My name is Wren Van Holt, and my husband was about to make me the joke of his family gala.
I knew it before he spoke, because Cade wore the cold smile he saves for contracts and for me.
Cade: To Brynn. The woman who actually makes my life work.
Cade: My real partner.
The room clapped, my sister glowed under the lights, and I held my glass so hard that the stem bit into my palm.
Brynn touched our grandmother's necklace and smiled at me over the rim of her glass like she had won something.
Corinne: Smile, Wren. Don't embarrass the family.
Nia's hand found mine under the table, and her warmth was the only real thing in that whole room.
Brynn: Everyone knows you're just the fucking placeholder, Wren. A wife on paper until the audit is done.
A woman beside her laughed at me, my face burned, and Cade didn't even turn his head to check on me.
Nia: Breathe. I've got you.
I grabbed Nia's hand and walked toward the coat room, my heels clicking on the marble like a countdown.
Wren: I need air. I need one minute where no one looks at me.
Nia: Then I'm coming. I won't leave you alone with that family.
The coat room was dark, and Nia pulled me behind a rack of heavy fur coats before I could say anything.
Through the slats I saw Cade and Brynn come in, and her laugh was low and greedy.
Nia: Oh no. Wren, don't watch.
Brynn: Your wife is out there clapping like a good little bitch.
Cade: I didn't bring you in here to talk about Wren.
He pinned her against the wall, and she pulled his mouth down to hers like she owned it.
Cade shoved Brynn's dress up and pushed two fingers into her pussy. She moaned into his mouth.
Brynn: Your cock. I want it now.
My stomach dropped like a stone, and Nia covered her mouth with her hand beside me.
Brynn unzipped him and wrapped her hand around his cock. His head dropped back.
Cade: Fuck. That's it.
Nia: We should go. Wren, please.
He lifted her by the hips and drove his cock into her. The wall thudded. I heard every wet slap.
Brynn: Yes. Fuck me harder, Cade.
My husband fucked my sister six feet away from me, and I couldn't move a single muscle.
Cade rubbed her clit with his thumb while he fucked her. Brynn's mouth opened wide.
Brynn: I'm going to come. Don't stop.
Cade: Then come on my cock.
He thrust three more times and pulled out. His come landed on her thigh.
Brynn: Still better than your wife, isn't it?
Cade didn't answer her at all, and he just tucked himself away and fixed his tie in the dark.
Brynn looked straight at the slats, and her eyes found mine in the dark before I could duck away.
Brynn: Did you like the show, Wren? He fucks me like he means it. He never gets hard for you.
Nia's hand tightened hard on my arm, and I felt her breath stop beside me.
She yanked the coat rack aside and dragged me out by my wrist before Nia could stop her.
Brynn: That's for spying, you pathetic bitch.
Her slap cracked across my mouth so hard that my head turned, and I tasted blood.
Cade grabbed my arm then, and his fingers dug in hard enough to leave marks on my skin.
Cade: Go back out there and smile, or your father's debts come due tomorrow.
I believed him completely, and that was the worst part of the whole night.
Wren: No.
Cade: What did you say?
Wren: I said no, Cade. I'm done being your fucking decoration.
His eyes widened for one second, and in that second my husband did not look in control of anything.
Nia took my hand and pulled me past him, and her grip was warm and steady the whole way out.
Nia: I've got you. We're leaving.
The gala noise faded behind us, my lip stung, my arm ached, and my no felt louder than his name.