Chapter 4 - The Screen That Exposed the Empire
The screen went black for a fraction of a second, and then the private text message thread popped up in bold, unedited clarity for all thirty-two guests to see.
At the top of the display sat Maren’s name, accompanied by a timestamp from three weeks prior.
Doctor says twelve weeks. Everything looks good, the message read.
Right underneath it was Gavin’s reply, complete with a heart emoji: Wish I could’ve stayed longer. Tell our little peanut I love them.
A collective gasp rippled through the gathered crowd. Lorraine dropped the silver tongs she was holding, the metal clattering loudly against the table. Several of my female friends stepped backward, staring at Gavin and Maren with looks of profound disgust.
“Gavin James Miller!” Lorraine roared, stepping forward and pointing a shaking finger at her son. “Is this true? You’ve been sleeping with your wife’s best friend while she is carrying your child? Have you completely lost your moral compass?”
Gavin stood paralyzed, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, utterly unable to spin a web out of this catastrophe.
But I wasn't finished. Twelve days ago, discovering the affair had broken my heart, but uncovering their financial and legal maneuvers had awakened a fierce, unyielding survival instinct. They hadn't just planned on sharing a baby; they had planned on erasing me entirely.
I pressed a button on the remote, and the screen refreshed with a second screenshot.
It was a text thread from just four days ago, sent from Maren’s phone to Gavin. The words blazed across the monitor in front of every single guest:
May you like
Does she still think the papers are just for refinancing?
Gavin’s face instantly lost every remaining trace of color, turning a sickly, ghostly gray. He stumbled backward, tripping slightly over the edge of the patio rug. He knew what those papers meant. And within seconds, everyone in that backyard was going to know too.
