WHERE SHE NEVER BELONGED

The morning Vince was supposed to leave for his hometown, Amara couldn't stop smiling.

She had been looking forward to it for days. After everything they had been dealing with, she was genuinely happy that he was finally going to see his parents. She thought it was important for him to spend time with his family, and she had no idea that the people he was so excited to visit already knew something she didn't.

Amara was working at one of Vince's family's franchise businesses, moving between tasks while her colleagues watched her with amused expressions.

"You look too happy today," one of them teased.

Amara laughed. "Why wouldn't I be happy? Vince is finally going home to see his parents."

Another colleague shook her head dramatically. "So we're finally getting rid of you for a few days."

"Please," Amara said, laughing. "You people are going to miss me."

"We'll miss you?" her colleague asked. "We're celebrating!"

Everyone laughed.

Amara rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop smiling.

"At least I'll get some peace," another colleague added. "No husband calling every five minutes."

"You're just jealous because you don't have someone waiting for you," Amara shot back.

They laughed again.

But then one of them looked at her differently.

"You're really not worried about him going back home?"

Amara frowned.

"Why would I be?"

Her colleague shrugged. "I don't know. You're married to someone from another country. He goes home and leaves you here. I'd be worried."

Amara shook her head.

"That's my husband. I trust him."

The words came easily.

I trust him.

She didn't know how painful those words would become.

Another colleague laughed softly. "You're too trusting, Amara."

"Or maybe you're all just dramatic," she replied.

They continued teasing her, but Amara didn't notice the looks they exchanged when she turned away.

Everyone seemed to know something.

Everyone except her.

Vince's family knew why he was going home.

His relatives knew.

People who worked around the family knew.

Even the cousin who would eventually try to warn Amara knew.

But no one had told her.

Because they didn't like her.

To them, she was the woman who had somehow entered their family, married their son, and now worked inside their family business. They tolerated her presence because they had to, but behind closed doors, they had already decided she didn't belong.

Amara knew some people in Vince's family weren't fond of her, but she never imagined they were capable of keeping something this important from her.

She was too busy being happy.

That afternoon, when Vince came to say goodbye, Amara walked over to him with a smile.

"You're finally going home," she said.

He smiled back.

"Yeah."

"I'm happy for you."

Vince kissed her forehead.

"I won't be gone long."

"Call me when you get there."

"I will."

Amara wrapped her arms around him.

"Enjoy yourself. Spend time with your parents."

He held her for a moment before pulling away.

"Okay."

She watched him leave that day believing she was sending her husband home to visit his family.

She had no idea she was watching a man walk toward another wedding.

And while Amara went back to work, smiling and answering her colleagues' jokes about how lonely she was going to be without him, Vince's family was preparing for something they had deliberately kept from her.

Something that would change her life forever.