Derek exhaled with visible relief, as if he expected chaos and was grateful to avoid it. Bianca went to bed that night and stared at the ceiling until sunrise, realizing that the man beside her had already left long before he walked out.
A week later, Derek called a family meeting. Bianca came home from work to find the living room arranged like a courtroom. Cynthia sat in an armchair with her back straight and chin lifted. Walter, Derek’s father, leaned forward with hands on his knees. Paige, Derek’s sister, scrolled on her phone with faint boredom. Kevin, his brother, sat beside her. And standing near the window was Talia, the woman carrying Derek’s supposed child, young and polished, one hand resting over her stomach like a crown.
They did not offer Bianca a seat. She remained standing, hands folded in front of her.
Cynthia cleared her throat and spoke first. “Bianca, we called you here because we need to resolve this situation sensibly. Derek has made a mistake, but a child is coming. That child deserves stability.”
Paige lifted her eyes and added, “You do not have kids yet, so it is easier for you to move on. You should let them be a family. It will be better for everyone.”