Caius gave her a stare, for the first time that night. She clutched to her dress almost immediately. It was his eyes. His stern expression. Impossible to predict.
"What wrong have they done? Isn't that how we got married?" He said coldly.
She frowned. How can such cruel words come from a man like this?
"When are you getting rid of her?" another friend asked, casual, like they were discussing the weather. "This double you're playing house with?"
A joke. A cruel joke.
But then she saw it, the small, knowing smile on Caius's lips, the kind that didn't reach his eyes. And she knew.
It wasn't a joke.
"Are you planning to..."
"Oh my God, is that Lauren?"
"Where?" Someone asked eagerly.
Heather turned to see her sister, Lauren, one of the biggest actresses in the country, a career she only entered to prove her superiority to Heather.
Lauren wore a black dress that hugged her, slender silhouette, looking classy and elegant. Her fair skin and brunette hair falling on her pointed shoulders made her so fine. Everyone admired her, including Caius's friends, who began eying her beauty.
"Wow, she's stunning in real life," one of them whispered.
She always knows how to make an entrance.
Caius immediately went to her, and the guests started murmuring, "They're the perfect couple,"
"He truly loves her." Some guests even started live streaming, and as usual, Lauren acted adorable and charming.
"Lauren is here and Heather isn't even going to talk to her sister?".
"I always knew she was such a proud spoilt brat." A woman said to her friends.
"She isn't well trained. I bet if her mother was alive, she'd be ashamed of this thing."
Lauren walked over to Heather, saying sweetly, "Guys, stop! She's only just shy. Spare her, please."
She immediately hugged Heather, but Heather didn't reciprocate, knowing her sister was the biggest hypocrite alive. She and Lauren never really spoke to each other.
Growing up, Heather admired Lauren so much. They were very close, until their father sent Heather to the farmhouse, proclaiming he sees Heather as the heir, despite Lauren being older. The hatred and jealousy started from then. At nine. She always wanted to do whatever Heather wants to do.
"You look great, Heather," Lauren said, her voice dripping with jest sincerity. "This is the best I've seen you," she said, her eyes scanning Heather. But Heather knew it wasn't going to end that way, this is the part she says something less nice.
"Although, it's a bit scary seeing a mini version of me."
There it is.
Heather gave her a stare, but remained silent. She didn't think it was worth it. If she said anything, Lauren's armies would use her words against her. Again.
People around them started talking. "Look at Heather trying to be Lauren."
"She wants to be her so badly," someone added.
Lauren smiled and said, "Oh, stop it. Don't you know imitation is the highest form of flattery."
"Lauren is such a beautiful soul," said a girl behind Lauren.
"Heather should give her credit for inspiring her look."
Heather rolled her eyes and glanced at Caius, who was staring at Lauren, not taking his eyes off her. Lauren noticed and smiled, knowing Heather was watching them.
"My shoulders hurt," Lauren said to Caius.
"Let me massage them gently." He immediately offered.
He barely even touched them and she already started shouting. "Oh, Cai, that's the spot."
People around them started talking again. "They really are the perfect couple," someone said.
Penelope, Heather's friend, couldn't take it anymore. "That's inappropriate and disrespectful to the wife of Mr. Thorne. Don't you have shame, LAU-REN?" She stressed the pronunciation.
"I'm sorry, Heather." Lauren quickly faked an apology, blinking her big eyes.
People around them murmured, "She's such a good person."
"It's okay, I don't mind. Neither does Heather." Caius added.
Lauren turned to Heather with a condescending smile. "Do you mind, Heather Bo Beather?"
The nickname her mother gave her.
Of course, she does.
BUT Heather shook her head.
A young man near them said, "See, she doesn't mind,"
"Her friend should shut up."
Penelope gave the person a deathstare.
Tears suddenly welled up in Heather's eyes. Eyes that were dry a minute ago. Those actions that she tried to ignore, began taunting her. She wouldn't cry infront of them. Not ever.
Heather grabbed her bag and walked away. Trying to save face. Everyone stared at her like she was doing too much.
A half smile appeared on Lauren's face.
"You should check up on her," she said, tucking Caius's shirt. Raising her voice. Pretending to care.
Then he reluctantly went after her.
[Outside the building]
"Would you stop being dramatic, Heather?" Cauis projected his voice to her hearing.
She stopped.
"Dramatic?" Her eyes were not dry and she didn't care.
"Yes. You always like making everything about yourself."
She scoffed. "Myself? I'm not the one clinging to my wife's stepsister like a fly on shit." She paused. "You're making me feel unattractive. And I did all this for you."
She thought if she tried to be vulnerable, maybe he'd understand how she is feeling.
"I have never seen anyone take so long to dress, and with such little result."
Wow.
He was silent for a while. "For goodness sake, are you about to cry?"
She blinked, trying to hold it back.
He sighed, "I don't care if you cry. Crying is not going to change the way I feel about you. And you know how I feel about Lauren. She's back now, so you can leave."
When she didn't say anything, he added "I don't want you, Heather. I have never wanted you. Not once. And I don't think I will ever want you. Or want anything to do with you."
Her throat tightened, a lump formed that made speech impossible.
And with a nod, she went into the car. She sobbed her heart out.
She felt a sharp pain in her stomach, and placed a hand over her abdomen in discomfort.
They didn't know.
Caius didn't know.
She was pregnant.