Chapter two

As the cab wove through the streets of New York city, I caught my reflection in the rearview mirror. The scarf was still there. Another compromise I’d made to satisfy a man who claimed he was scared of being stepped on by me because of my father's wealth. For that reason, I had shrunk myself just so he could feel like the head of our home.

The moment I stepped out of the cab, I could already hear laughter spilling from Aunt Matilda’s house.

The place screamed old money. Heavy iron gates, well-pruned flowers, and that faint, delicate scent of spices and tea that hits your nostrils the moment you open the door.

Four heads turned.

Aunt Matilda and three of her friends were perched on rare antique chairs.

There was sudden silence.

It wasn't because I was important. It was because they were already talking about me in their heads.

Rebecca Greene. The spoiled daughter. The pretty, useless one. The woman who married someone beneath her and still managed to lose herself.

Great.

Kate sat in the corner, typing on her phone and looking like a hostage. She only looked up to see why the room had gone quiet. When our eyes met, she let out a loud sigh of relief.

“Finally!” Kate rushed toward me, grabbing my arm. “Now I won’t be the only one forced to hear gossip and secrets I have no business knowing.”

I gave her a faint smile. “You act like you don’t enjoy it, but you keep coming back.”

“Because she gaslights me,” Kate said, pointing at Aunt Matilda. She paused, really looking at me. “Wait… Becky, why do you look like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like someone just ripped your heart out of your chest.”

Kate might be spoilt, but she can see past your soul if you let her. I wasn't ready for that yet.

“I want to talk to Aunt Matilda,” I said, looking directly at the woman wearing a big, knowing smile. She knew why I was here. They all knew.

Kate didn’t push. She directed me to a chair right in front of Matilda and sat beside me.

“Well,” Matilda drawled, blowing steam off her tea. “If it isn’t the Greene princess herself. To what do I owe this… pleasure?”

I didn't bother with pleasantries. I was here for blood. “How long has Elena Davis been fucking my husband?”

A murmur rippled through the room. Kate winced. “Becky,” she whispered.

Aunt Matilda’s lips curled. “And here I thought you came for my rare tea. I have a new secret ingredient, had a friend bring it all the way from Africa and—”

“I’m not here for that kind of tea, Matilda.”

She set her cup down and laughed heartily. “Straight to business, I see.”

I didn't say a word. I just looked at her without blinking. Aunt Matilda leaned back, studying me like I was a puzzle she intended to solve for fun.

“I don't do that anymore, dear. I’ve learned to mind my own business. I’m getting old and tired of lawsuits.”

I met her gaze without hesitation. “Three pairs of red-bottom stilettos and a fully funded trip to any country of your choice.”

Silence. Then, a soft, knowing laugh.

“Oh, little dove,” she said, shaking her head. “You asked for it. And I’m going to say it as it is. No filters.”

My fingers curled at my sides, but my face remained calm. “I’m all ears.”

“Where do I even start? You’ve been so blind, dear,” she said, tapping her manicured nails against the armrest till it began to create a rhythm. “Adam has been married to Elena for five years. Two years before you practically begged your father to have him marry you. Elena is his only legal wife in the face of the law though, your marriage certificate is fake. I know because I have ears everywhere, and the idiot who had issued it is my ex husband."

That wasn't what happened. I was in love, yes, but I didn't beg. Our parents made the arrangement. And for the marriage certificate, I had never even seen it after I signed it.

My chest tightened, but I didn't react.

“Go on,” I said.

“They met in London, started dating, and eventually got married in court. A small ceremony. I wasn't even invited.”

Kate sucked in a breath. “Why did he marry Rebecca then? That’s cruel.”

“No,” Matilda corrected smoothly. “That’s business. You were just a means to an end. Your father’s company was the prize. It has always been the prize.”

I already knew that. “What about Elliot?”

Aunt Matilda smiled. “Ah. The idiot. Your dear cousin has been playing both sides for years. He and Elena were dating when she was still in high school. I don't think even Adam knows that. They broke up when she caught him with your mother.”

“My mother?”

“Your birthgiver,” she corrected. “That’s all she’s ever been. Are you blind to this too? Why are you so clueless? Why do you think your dad filed for divorce? She was a gold-digging tramp just like Elena.”

She stood up and looked at me. “And talking about Elena… her daughter has her hair, but everything else looks like someone I know.”

My heart skipped. “Who?”

“She’s not just your goddaughter,” Matilda said, her voice dropping. “To be honest, if I had a child as dumb as you, I’d have given her up for adoption long ago. That little girl is Adam's child."

Kate’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh my God…”

But I didn't move. I didn't say anything. Because suddenly, everything made sense.

The memory hit me like a tornado. I had been by Elena’s side when she told me her heart was broken. I was there when she took the pregnancy test. I had encouraged her to keep it, promising to be there for her since I couldn't have children of my own after the kidney donation.

I had turned into a slave for her. I ran her errands, fed her, and even encouraged Adam to go help her with her lights at midnight.

“I love how much you’re helping her,” Adam would say. “Maybe God will bless you with a child someday, regardless of your damaged womb.”

For three years, I had shrunk myself for him. I changed my hair, my clothes, my personality. Only to be made a fool of by two people I loved and trusted.

When I got back to the house, I found him in the living room. He looked as handsome as the day we met. Black shirt defining his muscles, hair slightly damp. Those blue eyes, which usually shifted with the light, were fixed on me.

They gave me butterflies before, now they just irritated me.

"Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you," he said, walking toward me with his arms open for a hug.

I put my hand up, stopping him. "I’m tired. I need to rest."

I wasn't about to hug the same chest Elena had been pressed against earlier. He followed me to the bedroom, playing the victim.

"I keep telling you, communication is key. I'm not a mind reader. If I've done something to upset you, let me know."

I stayed silent.

"Little Rebecca will be here with Elena any moment. Even if you're upset with me, at least try to be cheerful for the sake of your goddaughter and best friend."

He left. I waited a few minutes, then stood up. Almost instantly, I heard the sound of tiny feet running toward the bedroom. Despite the bubbling anger in my chest, a small, genuine smile crept onto my face.

Little Rebecca was here. She was innocent in all this. She didn't ask to be brought into the world by traitors.