Done being a yes women, Now the biker's Lady!

CHAPTER 1 CATHERINE I freeze, the weight of my mother-in-law’s words hanging in the air, thick and suffocating. My breath catches in my throat, and my grip on my knife tightens against my plate. No, no, I’m not sure I heard what she just said to me. “I’m sorry?” I say, raising my gaze to her, my face a picture of confusion. “What did you just say, ma'am?” Anna Lewis, my mother-in-law, has her usual smug smile as she responds. “Eric, my son, is finally going to be a father!” I blink rapidly, still confused by what she means by that. Eric—my husband—is already a father. I glance across the table, and Mia, my five-year-old daughter, is sitting next to her grandmother. So what is Anna saying? “C'mon, Catherine, don’t give off that smug expression,” she continues. “What do you expect when you can’t do your duties and give the Lewis family an heir? Look at other noble families—they already have an heir or two. Even the Knowles family has four boys; that’s one heir and three bonuses. But here you can’t even give my son one.” I freeze, pausing my eating, and the knife falls freely from my grip. I expect it to be about her normal nagging or something else, but accusing me of not having a male child? It’s just barbaric and dumb. On the contrary, I expect her to compare me to the lady sitting across the table next to my husband, Eric. Her name is Samantha. Samantha is something Anna has always used as a weapon against me. She compares me to her in every aspect of life, and yes, it’s annoying, but I don’t dare utter a word or disrespect my husband’s mother. Anna turns to my daughter, Mia, and her lips curl up into a soft smile. “Mia, sweetheart.” Mia drops her fork, the soft thud against the ceramic plate echoing as she turns to her grandmother. “What do you think about having a sibling, huh?” Mia’s face lights up with excitement immediately. “I want one, Grandma! When is he coming?” She jerks up from her chair, and Anna glances at me before she continues. “Just a few more months, dear, and you will get a sibling.” “Wow, Grandma! How did you do that?” Mia ask innocently. “I have been begging Mummy to get me another sibling, and she never grants me my wish! But Aunty Samantha says she will grant me my wish and get me another sibling.” My stomach drops, and I just stare at Mia in disbelief. My heart shatters into a million pieces right there, but not because of Mia. My eyes narrow at Samantha, and she sharply avert her gaze, refusing to look me in the eyes. She can’t look at me; I feel guilt burning beneath her gaze. My gaze flicks to Eric, who sits next to Samantha. Yes, Anna makes sure that Samantha sits next to Eric and Mia, like they are family, while I sit three seats away from them. As my gaze shifts from Samantha to Eric, he looks unbothered by whatever is going on or whatever his mother is saying, as if it isn’t something to pay attention to. Since he is not bothered, I guess I shouldn’t be bothered too, right? But I can’t help the doubt gnawing at my soul. Mia just said that Samantha promised to give her a sibling. “So, Mia dear,” Anna’s voice comes on again, and my heart starts to race. “If Aunty Samantha gives you a sibling, will you take her as your mother?” “Yes!” Mia answers without thinking or any hesitation. My heart drops to my stomach, but I force a smile, reminding myself that she is just a five-year-old kid who knows little to nothing about what she is saying. “Grandma, can Aunty Samantha be my new mummy? I love her more than Mummy.” Mia tugs at Anna's hands. Anna narrows her gaze at me with her usual mock smug expression. I feel my skin crawl under her gaze, and I know she knows exactly what she is doing, turning my daughter against me. Samantha chuckles awkwardly, reaching out to grab Mia's hands. “C'mon, baby. That’s something harsh to say. Your mama will always be your mum unless she divorces your dad. Do you understand?” Without any hesitation, Mia turns to Eric and tugs at his shirt, snapping his attention from his phone. “Daddy, divorce Mummy!” I gasp, unable to breathe. I want to speak, but it feels like there is a lump forming in my throat. I can’t say a word. Meanwhile, Anna flashes me a mocking smirk. I’m sure she is the happiest person in this room. Her plan to turn Mia against me has worked perfectly, and she just told her father about a divorce like it’s nothing. Eric’s lips press together into a small smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Sweetie, it doesn’t happen like that. I can never divorce your mother,” he points out, but Anna sharply interjects. “Oh, Eric, I thought we discussed this!” she snaps, and I blink rapidly, trying to fully grasp whatever is going on at this table. What have they discussed without me? “Samantha is pregnant with your boy,you should marry her,” Anna announces, and I fear my senses might not have heard well. Samantha is pregnant with my husband’s child??! Eric cheated on me with Samantha? I shake my head, trying to convince myself otherwise. No—No it's not true….. it can't be true. Of course, Eric is not that kind of man. Yes, he isn’t the kind of man who can’t control himself. After all that I have done for him, I’m sure he wouldn’t do me dirty, right? He is a congressman, and his political career is advancing pretty well, all because of me. I remind myself how strict my husband is around women. He won’t betray me. But doubt won’t let me go. I narrow my gaze at Eric, who just stares into thin air as if he didn’t hear what his mother is saying. “Eric…” I call out, my voice hushed in a whisper. “Is it true that you have a child coming?” “Oh, Catherine,” Anna snaps. “Don’t be dramatic. You heard all that I said. Samantha is pregnant with a boy for Eric. What you couldn’t do all these years.” A child? I repeat, loud enough in my mind, and my voice cracks making me chuckle painfully. Only then do my eyes dart across the table to the familiar woman sitting next to Eric. There Samantha sits, her hands wrapped around that of my daughter, Mia. Samantha is young—younger than I am. I remember she was my intern when I was in law school a few years back before I gave it all up for Eric's political career. She is a brunette with a round face and sleek dark hair that is a little curly. I have known Samantha since my law school days when I chose her to be my intern. I taught her to be the strong and fierce attorney she has grown to become today. I brought her into this family; or better still, I recommended her when Eric needed an attorney to work hand-in-hand with him as a congressman. I can't be his right hand anymore after I gave up my position to help him secure a spot in the congressional elections last season. “E-e-eric…” My voice cracks as I look down at my husband, my eyes wet with tears threatening to spill. “Is it true?” “Katie, I can explain,” he says, and my heart drops into my stomach. Fuck. It’s f*****g true! What else does he have to explain? Will he say she isn’t pregnant? “ I promise you I can explain” The words slice through me like a sharp blade. At that moment, blood drains from my face, and I feel a sharp pain in my chest, as if the little particles I was holding onto in my heart just broke. I struggle to understand what I just heard. S-sam- tha—I narrow my gaze at her, from her hands wrapped around my daughter’s to how they giggle at each other. It makes my heart burn, and I grind my molars, trying not to scream and yell at her to stay away from my daughter. I follow her gaze to the woman who seems to have taken everything from me—Anna. Anna likes her more than she will ever like me. Eric wants her too. She has taken my husband from me. And most importantly, Mia wants her to be her mom. My heart pounds painfully against my ribs, and I let the tears roll down my face when Samantha stands up to help Mia go pee. I see it—the baby bump. It's very visible now that they've told me. Eric's child is growing there. At that point, my brain reaches its freezing point, and I can’t breathe. “C'mon, Catherine, you shouldn’t be shocked or even cry…” Anna's voice cuts through my thoughts, grabbing my attention. “It’s a very natural thing. Eric is moving to be a senator soon and also the heir of the family’s empire. He needs an heir, and Samantha is ready to give him one. You’re still being favoured, Eric says he doesn’t want to divorce you yet. You can stay, but not as his wife. You stay back as a nanny for Mia and her siblings”