

She cleared her throat, feeling Dominic's intent eyes on her. It was probably the longest he had heard her speak. Everyone knew that though Nicola spoke so little, she was good at giving speeches. She was good with her words even though her conversational skills sucked.

"I would like to thank you all for being here tonight and taking part in our happiness, in our hope and faith for the future. Thank you very much, all of you." She wrapped it up as quickly as she could, not saying anything more regarding her wretched marriage.

Nicola Grant was an honest gal and she did not want to unnecessarily spew nonsense to sweeten anybody's ears.

A small applause later, Melanie mouthed 'charity' towards Dominic.

He nodded and turned on his mic. "On the occasion of our second anniversary, Natasha and I would like to-"

The crowd gasped and immediately burst into chatter.

It took Dominic two seconds to realize his blunder.

Natasha and I.

His wife's name was Nicola. 

Dominic's eyes sought his wife's, guilt and embarrassment evident in his. But she was not looking at him. She was watching the reaction of the crowd.

Her eyes fell on Stacia and Malcolm. Pity and guilt.

On her mother and father. Humiliation.

Maverick. Pity.

Benjamin and Melanie. Disappointment.

All the other eyes on her. Pity.

Pity.

Pity.

Pity.

And something just snapped. Something that should have a long time ago.

She slowly brought the mic towards her lips as Dominic took a step towards her, ready to apologize.

The uproar subsided as they got ready for her words.

"He's not wrong, you know."

"What are you talking about?" Dominic whispered.

"It is as much the anniversary of their affair as it is of my wedding." More gasps and chatter. "It's all one and the same."

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