“Don’t bring Lily into this.”
“Lily never wanted you in this family. Tomorrow, Sam deserves to celebrate with his real family.”
I stopped the recording.
Silence.
Then Vanessa wiped chocolate frosting from her cheek.
“You recorded that?”
“Yes.”
“And you think that excuses attacking us?”
I looked at her ruined dress.
“No. What I did was wrong.”
She stared at me.
“But you knew about that second cake.”
Vanessa looked away.
Sam approached.
“Rachel, please. Mom twisted everything.”
“Have you been seeing Vanessa?”
He swallowed.
“We’ve talked.”
“How long?”
“Six months.”
Six months.
While I’d been planning his birthday.
While he’d been kissing me goodnight.
Vanessa turned toward him.
“You told me you were separating.”
Sam closed his eyes.
“I said things were complicated.”
“You said you were sleeping in separate rooms.”
I almost laughed.
“We sleep in the same bed.”
Vanessa stared at him.
“You told me Rachel knew.”
