Chapter 1

Sabrina’s Pov

“The guests have arrived." my voice quivered, the sound startling them.

Fiona let out a scream, scrambling immediately, reaching for her clothes, as if she had any dignity left to gather.

But Tucker? My husband? He didn’t rush.

Of course, he didn’t.

He stepped back slowly, like nothing had happened. as if I hadn’t just walked in on something that shattered everything that I thought I understood about my life. He adjusted his shirt with a sense of calmness, completely ignoring the chaos that was tearing me apart.

Fiona rushed past me, her head down in shame. A few minutes ago, it had been thrown back in pleasure, forgetting that he was my husband.

“What are you doing in my office?” his voice was low, the words hitting me harder than they should.

“What?” my voice barely above a whisper as I stared at him.

My chest tightened, this wasn’t just about betrayal, it was the fact that it meant nothing to him. Tears lined the walls of my eyes as I watched him.

His eyes met mine again, and as usual, they were cold, detached, like I was a nuisance. “I asked you a question, Sabrina.”

Something inside me cracked, like a glass finally crumbling under pressure. My nails dug into my skin, my silent way of trying to stand tall, as if I wasn’t about to drop dead. “Your party… it is your birthday party,”

He raised his brows, “A party?”

I nodded quickly, desperation slowly creeping in, “I told you a few weeks ago, I wanted… a surprise,” I was back to that orb, the wife, provider, an image that was needed of me.

“I never asked for a party,” he muttered, picking his cufflinks from the table as he slowly adjusted his sleeves.

“Every year, I have always thrown a party for you, the people are expecting something big this time,” my voice cracked.

“And if I refuse to attend?” he dragged out the words.

My breath hitched, the hall was filled with people, “Please,” my voice trembled.

“Why, Sabrina?”

What did he want me to say?

That I wanted to be loved?

That I wanted to be seen?

That I was tired of being invisible to him and our marriage?

“It is expected of the Luna…. of us,” I said the words I have been trained to say.

***

“Luna Sabrina, you have outdone yourself this time,” one of the guests whispered, shaking her head in admiration.

“How do you do it? Year after year, making sure nothing is the same,” another muttered.

A Luna grabbed my hand, “This is beautiful, your husband must be the luckiest man on earth,” she smiled.

I smiled politely at each compliment, thanking them with practised grace like I had been trained to. Each word about Tucker felt like a reminder of my crumbling world.

How long has this been going on?

Have I been so blind as not to see anything?

My unease deepened as I waited for his entrance, he didn’t say he would, but I hoped he did. The entrance door opened, and I stood with the rest of the guests as I watched my husband, walk in with my son beside him, behind them was Fiona.

Tucker’s eyes found me, a small smile graced his lips as he walked toward where I stood, “This is really beautiful, my love," he said the words so smoothly as he pecked my cheeks.

His affection for me has always been a show.

But with Fiona, I had seen the gentleness that we haven’t had in five years. Funny that all it took was a minute to realise the truth.

I smiled, “You make me happy,” and I leaned into his side. The words felt like ash on my tongue, a hot brining coal as I smiled.

The guest clapped, all celebrating the pain I kept masked behind a smile. “You have to cut the cake; don’t you think so?”

I stood on the far end, Tucker, Milo, Fiona and then me.

Has it always been like this?

I guess I was just the last one to see. The truth hit harder than it should, this wasn’t new. I just never watched.

TWO HOURS LATER

“Mom!”

My head snapped to the side, a smile forming on my lips as I watched my son run down the stairs. I dropped the plates I was holding, waiting slowly for impact from his hug. But it never came, he ran past me, his eyes barely sparing me a glance.

He ran straight to Fiona’s arms, wrapping his arms around her as if it were a natural thing. Fiona chuckled, her finger gliding through his hair, “Hey, sweetheart did you have fun?”

He beamed, “There is a cake, can I have a piece?” his voice filled with excitement. “Please, Mom!”

I stood there, unmoving, watching the scene unfold right before me.

She crouched down, the smile not leaving her face, “A cake this night? Do you think that is a good thing?” She was affectionate, she was warm.

“You said if I was good, I would have it, please mommy…. I have been good all night,”

She laughed, “You have been, my boy, you have been. I guess we can have a little piece and then you can get to bed.”

My hands trembled, “Milo, come here,” I forced the words out.

He didn’t move, he didn’t even act as if he heard my voice, his eyes were still on Fiona, like she was the sun in his universe.

“Milo!”

“No!” he screamed, grabbing Fiona, hiding his face in her thigh, as if I was a monster.

Tucker, walked in, his eyes instantly on them, a smile that I haven’t seen before on his lips. “What are you doing little man,” he ruffled his hair.

“he is trying to bribe me for a cake,” Fiona smiled, her arms around my son as if she was protecting him from me.

That did it.

“I should give him the cake before he becomes fussy,” she whispered. Fiona walked out with Milo beside her as they chattered, laughing at whatever fun thing they had in mind.

“How long?”

“What are you going on about?” Tucker said in a bored tone.

My hand slammed hard against the table, “How long have you been slowly replacing me in my son’s life!”

“Stop acting desperate, you are being dramatic…”

I wouldn’t recover from this.

“I am done.”