Chapter 2: The Card With Her Name On It
Everyone in the room was watching.
Nathan finally opened his mouth.
"It's not what you think."
I almost laughed.
"Then explain it.
Right now.
In front of everyone."
He stepped closer and lowered his voice.
"Can we just go somewhere private—"
"No."
Lucas was still holding my hand.
I wasn't going to pretend for his sake anymore.
Vanessa finally spoke.
"I didn't know it was your mother's."
"But you knew it was mine."
She didn't answer.
That silence told me everything.
I walked to the table and picked up my bag.
That's when I saw it.
A small gift box.
Already wrapped.
With a card tucked underneath.
I recognized Nathan's handwriting.
The card didn't have my name on it.
It had hers.
My hands were shaking as I read the first line.
*"By the time she's gone, we can finally—"*
I stopped.
Nathan reached for it.
"That's not—"
"Don't."
I looked at him.
Then at Vanessa.
Then at every single person standing in that room watching us.
May you like
And I realized something.
Some of them already knew.
