Shortly after, Jessica appeared. His secretary. Always smiling, always “understanding.” He threw me out. He stripped me of my dignity and erased me. In the eyes of the world, I was the “defective” wife who had been abandoned, and Julian was the successful CEO who had suffered in silence.

I looked in the mirror. My face was calm, but my eyes were burning. “You want me to see a real family, Julian? I’m going to show you one.”

The Grand Entrance

The day of the party arrived at the Grand Ballroom of the St. Regis. The chandeliers sparkled, champagne flowed like water, and the elite were out in full force. Business moguls, politicians, and the same family members who used to greet me with respect now only whispered behind their hands.

Julian was center stage. Impeccable suit, arrogant posture, microphone in hand—a king before his court. Beside him was Jessica, holding the baby, smiling as if she owned the world.

Julian thanked everyone for attending and announced that this was the happiest day of his life. Finally, he said, the Sterling family had an heir. The son he had prayed for for years. Then, with a poisonous smirk, he added that this was the child his first wife could never give him.