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1336 Words
Sitting on the chair, I watched the guests roaming around the party. Everyone was enjoying themselves, wearing expensive clothes and glittering jewelry. They all looked so rich, so polished, so perfect.
There was a party at my in-laws’ place today—
sorry, it was a charity party.
Sometimes I forget that it’s supposed to be about charity, not fun. But honestly, it’s not my fault. Every single person who comes here treats the event like a celebration instead of an act of kindness. I hate people like that—people who pretend to understand the struggles of the poor, act like saints, and then laugh at poor people behind their backs.
My in-laws were exactly like that.
They created a good image on social media. They acted like they genuinely wanted to help the needy. But the reality? Only I knew it. They hated poor people.
Maybe I was the biggest reason for that hatred—
because they never accepted me as their daughter-in-law.
All because I was an orphan.
Because I didn’t belong to a rich family.
Because I didn’t fit into their world.
You must be wondering how I ended up here.
Let me tell you.
Mrs. Salvatore used to donate money to the orphanage where I lived. One day, she called me in. After asking a few questions, she told me she wanted me to marry her grandson.
Just like that, I became a part of the Salvatore family.
At least on paper.
They never truly accepted me.
The party continued, and people began dancing. The band was doing an amazing job. Women my age giggled over spicy Hollywood gossip. Older women boasted about their husbands’ business expansions. It had been two years now.
If Gabriel had openly accepted me as his wife, I might have been one of them—talking proudly about my husband’s business tactics, laughing confidently with the rich wives.
But you are not one of them, Daphne.
Because you are a loser who still believes that one day everything will magically change and you will finally have your fairy-tale life.
I inhaled deeply and tried not to cry.
Suddenly, someone pulled out a chair at my table and sat beside me. It was my mother-in-law, Mrs. Jennifer Salvatore, along with my sister-in-law Hope, and my brother-in-law Howard’s wife, Clarissa.
They were all beautifully dressed, diamonds sparkling against their glowing skin.
Meanwhile, I wore a simple dress with no diamonds or jewels to shine.
They began talking among themselves, completely ignoring me, as if I didn’t exist. Their conversation was all about vacations, club parties, and expensive shopping trips.
Whenever someone came to greet our table, they only acknowledged the three of them. They purposely ignored me because they knew I was the neglected member of the family. Everyone knew Gabriel hadn’t accepted me, and he barely acknowledged my presence. So people took the chance to mock me. They gave me arrogant smirks, reminding me where I stood.
But now… I didn’t care as much.
Or maybe I was just tired of caring.
After some time, my mother-in-law began bragging about how hard she had worked to organize this event. Hope and Clarissa had no choice but to nod along—they knew Mrs. Salvatore would get angry if they didn’t.
I silently listened, although I knew she didn’t care whether I was listening or not.
Another person approached—it was my husband’s older brother, Howard. He greeted his mother with a kiss on the cheek and gave Hope a half-hug. He gave me a small nod, but his face remained expressionless. Then he kissed Clarissa on the lips and sat beside her. She gave him a tight smile.
It felt strange.
Normally, they were affectionate with each other, even in public. But today… something felt off.
I had heard they were trying to conceive but were facing difficulties. Still, they were hopeful and trying. I shrugged. Whatever the issue was, it wasn’t my business. I needed to stay in my limits.
They had gotten married a few months after Gabriel and I did, and now they were planning to expand their family.
Meanwhile, I wasn’t even allowed inside the main Salvatore mansion.
Howard and Clarissa spoke to each other in hushed tones. Their expressions made it clear they were arguing. Meanwhile, my mother-in-law began telling Hope how she put a friend “in her place” by bragging about her sons taking over major companies soon.
I was thinking about how long I had to endure this when Howard mentioned the name—the one who kept my hope alive.
Gabriel.
Just hearing that he was here made my breath quicken.
Calm down, Daphne.
He arrived and first kissed his mother on the cheek. Then he gave Hope and Clarissa a quick half-hug and patted Howard on the back. Finally, he glanced at me and said a small “hello.”
He sat exactly opposite me.
Of course. He never sat beside me.
He always made me feel alone.
They all started talking, but as usual, Gabriel remained mostly quiet, lost in his thoughts. Ah, how I wished I could see what was going on in his mind.
But you couldn’t.
My subconscious mocked me.
He didn’t even glance at me.
“So, brother, how was your business meeting with the South Asians?” Hope asked casually.
How I wished I had the right to ask him that instead of his sister.
“Nothing special,” Gabriel said, leaning back in his chair as he sipped his wine. “You know me. I handle everything easily. It wasn’t a big deal.”
That confidence—that effortless strength—was exactly why I liked him. He was everything I wasn’t.
Strong, powerful, brave.
And I was timid, scared of darkness, fell sick easily, cried too often. That’s why I wanted a husband like him—someone who could protect me from the things that terrified me.
“And how was that Asian girl… Cheshta?” Hope asked with a curious smirk.
Gabriel narrowed his eyes at her. After thinking for a moment, he replied, “Yeah, she’s a good host. I enjoyed her company.”
My mother-in-law raised her eyebrows in surprise. Hope nudged Clarissa with her elbow, and both exchanged knowing looks.
“How do you even know I was with her?” Gabriel asked Hope.
“I saw your i********: story,” she said. “You looked really happy with her.”
He posted a story with her.
He had never taken a single picture with me.
“Oh? Show me her photo,” Mrs. Salvatore said eagerly. “I want to see my son’s taste.”
Gabriel rolled his eyes. Hope opened the picture on her phone and passed it to her mother. Mrs. Salvatore’s reaction was instant—surprise, followed by impressed admiration. Clarissa saw it next, her reaction the same.
I felt a lump form in my throat.
Was she that beautiful?
I lowered my gaze and fidgeted with my fingers.
When I finally gathered courage to look at Gabriel, he was staring at his phone, typing something. Then he felt my eyes on him—he looked up, caught me staring, and I quickly turned away.
“She’s gorgeous. You should date her,” Mrs. Salvatore said casually.
She said it so easily—as if it wasn’t a big deal for a married man to date someone else.
I looked at Gabriel, waiting for him to deny it, to defend me—
but he smirked.
That smirk broke me.
Did he hate me so much that he would break the biggest rule of marriage?
Would he have done the same if someone else had been in my place?
No.
He would never cheat on someone he loved.
He would treasure her like a queen.
He only hated me.
“Excuse me,” I whispered. “I need to use the washroom.”
I stood up, head lowered, and rushed away.
- Writer
