Chapter 2 : Engagement on my birthday?

Bianca took another step toward him, her eyes locked onto his, unblinking. A part of her was still waiting, waiting for him to laugh, to pull her into his arms and say,

Darling, you know nothing comes between us. I was only joking. I love you. Only you.

But Charles didn’t laugh and seemed to be dragging things out.

Her hands trembled as she asked again, “Who is she?”

This time, Charles didn’t hesitate.

“She’s someone I love,” he said calmly. “Someone I’ve loved. My mother likes her. She approves of her. She’s suitable, from a good family. Everything this marriage was supposed to be.”

Bianca’s chest tightened painfully. She still wanted to believe he was pulling her leg. His mother had always tried to match him with someone else and this wasn’t new.

“Your mother?” Bianca whispered. “You’re ending us because of your mother?”

His silence was answer enough.

“She’s already here,” Charles continued. “Staying in the east wing. The engagement announcement will be made tonight during the celebration.”

For a moment, everything blurred for Bianca.

Bianca’s fingers curled tightly at her sides.

Tonight was supposed to be her birthday party. The celebration was meant for her. And he was going to turn it into his engagement announcement.

This had to be one of Charles’s cruel jokes. Who does something like this on someone’s special day?

She was about to speak again, to beg him to stop playing around…when a sharp voice cut through the room.

“Don’t act shocked.”

Mrs Camilla strode in through the hall.

Bianca turned sharply with heavy eyes, watching the woman walk toward them with that familiar look of victory.

“Don’t be greedy, Bianca,” Camilla snapped. “You’ve wasted four years of my son’s life with your cheap tricks and fake magic. But today, the spell is finally broken.”

Bianca barely reacted. She had grown used to her mother-in-law’s insults.

Instead, she looked at Charles…He was the one who mattered. The one who usually stepped in. The one who always shut his mother down when she crossed the line.

But this time… he said nothing.

He stood there, calm and allowing the disrespect.

Something inside Bianca cracked quietly.

“If you’ll excuse me,” Charles said coolly, turning away, “I need to prepare for my big day.”

Camilla smiled proudly at his words.

What day could be bigger than the moment Bianca was supposed to tell him a little life was growing inside her?

Bianca took a step after him but Camilla grabbed her wrist and yanked her back.

She clapped her hands together dramatically, shaking her head like a grieving saint.

“Please,” Mrs Camilla cried loudly, “let my son be free from your witchcraft.”

Just then, a maid rushed in. “Ma’am, the buffet is in.”

Camilla gave Bianca one last slow look, her eyes sweeping over her trembling body, then turned and hurried away without another word.

Bianca wiped at the tears that were almost falling. Something still felt wrong but she pushed it aside. Maybe they were only trying to throw her off guard, so the celebration would feel bigger, sweeter. More surprising.

She lifted her head and looked in the direction her husband had gone, then hurried after Mrs Camilla , toward where the celebration was supposed to be.

She hadn’t seen any of the decorations earlier. She’d wanted to walk in beside him, wanted to see everyone’s faces when they finally yelled surprise. That way, it would feel real.

But the moment she stepped inside, her pace slowed.

This wasn’t the theme she had imagined.

Instead of wrapped gifts and birthday banners, she saw soft colors with baby décor. Tiny shoes placed neatly on tables and Little cards. It looked more like a baby announcement than a birthday celebration.

Her brows pulled together.

Then her heart jumped.

Oh…

They know.

They must have found out she was already pregnant and decided to surprise her instead, turning her birthday into something even more special.

Emotion swelled in her chest. She exhaled deeply and pressed a hand there, touched by the thought. They were celebrating her… and the baby growing inside her....

She smiled, already forgiving everything, the tension, the strange behavior, even the divorce talk. Surely they would laugh soon and tell her it had all been a prank.

She was just turning, still smiling, when her eyes landed on someone familiar. Rosina, her best friend for twenty years. Her ride-or-die, the sister she hadn’t seen in months because Rosina had traveled back to her home country.

Bianca’s face lit up.

She rushed forward and hugged her carefully, mindful of her belly.

“You came?” Bianca laughed softly, surprised Rosina had made it for her big day.

Then her eyes dropped, and her breath caught.

“Oh my God, Rosina… your baby’s growing so fast.”

She and Rosina had always dreamed of this, becoming mothers together, raising their children side by side, just the way they had grown up. When Rosina had told her about the pregnancy with his boyfriend, Bianca had been genuinely happy for them… and secretly hopeful that one day, she would get pregnant too, so they could truly twin.....Until God had been kind to her too. Just weeks ago, she had discovered she was pregnant as well, her own small miracle...something she held close to her heart, still fragile and still new.

Bianca hadn’t told anyone yet. She wanted to tell her husband first then share the news with the world and her bestfriend who she knew was going to be equally happy for her…

Smiling, she bent and kissed Rosina’s belly before pulling her into a gentle side hug.

“I hope you make me the godmother, Rosa,” Bianca said.

When Rosina finally spoke, her Spanish accent colored every word.

“Happy birthday, Bianca. You mean the world to me,” she said, squeezing Bianca’s hands tightly.

Bianca laughed softly and tapped her arm. “Oh, stop it. You’ll ruin my makeup.”

They hugged again, both smiling.

“Why don’t you rest in one of the rooms and relax while everything gets settled?” Bianca suggested. “Then you can walk down with us when it’s time.”

Without waiting for a reply, she motioned to one of the maids and quietly instructed her to take Rosina to the guest room.

Once Rosina was led away, Bianca turned toward the decoration area herself. Since she had already stumbled upon it, she might as well make sure everything was in order.