I had no idea what to expect, but it certainly isn't Uncle Bruno strutting in with a sombrero perched on his head, pointy shoes, and an obvious fake tan that makes him look like he’s spent too much time under an orange sun. To top it all off, he’s speaking in a terrible Mexican accent.“Halo, halo, my people!” he declares loudly, a bottle of champagne in hand. “I bring good tidings!”He walks towards me and is about to hand over the champagne when he suddenly spots Helena sitting elegantly on the couch. For a moment, he just stops and stares, transfixed.“My god. You’re beautiful,” he says.To my surprise, Helena blushes. I can't help but roll my eyes. “What’s with the accent?” I ask.Uncle Bruno straightens up, adjusting his sombrero with a flourish. “I spent two glorious weeks in San Miguel de Allende, and I’ve come to realize that my spirit belongs to Mexico. I now identify as a Mexican. They have such wonderful food, vibrant music, and pretty women. But none,” he drops to one kne
Veronica, my older sister, seems completely unaware of the tension. She pushes past me, barely looking my way as she mutters, “Desiree, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”“Probably me,” Luke jokes, following behind Veronica, smelling like weed.I honestly don't care what they do or say. My heart is pounding in my chest. Mike and Mabel are here, and even though I’ve rehearsed this moment a million times in my head, I’m suddenly not sure it’s going to go as planned.Jessica, sensing how tense I am, moves closer, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay, Dee?” she asks, her voice low and serious.“Turn around,” I say, barely able to get the words out.Jessica does, and the moment she catches sight of them, her entire body goes stiff. “Dee, why would you do this? Are you trying to get me convicted for murder?”“Just act natural, Jess,” I whisper urgently, trying to keep my panic at bay.“Natural?!” I give her a quick pinch on the arm, causing her to yelp. “Can you keep yo
Caspian's POVThe evening’s been going well so far. Better than I expected, at least. Desiree’s family seems to be holding it together, even if Bruno is blatantly flirting with my mother. The man’s an oddball, but he seems harmless enough, and I’m almost relieved that everyone else is acting civilized. For now.“Did you know chickens can fly?” Bruno suddenly asks Mom, his voice carrying across the room. He’s grinning like he’s about to unveil the greatest secret of all time. “I’m telling you, the chickens I met in Mexico were badasses. You need to see them in a cockfight. Fierce and bloodthirsty.”“Aren’t cockfights illegal?” asks Veronica—Desiree’s older sister—looking skeptical as she lifts an eyebrow. She’s short, with a sharpness in her eyes that suggests she’s not easily impressed.“Not in Mexico,” Bruno answers. He leans in. “Over there, it’s practically a national sport. Those chickens are like tiny gladiators.”I bite back a laugh, catching Mom’s eye from across the room. She
All eyes are on us now.Bruno, who was mid-sentence about tequila shots, goes silent. Jessica, who was laughing at Bruno’s ridiculous story, freezes. Even my mother, who had been fawning over Bruno like he was some kind of Latin heartthrob, looks over in shock.“Well,” I say, giving Desiree’s hand a gentle squeeze, “I guess the cat’s out of the bag.”Mabel’s face is red with anger. Her eyes are wide, looking between me and Desiree as though we’ve committed the ultimate betrayal. Mike’s expression is a mix of confusion and hurt, his mouth opening and closing, trying to form words.“What's going on?” Mom asks.Of course, she’s the only one who doesn’t know. Everyone else is painfully aware that Desiree once dated Mike and is now married to his father. Yeah, when I think about it like that, it does sound… twisted.Bruno clears his throat, trying to calm the tension. “I think it's best if we all sit down.”For the first time tonight, I’m glad he’s spoken.With his arm around Mom's waist,
Desiree's POV Well, I can't say I didn't expect this. In fact, I planned for it. I rehearsed the words I’d use, the calm expression I’d wear, the dignified way I’d respond when they came for me. But the thing about planning? It’s useless. No matter how much you prepare, things always spiral out of control. Right now, I just want to go home. Which is funny because this is my home. Why should I let some lying, cheating, backstabbing son of a bitch and his girlfriend raise their voices at me, in my house? The nerve of them, sitting at my table, acting like they’re the victims here. I take a deep breath, feeling my heart pound in my chest. Everyone’s staring at me—Mike, Mabel, Jessica, Caspian's mom, my family—waiting to see what I’ll do next. But I refuse to lose my cool. Not over this. Not over them. “Sit down, Mike,” I say, my voice sharp. “You’re ruining our dinner.” He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind, like I’m the one who’s crossed the line. His jaw clenches, his h
Caspian's POVA few minutes later, the server returns with a bottle of tequila and several shot glasses, placing them in the middle of the table. "Yes!" Bruno cheers, grabbing the bottle with excitement. "Who's in?"Without waiting for a response, he starts pouring tequila into each shot glass, not caring if it spills a little. One by one, he puts a glass in front of everyone. Jessica looks excited, while Veronica just rolls her eyes. Mike, Mabel, and Mom sit there, not touching their drinks, clearly not in the mood.“Come on,” Bruno urges. “If we’re going to argue, we might as well have some fun with it. A little tequila never hurt, right? It’ll make things more interesting.”I pick up my shot glass and glance at Desiree. She hesitates but eventually picks up hers too.“To family,” I say, with a calm voice but a hint of sarcasm. “May we survive this dinner.”Bruno grins and raises his glass. “To survival!” He quickly downs the shot and slams the glass on the table.Jessica and Luke
Desiree's POV"Thank you all for listening," I say, as the clapping fades. "Uncle Bruno, you're up next."Caspian leans in, his breath warm against my ear. “That was hot. I never knew you were such an actress.”I smile, glancing sideways at him. “Oh, there are plenty of talents I haven’t unleashed on you yet.”He smiles. “I can’t wait.”As I turn my attention back to the table, I catch Helena’s eyes. For the first time since the drama started, she’s smiling. That distant look in her eyes is gone. It feels like a victory, however small. Maybe I’m finally winning her over. It’s like I’ve become one of those women who secretly want to impress their mother-in-law.Uncle Bruno clears his throat dramatically. “Well, I don’t have much to say, except that I’m still not over the fact you didn’t let me walk you down the aisle.” He gives me a playful glare. “But, since tequila is on the table, I suppose I’ll let it slide. For now.”Everyone laughs.“Here’s to more years of happiness, Dee Dee.” H
It’s been several minutes since Mike and Mabel stormed out of the dining room, and the place has been quiet since. No one dares to speak. Everyone’s focused on their plates, quietly chewing away, even Uncle Bruno, who never misses a chance to crack a joke.I keep stealing glances at Caspian, who looks far too pleased with himself. His smugness is annoying. I can’t take it anymore.“Please excuse me,” I mumble, pushing my chair back. “I’ll be back in a moment.”I have no idea where I’m going, but I need to get out of here. Fast. The guest toilet catches my eye, and before I know it, I’m inside, slamming the door behind me. The moment I reach the sink, my stomach rebels. I throw up everything I just ate, the taste of Chef Douglas's fancy meal now sour in my mouth.Damn it. I always puke when I'm extra anxious.Wiping my mouth, I pause. I hear something. Voices—faint, but definitely voices. Where’s it coming from?The window. I step up onto the toilet seat, lifting myself higher so I can