Mirabelle’s POV:
“You’ve always been so proud of Noah, haven’t you, Michael?” Caitlyn said as she turned to Michael. “But I’m sure you must be ashamed of him now.”
I glanced around the dining room before finally focusing on Noah. He had always been the reserved one-calm, skeptical, and composed. He spoke only when necessary, or when he sensed I was being insulted.
I was usually the one throwing out harsh words, but tonight, Noah was on fire.
It felt intriguing, though; perhaps he was simply fed up with Caitlyn and Ken’s antics.
“I must have made a good impact on him,” I thought, smiling widely as I sipped my champagne.
Noah suddenly leaned forward. “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.” He shot back.
The impact of his words surprised everyone, including me. “Enough!” Michael yelled, slamming against the table, making everyone flinch.
The room fell silent, and I watched as Caitlyn shrank back, her face flushed. Michael took a deep breath. “Noah, come with me.” He said, getting up and gesturing for him 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.
“Do I really need to explain every single decision I make in my own house?” Michael asked, and I bit my lip to hold a laugh.
“Hey,” Noah said, leaning in closer, his breath warm against my ear. “I need to speak with my dad for a minute. Are you okay here? Do you want to wait in the car?”
Meeting his eyes. “I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure? We can leave if you want.” He asked.
“I’d rather stay here than wait in the car. Besides, I think it’ll be fun,” I said, forcing a smile that felt slightly strained. The truth was, I already knew what was coming. I was prepared to put everyone in their place, but I didn’t want to provoke Michael. From his reaction after Noah set Caitlyn straight, it was clear he could easily snap at her. However, he certainly wouldn’t tolerate anyone hurling insults at her.
Noah pecked my cheek, his gaze lingered for a while before he got up to follow his father into the study. As soon as Noah disappeared down the hallway, the atmosphere shifted.
Caitlyn looked over her wine glass. “So, Mira.” She began but I cut her off. “Actually, it’s Mirabelle. Only Noah calls me Mira, even my dear sister here calls me Mirabelle or Estella.” I said with a smirk.
“Whatever, I don’t care.” She shot back. “You must have been so desperate for revenge, I guess that’s why you seduced Noah into marrying you.” Mitchelle, seated next to Caitlyn, flashed a wide smile, but it faded as soon as she caught my glare.
Taking a deep breath, I replied, “You should be the last person to judge me.” I didn’t want to insult her further.
But her anger was already boiling. “And what’s that supposed to mean?” She yelled.
Mitchelle suddenly placed her hands on Caitlyn’s and began to pat her slowly. “Come on, Mom, you shouldn’t be yelling; it’s not good for your health. Besides, my sister didn’t mean what she said. She was just a bit offended by your comment.” She turned to me. “Right, Estella?”
“I meant every word, Mitchelle. Your mother-in-law isn’t worthy enough to judge me.” I replied.
“You should never speak to your elders like that. Didn’t our father teach you better?” Mitchelle snapped.
My heart raced. “You don’t have the right to judge me,” I replied, locking eyes with Mitchelle. “Unlike you, I don’t need to sell my body to feel validated. At least I am someone of great value.”
Mitchelle’s expression changed from irritation to amusement. “Someone of value? Are you saying Caitlyn isn’t one?” She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, with a smug smile on her face.
Caitlyn foolishly pointed at me. “You impudent child!” She scolded. “I will make sure Michael puts an end to your abominable marriage.”
“Noah would never agree, no matter how hard you try.” I chimed in.
“Mom, please sit down. You shouldn’t argue with her.” Mitchelle said, a sly smile spreading across her face. “And Estella, I had no idea your love life was so flawless. At Least Caitlyn didn’t marry her ex-husband’s brother and pretend everything was normal.” The jab hit home; I could see the flicker of joy in Caitlyn’s eyes, and for a fleeting moment I was annoyed.
Caitlyn, not one to be outdone, chimed in with a self-satisfied smile. “You know, Mirabelle, being married to Noah doesn’t mean you’re special.”
“Special?” I echoed, my voice rising slightly. “Coming from you, that’s rich. You spend your days hosting brunches and pretending to not care about not being legally married to Michael while sipping overpriced lattes. Tell me, what’s so special about that?”
The table went quiet; Ken shifted uncomfortably in his chair, casting a glance at me as though he was searching for a hint of the weak woman he once loved.
But that part of me died a long time ago.
I ignored him, focusing instead on the two women who had decided tonight was the night to assert their dominance.
Caitlyn leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. “You’re just here because Noah feels sorry for you. It must be hard knowing that no one wants you.”
I felt my composure slipping but I quickly got myself together. “Hard? I wouldn’t say it’s hard. You see, I chose to marry Noah, and he chose me. That means something, unlike whatever charade you have going on here. You wear your marriage like a costume-no depth, just an act.”
Caitlyn’s face flushed slightly, and she opened her mouth, no doubt to hurl another insult. But I wasn’t done. “You think I’m not a part of this family? I’m more a part of it than you’ll ever be. At least I didn’t come into this family because I had an illegitimate child. I actually love Noah.”
Silence hung between them. Ken cleared his throat, quickly changing the conversation, probably because a stray bullet had just hit him. “Mirabelle, can we talk later?” He asked, his voice low.
I shook my head, feeling my anger rise “No, Ken. We don’t need to talk. You made your choice. Let’s not revisit that.”
Noah and Michael returned at that moment. Their expressions faltered as they sat on their respective seats. “What did I miss?” Noah asked, frowning.
“Just a little family bonding,” I replied.
“Family meeting, my foot! Your wife went off the rails and threw insults at me.” She turned to Michael. “You can’t let Noah stay married to someone so rude.”
“We should get going,” Noah said, standing while holding my hand.
“Are you really going to let them leave? Say something, Michael.” Caitlyn urged.
“Drive safely,” Michael replied, surprising everyone. Sadness resounded in his voice as he spoke.
I turned to Noah and whispered, “What did you say to him?”