Chapter 7
1567words
Dad and Aunt Rachel were undoubtedly the most eye-catching couple at the celebration. He held her arm possessively while she wore a bright red gown that commanded attention, her face bearing a carefully crafted smile with a hint of defiance. They strode through the crowd like conquering royalty, accepting congratulations both sincere and feigned, basking in being the center of attention. Little did they know they were walking a red carpet straight to their own execution.
Mom and I stood beside my grandparents, who sat in the seats of honor like two dignified statues. Grandpa maintained a stoic expression, while Grandma wore a faint, practiced smile. Mom gripped my hand tightly—her palm ice-cold but her fingertips conveying an unmistakable strength.
The MC announced the start of proceedings with practiced enthusiasm. As tradition dictated, the children would speak first. Under the weight of everyone's gaze, Mom released my hand, rose calmly, and walked deliberately toward the illuminated stage. Her slender silhouette was perfectly straight—like an unsheathed sword.
"Mom..." I whispered, an inexplicable nervousness rising in my chest.
She didn't turn around—only glanced back with a reassuring look before resolutely climbing the steps to that platform of judgment where all eyes now focused.
She took the microphone, scanned the room, and finally rested her gaze on my grandparents. Her voice, amplified through the sound system, carried throughout the entire hall with a barely detectable tremor—but beneath it lay a resolute determination to burn every bridge behind her.
"Today is the golden wedding anniversary of my beloved parents, who have walked hand in hand for fifty years." Mom's voice was soft yet powerful enough to command instant silence throughout the room. "Fifty years of weathering storms together. Fifty years of unwavering support. They have spent their lives showing us what loyalty means, what love truly is, and what marriage vows actually represent."
She paused, her gaze deliberately sweeping across every familiar face in the audience before finally settling on Dad and Aunt Rachel. Dad maintained his appropriate smile, while Aunt Rachel instinctively straightened her back.
"However," Mom's tone suddenly shifted, the warmth in her voice instantly plummeting to sub-zero, "today, on this special day celebrating loyalty and love, I find myself compelled to share a story about betrayal. A repulsive story of betrayal that I experienced firsthand."
The music cut off abruptly. All eyes locked on Mom as whispers instantly died, replaced by suffocating silence. I watched the smile freeze on Dad's face while Aunt Rachel's meticulously made-up complexion drained of all color.
Mom gave them no time to react. Her icy gaze, precise as a surgical blade, cut straight through the two betrayers. "My husband, Damian," she enunciated each word with crystal clarity, her voice both controlled and merciless, "and my sister whom I raised as my own daughter, Rachel—they have been carrying on an affair behind my back for exactly three years."
Her words exploded like a bomb in the hushed hall. Gasps of disbelief and sharp intakes of breath erupted from the crowd. Every gaze darted between Mom, Dad, and Aunt Rachel—eyes filled with shock, contempt, and undisguised excitement for the unfolding drama. This was live theater, more thrilling than any reality show could ever be.
"Katherine! Have you lost your mind? What the hell are you saying?" Dad finally recovered, lurching to his feet with his face flushing deep crimson as he attempted to mask panic with outrage. Jabbing a finger toward Mom, his voice cracked with anger: "Are you trying to destroy this family? On your parents' special day, you pull this stunt?"
Aunt Rachel, meanwhile, completely crumbled. She clutched Dad's arm, tears streaming down her face, her defense coming in broken sobs: "Sister... how can you... say such things... you know how much I... we're family..."
Her performance was impressive—pitiful and tearful enough to sway anyone unaware of the truth. Unfortunately for her, against hard evidence, even Oscar-worthy acting skills would prove utterly worthless.
Mom watched the disgraceful pair coldly, her lips curling into a mocking smile. She didn't bother arguing—instead, she calmly raised a remote control and pressed play.
"Since you won't admit it," her voice rang out like judgment from on high, "let everyone see exactly what your 'innocence' really looks like."
The massive screen at the back of the hall suddenly changed, the heartwarming slideshow of Grandpa and Grandma replaced by footage captured by a private investigator—evidence damning enough to nail the guilty parties to the pillory of public shame.
The first scene showed a five-star hotel's underground parking garage. Dad's unmistakable black Mercedes stood in frame as he urgently pressed Aunt Rachel against the car door, their lips locked in hungry passion. Every detail—the intense kissing, her hands roaming across his back—captured in merciless high-definition. Waves of shocked gasps rippled through the guests.
The scene switched to a private dining room in an upscale restaurant. Under soft amber lighting, Dad held Rachel's hand across the table, his eyes brimming with affection. They fed each other bites of food and kissed intimately, oblivious to the world around them—the very picture of lovers in their own universe. That same day, Dad had told Mom he was out of town for an industry conference.
The killing blow came as an audio recording—Rachel speaking to her best friend, her voice dripping with smug contempt, each word a poisoned dart piercing the hearts of everyone listening.
"...My sister, that idiot, actually thinks I'm grateful she took me in. She's just a pathetic fool who deserves what she gets. Damian's been sick of her boring ass for years. He only loves me! Just wait and see. His company shares, his properties—they'll all be mine soon enough. Then I'll show that self-important bitch what it feels like to be nothing!"
The recording ended, plunging the entire room into stunned silence.
If the videos had been shocking, this audio recording ignited pure fury. This wasn't merely adultery—this was the most despicable betrayal imaginable. A sister who had been selflessly raised and loved was secretly plotting to steal everything from her benefactor, reveling in the planned destruction of her own family.
"You monster!" Grandpa slammed his fist on the table and shot to his feet. His weathered face flushed crimson, his body trembling with rage. Pointing a shaking finger at the now-ashen Rachel, his voice thundered through the hall: "You are no daughter of mine! From this moment on, you are dead to this family! All ties are severed!"
Grandma collapsed into sobs, clutching her chest as tears streamed down her face.
"Ungrateful wretch!" "Home-wrecking whore!" "How could you betray your own sister!"
From somewhere in the crowd, a crumpled napkin flew through the air, striking Rachel squarely in the face. Within seconds, a barrage followed—napkins, bread rolls, even flower arrangements raining down on the disgraced couple. The very same relatives and friends who had greeted them with smiles minutes earlier now transformed into a mob of furious judges, hurling both projectiles and venomous curses.
Rachel let out a piercing scream, completely unhinged. She shoved Dad aside and lunged toward the stage, her face contorted with rage. "Katherine! You've destroyed me! I'll kill you for this!"
Before she could reach the stage, I stepped into her path. Gripping her arm with surprising strength, I stared into her face—twisted with hatred and rage—and said coldly: "You did this to yourself."
Dad, seeing the situation spiraling out of control, tried dragging the hysterical Rachel away from the chaos. But the furious crowd blocked their escape, surrounding them like cornered vermin amid a storm of insults and shoving. Eventually, "escorted" by security guards, they fled the hall in disgrace—stumbling and nearly crawling their way out, trailing a wake of destruction and echoing curses.
After the explosive chaos, the hall fell into an eerie silence. Every eye turned to Mom standing on stage—the woman who had unleashed this perfect storm of justice.
She stood motionless, watching the disgraced pair flee in panic, her face showing no triumph—only a deadly calm. Only when the heavy doors slammed shut behind them did she slowly turn to face her audience again.
She picked up the microphone and bowed deeply to the crowd.
"I apologize for making you all witness such an ugly scene," her voice remained steady, yet carried newfound strength. "But today, I thank each of you for being here to witness my rebirth. From this moment forward, I, Katherine, will live for myself alone."
As her words hung in the air, the audience remained silent for a heartbeat—then erupted into thunderous applause. That applause wasn't mere approval; it was a tribute to a woman's courage to reclaim her dignity.
I rushed onto the stage and embraced Mom tightly as everyone watched. Her body still trembled slightly, but the moment my arms wrapped around her, I felt the tension drain from her frame.
I buried my face against her shoulder, hot tears streaming down my cheeks. "Mom," I choked out between sobs, "you did it. You really did it."
