Birthday and dinner disaster

Navie turned back to the table, her gaze fixed on the food before her. Marissa sighed, looking at Navie's reaction. She turned to George. But George was already glaring at his son. 

Noticing everyone's gaze, Reid removed her hand from his and went to his seat beside Navie. Bianca followed suit.

“Stop right there”, George ordered. Reid stopped short in his tracks, he took his hand away from the chair he pulled out for himself.

“Why's she here”, he questioned, his voice raw with displeasure. 

“Bianca is like family Dad”, Reid replied flatly. 

“Family?!”, Estelle cut in. Daniel scoffed and held his wife's hand under the table. She might lash out at her brother and ruin the family dinner, not that Reid had not attempted to ruin it anyways. 

“Tsk Tsk”, Marissa shook her head and turned her attention to her food. She began to cut through her steak.

“Kids these days, some of them even go after married men. How shameless”, Marissa took a bite out of her steak and munched on it nonchalantly. 

Bianca clenched her fists, she managed a practiced smile and still put on her fake avatar. 

“I...”, she began. 

“Girl!”, George yelled. 

Bianca flinched, her face twisted as fear replaced the smile. 

“I give you five seconds to get out of my house”. 

Bianca smiled nervously, she glanced at Reid. 

Reid began, “Dad, you are going too far, she's just like family to us”.

“Now!”, he said still glaring at Bianca.

“I'm sorry sir”, Bianca bowed and hurried out. She glanced at Navie with scorn.

When Bianca left, Estelle leaned across the table and said to Navie, while casting taunting glares at Reid. 

“Navie, Bianca is a snake. Do not trust her”.

Navie didn't respond, her eyes still fixed on her food. She bit her lower lip to avoid the tears threatening to spill down her face.

Marissa sighed, the atmosphere turned gloomy in a matter of seconds.

George cleared his throat loudly. 

“That looks delicious, Navie. Try those out, the shrimps looks so good”, he said and began to dig into his food. 

Reid glared hard at Navie, she felt arrows being shot at her. She glanced up to meet Reid’s terrifying gaze. She turned back sharply to the table, she began to fidget with her fingers. Reid is getting angry again, she didn't wish to witness another episode of his anger. 

Bianca got out of the mansion, seething in anger, she turned sharply in rage, glaring one more time before storming to her car. 

She hit the car wheel in frustration and screamed. 

“Navie you bitch! This is all because of you!”

She met Reid first, she had been by his side for a long time. She comforted him when his mother left. Yet, someone else had to steal him from her. How she hated Navie. 

She didn't make any effort, Reid was served to her on a platter of gold. While she, she toiled for years to get Reid's attention. 

“And that bitch thinks I'm her fan”. She screamed and crashed the wheel repeatedly.

Bianca recalled Navie's first appearance. When George’s butler died, his wife brought his daughter to the Andros Mansion. She happily gathered flowers from the garden and was hopping to Reid's room, she entered the house unannounced and didn't meet him in his room. 

She asked one of the maids where Reid was, they told her he was in his father's study. Bianca suddenly felt anxious, she tiptoed to the study, the door was slightly ajar that was when she heard the bombshell. Navie and her mother stood before Reid and his parents. 

George introduced Navie as Reid's fiancee. 

Reid as expected, didn't interact with Navie, Bianca felt reassured. Reid would never get close to any woman but her, he was extremely wary of women. She felt proud that she could approach him. After they got married, Reid distanced himself from his wife, Bianca had him wrapped around her fingers.

A knock on her car window brought Bianca back to reality. The guards stood watching her antics in the car for a long time, when it looked like she wouldn't move any soon, someone went to knock her window. She didn't bother rolling down the window, she stepped on it and drove away.

Back in the dining room, Reid was still standing. Seeing Navie fidgeting with her fingers under the table only added to his anger. 

What's so important about her that Bianca got kicked out. 

“We are done here Dad”, his eyes never leaving Navie. George didn't take his eyes off his food.

“No you're not”, he replied flatly. 

“Navie. Get up.”, Reid said between his teeth. 

Navie stood up immediately, 

“D-Dad, we should get going”, she said wobbly. George sighed, he gazed at his son and daughter-in-law. Interfering further would not do any good for Navie when they get home, even though he doesn't hit her, he treats her worse. 

“I will have the butler…..”, 

“No thanks, we will go ourselves”, Reid casted one more hateful gaze at Navie before turning on his heels. Estelle and Daniel exchanged glances and sighed. Marissa shook her head. 

Navie bowed slightly, clutching her stomach. She chuckled nervously. 

“Good night everyone”. 

A week later»»»

They had just cut the birthday cake, everyone shared the cake. George left the country not long after the family dinner, he could not be present at the little birthday party Estelle organized for Navie even though it was only her family that are present. 

Her mother stroked her hair, gazing at her lovingly. Navie melted into her embrace. Her mother was her strength, she loved the woman more than anything in the world. 

“Navie!”, a familiar voice echoed from outside. The clicking of the heels on the marble floor announced her presence before she appeared. 

“I bet she wears heels to bed”, Estelle squeezed her nose in disgust.

Bianca came into the room, flashing a bright smile. Navie's face brightened up when she saw her. She admired Bianca from head to toe, she could dress to kill. Clad in a tight black skirt and a blue shirt, her hair held up in a ponytail with few strands down, she looked every inch as pretty as a doll. Navie always looked forward to learning fashion tips from her. 

She went to meet halfway, they hugged. 

“Happy birthday Navie, I wish all the best in the world”, Bianca squealed holding Navie's arm.

“Thanks for coming Bianca”, Navie replied shyly. 

“And Oh! Reid has so much to do in the office so he might be back late”, Bianca said with a sad face. 

“You don't need to worry about that, I'm fine”, Navie said dismissing the disappointment written all over her face. 

“I got you these”, Bianca daggled a car key in front of Navie's face. 

Navie gasped, she took it and continued to stare at it in wonder. 

“Thanks Bianca ”, her eyes met Bianca's with gratitude. 

“Oh don't mention. Auntie!”, Bianca rushed to hug Navie's mother. The old lady patted her back and thanked her. Estelle turned away pretending she didn't see Bianca. 

“Mother, do you know? She has been sleeping like a fish ever since I've come”, Estelle said and they all laughed. Navie looked around at the happy people. Estelle , Bianca and her mther. She clutched her swollen stomach happily. 

“Dear baby, look how much people loves mommy”, she said inwardly. 

Her smile faltered as she remembered her husband, Reid. He doesn't love her and does not bother hiding it. To him, she was just carrying his heir. He didn't even bother wishing her a happy birthday. 

A gentle tap on her shoulders brought her back to reality, she turned to look at Bianca who was beaming a sweet smile at her. Navie sighed and smiled back. 

“Thank you so much Estelle , you even came to stay with Navie since last week”, Navie's mom said.

“Auntie, I told you to stop saying thanks”, Estelle said and rolled her eyes jokingly. 

Navie chuckled, she took her new car keys and placed it in her mother's hands.

“Here Mum, take my car”. Navie handed the keys to her. 

“What? No”,

“Come on, when you're coming next week, it will bring you back”,

She sighed in defeat. 

“Okay my darling, as you wish”. 

The three women walked Navie's mom out.

"Bye mum!”, Navie and Estelle waved as the driver drove the car out of the compound. They were still waving when....

BOOOM! The car exploded, went up in the air and landed. Exploding in flames. Navie gasped and staggered backwards. 

“Mom!!!”, she screamed in horror. She made to run towards the fire but Estelle pulled her back, her vision blurred and darkness soon crawled in.