Part 3
Felicia adjusted her sunglasses.
She didn't look at the workers.
She didn't look at the boxes.
She looked directly at me.
"Eleanor, darling," she said.
Her voice was pure silk.
"I see the caterers arrived on time."
"They did," I replied.
I kept my voice flat.
Cold.
"They also brought something else."
I lifted the invoice.
The paper rustled in the winter wind.
"What's this, Felicia?"
She didn't blink.
She took off her sunglasses slowly.
Her eyes were perfectly calm.
"Oh, that's just the billing breakdown."
"It says my name, Felicia."
"It says the invoice is to be collected from me."
"After the event."
She let out a soft, melodic laugh.
"Of course it does."
"Derek told me you wanted to handle the holiday hosting this year."
"He said it was your gift to the family."
The lie came out so smoothly.
It was almost beautiful.
"Derek didn't say that," I said.
"Derek told me you couldn't afford catering."
"He told me you were stressed about money."
For a fraction of a second, her smile faltered.
Her jaw tightened.
Then, the mask slipped right back into place.
"Derek misunderstands a lot of things, Eleanor."
"He's been under so much pressure at work."
"I wanted to surprise him with a beautiful gathering."
"And I thought you'd want to support your son."
She stepped closer to me.
I could smell her expensive perfume.
It smelled like vanilla and control.
"Nine thousand dollars, Felicia."
"That isn't a surprise."
"That is a financial ambush."
She looked down at the invoice in my hand.
"It's a high-end event, Eleanor."
"My sister Cassandra invited some very important people."
"People who can help Derek's career."
"Think of it as an investment."
"An investment in your son's future."
I looked past her at the delivery men.
They were waiting.
They needed a signature.
They needed confirmation.
"I am not signing this," I said quietly.
Felicia's eyes narrowed.
The sweetness vanished.
"If you don't sign it, they leave."
"The event is canceled."
"And when Derek comes home, I will have to tell him why."
"I will have to tell him his mother ruined his evening."
She thought she had me.
She thought the threat of Derek's disappointment would break me.
She didn't know about the blue folder inside.
She didn't know about the bank statements.
She didn't know I already knew about the forty-eight thousand dollars.
"Go ahead," I said.
I turned toward my front door.
"Tell him."
"In fact, let's call him together right now."
I pulled out my phone.
Felicia reached out and touched my wrist.
Her fingers were freezing.
"Let's not be dramatic, Eleanor."
"Fine."
"If the money is such an issue for you..."
"...I'll call Cassandra."
"We will figure out a temporary payment structure."
"But the trucks stay."
She didn't wait for my answer.
She turned around and walked back to her SUV.
She slammed the door.
I watched her through the tinted glass.
She was already on her phone.
Her face was red.
She wasn't smiling anymore.
I walked back inside my house.
The kitchen was quiet.
The blue folder was sitting on the counter.
I looked out the window.
The delivery men were still unloading the tables.
They hadn't stopped.
Which meant Felicia had just promised them payment.
Or she was running a much bigger game than I realized.
My phone buzzed in my hand.
It wasn't Derek.
It was a text from an unknown number.
"We need to talk about Felicia. Meet me at the diner on 4th Street. 6 PM. Don't tell Derek."
I stared at the screen.
The snow outside started to fall faster.
May you like
The storm was coming.
And I was right in the middle of it.
