I pulled Lily out from under the table and stood up, holding her close to my chest. My hands were shaking, not from fear, but from a blinding fury I had never felt in my entire life. Lily’s small hands clung to my shoulders, her breath coming in ragged, hiccuping gasps.
Rachel: Shh, baby. Mommy’s got you. Nobody is ever going to talk to you like that again.
Lily: I want to go home, Mommy. The dress lady was mean.
Rachel: We are going home, sweetie. But first, your father is going to answer for this.
I turned around and spotted Mark standing near the multi-tiered wedding cake. He was holding a glass of high-end whiskey, laughing with two men in tailored suits. Chloe was right beside him, her custom lace gown trailing behind her, a brilliant diamond ring sparkling under the chandelier lights. She looked like a queen, completely unbothered by the fact that she had just shoved a three-year-old child under a table like trash.
I walked briskly across the polished hardwood floor. The sharp click of my heels echoed loudly, drawing looks from nearby guests, but I didn't care. The bright ballroom felt suffocating.
Rachel: Mark!
Mark turned at the sound of my voice. The smug smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a flash of annoyance as he saw me holding Lily.
Mark: Rachel? What the hell are you doing here? I told my mom to just grab the pin from you outside. You shouldn't be inside the venue.
Rachel: Is that really the first thing you have to say to me?
Mark: Look at your daughter! She has chocolate all over her dress! You were supposed to keep her presentable if you brought her near the entrance.
Rachel: Presentable? She’s three years old, Mark! And do you want to know why she’s covered in cake and crying her eyes out?
Chloe stepped forward, placing a hand on Mark’s arm, her eyes narrowing as she looked at me with cold disdain.
Chloe: Rachel, please keep your voice down. This is an exclusive venue, and we have very prominent high-profile family members here tonight. You’re making a scene.
Rachel: I’m making a scene? You shoved my daughter under a catering table!
A few guests standing nearby stopped talking and turned their heads toward us. Mark’s face flushed red, and he looked around nervously.
Mark: Rachel, don't start making up insane lies right now. Chloe would never do that.
Rachel: Ask her! Ask your brand-new wife what she just said to your own daughter!
Chloe: I simply told the child that this was an adult reception. She doesn't belong in the official wedding photos, Mark. Her presence complicates things with my family’s trust fund image. I asked her nicely to play out of sight until the photographer left.
Rachel: You told a three-year-old child that her father’s guests shouldn’t see her!
Lily: She scuffed my shoe, Mommy... she said I was a mistake...
The small voice from my chest echoed clearly in the sudden hush that fell over the surrounding crowd. Chloe’s fake smile completely slipped, revealing a ugly, cold glare.
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