Noah’s POV:
As I waited for Mirabelle at the bottom of the stairs, my breath caught when I saw her. That black dress fit her perfectly, flowing around her like it had been made just for her.
She looked stunning, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she made her way down.
“Mummy, you look beautiful!” Tyler’s small voice piped up from my side.
Mika ran over to me, her eyes wide. “Mummy, can I come with you and Daddy?” She asked, tugging at my pant’s leg, her little face full of hope.
Tyler, not one to be left out, joined in, holding onto Mira’s hand. “I want to go with you, Mummy.”
Mira and I exchanged a look, and she bent down to their level, brushing a gentle hand over their heads. “We’ll be back soon, loves.” She reassured them. “Jamie will stay here with you, and you’ll have lots of fun. We’ll just be gone for a little while.”
Mika pouted, clutching my hand a little tighter, but she seemed to understand, nodding slowly. Tyler looked at Mira with his round eyes but finally gave her a small nod too.
“Where’s Skyler?” She asked, glancing around.
“In his room,” Mika replied.
Then I gave them each a little kiss on the forehead, and she did the same before we stepped out.
Once we got in the car, I reached over and took her hand, feeling her warmth as I drove. The silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable, but she seemed like she had something to say.
When we pulled up to my parents’ house, The attendant opened the gate, and then I drove in, parked, and got out to open Mira’s door, holding her hand to help her out.
As we walked inside, I caught sight of Ken with Mitchelle by his side, sitting next to my father and Caitlyn. I’d barely stepped into the sitting room before Caitlyn’s voice broke through
“You’re late.” She remarked.
Before I could answer, my father spoke up, shutting her down in one sentence. “Let them get settled in, Caitlyn. They’re here now.”
I kept my expression neutral, holding Mira’s hand a little tighter. What I hadn’t expected, though, was Ken. The way he looked at Mira, had me fighting to keep my hands in check.
He was watching her as if he had any right to her. But he was barely a shadow in her life now.
Still, his focus on her was enough to make me want to say something, to remind him to keep his eyes in his own lane. But for Mira’s sake, I let it go.
At dinner, I found another way to get under his skin. I added another slice of roasted beef to Mira’s plate, then some salmon, then another cut of lamb.
Just the kind of thing I knew would get to Ken without having to say a word. And sure enough, he was staring. The fact that he couldn’t look away amused me, and I noticed Mira giving me a curious smile now and then, but I just kept piling on her plate.
It didn’t take too long for him to snap. He slammed his spoon on the table, his anger finally boiling over. I looked up to find him glaring at me before turning to my father.
“Why are we acting like this is a perfect family dinner, when you know exactly why I asked for this gathering in the first place?” His voice was bitter. “Your favorite son stole his brother’s wife. Aren’t you ashamed at all? What will people say when they learn of this abomination?”
I felt my anger rise but forced myself to stay calm. I leaned back, let out a sigh, and looked at him with as much patience as I could muster. “Aren’t we both the same?” I asked, letting my voice come out calmly as I put another bite of steak in my mouth.
The room fell silent. Every set of eyes at the table turned to me, and I could feel their curiosity, waiting to see where I was going with this. But I took my time, wiping the corner of my mouth with a napkin, letting the tension build just enough.
Ken’s face darkened, as he lost his patience. “I am nothing like you, Noah.”
I couldn’t help a low chuckle as I glanced at him. “You’re right. You could never be like me, Ken. You’ve always been beneath me, right from the time we were kids.” I shifted my gaze, letting it settle on Mitchelle. “And just to clarify, I wasn’t talking about you, Ken. I was talking about the stranger sitting next to you.”
Mitchelle looked surprised, and Ken looked caught off guard.
Staring deeply at Mitchelle, I began. “Aren’t we the same, Mitchelle?” I asked. “I mean, you stole your stepsister’s husband, just as I married my stepbrother’s wife. But the difference between us, dear sister-in-law, is that Mirabelle and I are legally joined, while she’s legally separated from Ken. But you see, Ken never made you his wife, so in every sense, you’re still a stranger here.”
Mitchelle looked like she’d been struck, her eyes darting from me to Ken, who had gone silent, barely able to contain his anger. I could feel Caitlyn glaring at me, and I knew she’d also reach her boiling point.
“You’ve always been so proud of Noah, haven’t you, Michael?” Caitlyn said as she turned to my father. “But I’m sure you must be ashamed of him now.”
I leaned forward, refusing to let her go on without a reply. “It’s no wonder you feel such affection for Mitchelle, Caitlyn. Just like you, she managed to worm her way into someone else’s home. But unlike you, she wasn’t bold enough to have an illegitimate child with that man, as you did with my father.”
The impact of my words made everyone fall silent. My father’s hand slammed against the table, making everyone flinch, his voice rising. “Enough!”
The room fell silent, and I watched as Caitlyn shrank back, her face flushed. He took a deep breath. “Noah, come with me.” He said, getting up and gesturing for me to follow.
“And what do you need to discuss with him so urgently that can’t be said in front of everyone else?” Caitlyn asked.