2: The Death Knell

Margot clenched her fist while facing her husband and Linda. She felt her head spinning as her blood pressure rose.

“Honey, are you alright?” Harry rushed to her side to help her, only for Margot to brush him away.

“Don’t touch me,” she mumbled while glowering at him. Margot still couldn’t believe Harry was cheating on her and, of all people, it was with Linda, her stepmother.

‘Does he always prefer older women?’ Margot couldn’t help but wonder.

“You don’t look good, sweetheart. Are you sure you’re feeling okay? I noticed earlier in the call you didn’t sound fine, too,” Linda muttered. She looked at Margot with concern painted on her face.

Contrary to Margot’s usual response, Linda’s kind voice irritated her.

“Is that true? You got to tell me if you’re sick, Hon.” Harry attempted to touch his wife to feel her forehead until Margot dropped the glass she was holding.

The shattering sound filled the kitchen, leaving everyone dumbfounded and confused except for Margot.

“I told you not to touch me,” she warned before marching out of the kitchen. Margot desperately tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She just wouldn’t let the people who betrayed her enjoy the sight of her pain.

“This is crazy,” she whispered after locking herself in the study. As much as she wanted to jump in bed and cry, Margot couldn’t help thinking that Harry cheated on her in the same room and probably the same bed they had been sharing for three years now.

“Honey, is something wrong? Did the doctor say something that upsets you?” Harry asked and began knocking on the door.

It was when Margot remembered what the doctor told her. She only had six months left, and she certainly didn’t want those who hurt her to do as they wished while she was dying.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Margot made up her mind. She walked to the door and opened it. She let her tears fall in front of the man whom she had given her everything but cheated.

“Honey, come here.” Harry opened his arms and hugged his wife. Visible creases on his forehead formed when Margot pushed him away and cried even harder.

“I… I can’t stop crying,” she said and laughed despite the tears streaming down her face.

“It’s okay, hon. I don’t know why you’re acting like this, but everything will be okay,” Harry whispered and hugged her again.

Margot wrapped her arms around him to hug him back tightly. “Yes, everything will be okay,” she mumbled as her gaze turned cold toward the woman whom she called ‘Mom’.

“So, what happened? Was it negative, again?” Harry asked to confirm his guess after comforting Margot. “It’s okay, Honey. Maybe it’s not the time for us to have a baby yet,” he added and kissed her on the forehead.

‘Ah. He was talking about the result of my supposed pregnancy test,’ Margot thought and went with the flow.

“Right. It’s negative,” she responded and looked away. She wasn’t entirely lying, but it was the first time she hid something from her husband.

Margot used to tell everything to Harry. But that changed after what she discovered.

“Shh. It’s okay. We can always try again,” Harry mumbled and hugged his wife again. “For now, let’s focus on something else. You didn’t forget what day it is today, did you?”

Margot bobbed her head as she stepped away from him. “Yeah. How could I forget?” she replied with a small mocking smile on her pretty face.

“Yeah. It’s our anniversary! I know you’ll always remember this special day,” Harry said, smiling back.

“Well. I’m glad everything seems to be fine now. Sweetie, how about I help you get changed? I want to make sure you’re wearing the dress comfortably,” Linda butted in with her hands clasped together.

It took Margot a few seconds to nod. “Okay,” she muttered and grinned.

“Goodness! You’re gorgeous, sweetheart. Now I know why Harry couldn’t take his eyes off you,” Linda complimented after helping Margot prepare.

“You think so?” Margot was smiling, but the crisp in her voice was too obvious for Linda to not notice.

Linda turned quiet and confused with her stepdaughter’s sudden attitude toward her. Not long after, she went ahead on her own after refusing Harry’s invitation to join them in the car.

Margot was glad her stepmother took the hint when she gave her a few glares while her husband asked. As much as she wanted to act like nothing happened, it was impossible for Margot, who was still boiling inside with rage.

After everything was set, the couple drove to one of Margot’s family hotels, where the others were waiting to celebrate with them.

It had been the tradition to celebrate wedding anniversaries for every couple in the family. That would include the family members on both sides of the celebrating wife and husband.

It was a big deal for Margot, who always stayed at home since she got married. With her annual celebration of marriage with Harry, she could meet her parents and in-laws, and dine together.

If it wasn’t for what she discovered, Margot would be the happiest among everyone else who came. But the timing of the unfortunate news slapped on her face was too accurate. She thought her marriage should end. All the excitement faded into thin air.

“You look gorgeous, Margot,” Harry’s mother, Emma Walton, greeted as soon as she saw the couple walking in. She stepped closer to her daughter-in-law, leaned her face forward, and slightly brushed her cheek against Margot’s while popping a kiss in the air.

“Thank you,” Margot said before turning to her father, who was talking with Linda.

“Hi, Dad. You don’t look good,” she said, reaching out for her father’s face and feeling the emerging lines on it with the tip of her fingers. “You should take better care of yourself or Linda will find someone younger to replace you,” she said, hinting at her father about his wife’s affair.

Margot laughed when the elderly couple looked at her, dumbfounded. “Oh, I was just joking. Of course, Linda shouldn’t be so shameless about cheating on you after what you did for her,” she added, and shrugged.

“Margot, that’s rude of you to say. Linda’s been good to you,” Ryan Vanders scolded his daughter.

“Yeah? I said it was a joke,” Margot retorted. “You aren’t offended, are you, Linda?”

Linda’s face went pale. She seemed to have something to say but chose not to. “Nah. It’s a joke,” she replied and forced a smile.

“Excuse me,” the hotel manager said as he approached Ryan. “Everything’s all set. Please allow me to lead you the way,” he continued.

Everybody followed the hotel manager, leading them to the function room where they would have dinner together while enjoying the entertainment the hotel had prepared.

“Isn’t this nice?” Harry whispered to Margot’s ear as he pulled a seat for her.

Margot shrugged in response as she watched everyone settle down in their seats.

 “Congratulations on your third year of loving marriage,” Ryan spoke to begin their traditional dinner celebration. “Let’s give a toast to this lovely couple,” he added and raised his glass of wine, which everybody followed except for one—Margot.

As the sole daughter of the prestigious Vanders family, Margot always got what she wanted. The only problem was that she had nothing much she wanted to have. She grew up like a princess but an altruist. Margot was a well-dressed and well-fed submissive. She didn’t complain even once after she married and ended up as a full-time housewife instead of working in her father’s company—that role of hers was taken by Harry who always told her it would be better if she became a good wife to every man wished for, and she obeyed…

“Honey, what are you doing?” Harry asked while waiting for his wife to join them in a toast.

… Everybody thought Margot was born selfless to serve others, but behind her angelic face and submissive nature lies a darker side nobody ever noticed until date.

“Well, I have something else to say before we continue,” Margot answered. Her voice was calm and her face as she dropped the bomb.

“I want a divorce,” Margot demanded.