“Excuse me?” “I said, keep saying that,” Vita repeated, resting her hand firmly over our unborn child. “Keep telling yourself that this house belongs to Marc’s pedigree, and that nothing here belongs to me. Make sure you memorize those exact words, Cora.”
“Because tomorrow morning, you are going to choke on every single syllable.” A heavy, suffocating silence descended over the narrow storage room. Cora blinked, visibly unsettled by the sudden steely resolve in the eyes of a woman she had spent three weeks trying to crush.
Her gaze darted down toward the folding table next to the cot. There, resting beside Vita’s prenatal vitamins, was a heavy cream linen envelope. It was sealed with red wax. Across the front, in Vita’s elegant cursive script, were six bold words.
FOR MARC — DO NOT OPEN UNTIL BREAKFAST. “What is that envelope?” Cora demanded, her tone instantly defensive. Vita moved swiftly, placing her body between Cora and the table. “That is none of your business. It is a private communication between a wife and her husband.”
Cora’s nostrils flared. “Marc has no secrets from his mother. Give it to me.” “Touch that table, Cora, and I call 911 for elder harassment and assault right now,” Vita said without raising her voice. “You may have frozen my allowance cards, but my cell phone still dials local law enforcement.”
From the main hallway, Cleo’s petulant voice called out: “Mom! Come on, Rob is about to open the 1998 Bordeaux! What are you doing in the pantry?” Cora pointed a manicured finger at Vita’s nose. “Tomorrow morning, girl, you will learn your place in this family once and for all.”
Cora spun around on her high heels and swept down the hall. Vita stood motionless until the sound of laughter from the dining hall resumed. Then, with a long, trembling exhale, she sank back onto the cot and buried her face in her hands.
“I’m so sorry, sweet baby,” Vita whispered toward her stomach, her voice cracking with unspeakable sorrow. “Your daddy loves us. He just doesn’t know yet. But Mama is going to protect you. I promise you Mama will protect your future.”
