Chapter 2

On Natalie's third day as “Mrs. Whitmore,” Daniel's family hosted a dinner.

His mother, Margaret Ellis, sent me the address. She told me to wear the antique bracelet the Whitmore family reserved for its daughters-in-law.

She'd fastened it on me herself when Daniel and I married.

Margaret had never thought I was right for him. Without his insistence, she wouldn't have let me near that bracelet.

I remembered meeting his family for the first time at the Whitmores' estate. Over dinner, Margaret announced that my ordinary background made me unsuitable for her family.

Daniel took my hand.

“I love her. Who I marry isn't anyone else's decision.”

Remembering those words now almost made me laugh.

I held the bracelet box a little tighter. If I had to go, I could return it once and for all.

When I arrived at the estate, Natalie had already taken my chair.

There wasn't a place setting for me. A staff member fetched another chair and squeezed it in at the opposite end of the table.

Margaret smiled.

“Natalie's playing Mrs. Whitmore for a few days. Naturally, she'll sit where you usually sit. Don't get worked up over such a little thing, Claire. You're being immature.”

Daniel had even adjusted the dinner menu for her.

My peanut allergy was severe. We'd been married seven years, and his family still brought out desserts made with peanuts.

In the beginning, Daniel reminded them about my allergy. Eventually, he only reminded me to watch what I ate.

Natalie disliked cilantro. When she came over, the kitchen stopped using it. If a stray leaf turned up in her soup, Daniel sent the bowl back and had another made.

“Even smelling it makes her nauseous.”

At the family dinner the previous year, Natalie had taken my seat for the first time.

I'd walked out. Daniel followed and wrapped his arms around me, insisting that a chair meant nothing.

“You'll always have that place beside me,” he'd said.

This time, they hadn't even left room for me there.

As we gathered for the family photo, Margaret noticed the bracelet I'd put on for dinner.

“Let Natalie wear it for the picture. Just a few minutes. It'll look nicer.”

Natalie waved a hand. “Oh, I shouldn't.”

She left that same hand extended.

I hadn't answered when Daniel reached for my wrist and worked the bracelet off. It scraped my skin hard enough to hurt. He inspected the bracelet, not my wrist.

Then he secured it on Natalie.

“You'll have it back when her seven days are up. It's a piece of jewelry. Stop acting like it's more than that.”

Natalie stood with Daniel for the photograph. His parents sat in front of them. I was pushed so far to one side I was barely in the frame.

The photographer asked us to close the gaps. Daniel deliberately rested a hand on Natalie's waist and watched me.

I turned to his mother.

“Let her keep it.”

Margaret's smile stiffened.

“We're playing a game, Claire. Must you spoil dinner and make me look bad in front of everyone? You ought to know better.”

A little later, a relative who hadn't heard about the game posted the picture in the family chat.

“At last, everyone's here this year.”

Other relatives commented on what a beautiful couple Daniel and Natalie made. A few asked when the wedding would be.

Margaret offered no explanation. She added a heart to the photo.

I looked at the chat I'd belonged to for seven years and left it without a word.

Daniel noticed within minutes.

“You're making it look convincing this year. We'll see how long you last.”

He thought I was waiting for him to back down.

I was removing myself from his family, one connection at a time.