My Fiancé’s “Detox Sundays” Were For His First Love

Chapter 3

The car entered the Elizabeth Estate on Long Island.

By the time it stopped, Leon's mother, Elizabeth, was already waiting on the steps in an expensive silk gown and an emerald necklace.

The moment Selena and Lily got out, Elizabeth opened her arms and hurried over with a beaming smile. "Oh, my darling Selena! And my little angel Lily! Come here and give Grandma a hug."

She embraced Selena tightly and kissed Lily's cheek, as affectionately as if they were the real family.

I opened my door and stepped out.

When Elizabeth caught sight of me from the corner of her eye, her smile vanished.

She gave me a cool glance. "You came, too. Go inside and find yourself a seat."

Then she took Selena's hand and walked into the house, laughing and chatting with her.

Leon tossed the keys to the valet and came to my side.

His voice carried a heavy warning. "Claire, get that lifeless look off your face. You represent my future wife now, so show the emotional control expected of a Wall Street professional. I don't want you making anyone uncomfortable at dinner."

I looked at him and his entitled demands. "I'm not a machine that exists to manage everyone's feelings. If you don't like my face, feel free to tell me to get lost."

Leon's expression darkened instantly. "You're impossible.

"Learn from Selena. She is poised and gracious at all times and knows how to look after everyone's feelings. You, on the other hand, do nothing but embarrass me at events like this."

I twitched one corner of my mouth. "Right. She's perfect. You'd better go inside and keep her company."

With a cold snort, Leon strode into the estate.

I followed him into the opulent dining room.

The long mahogany table was already laden with food.

Elizabeth and Leon sat on either side of Selena and Lily. Leon patiently cut the premium tomahawk steak on Lily's plate, while Elizabeth kept pouring Selena expensive wine.

"Selena, this is the special reserve from your favorite Bordeaux vineyard. Eat more. You've lost weight lately."

The four of them laughed and talked.

I sat in the empty chair at the far end of the table and looked at my plate.

The main course was a whole chilled Alaskan king crab with raw sea urchin sashimi.

After the ectopic pregnancy surgery and removal of my fallopian tube last month, the doctor had warned me repeatedly to avoid cold, raw seafood. It could trigger severe abdominal cramps.

Elizabeth noticed me looking. She said casually, "Claire, the kitchen prepared Selena's favorite seafood today. You'll have to make do. You're used to eating those cheap salads at work anyway."

Leon picked up a glass of chilled champagne and set it down hard in front of me. "Have some champagne.

"I know you have no taste when it comes to wine, but stop looking so miserable.

"Selena could identify Burgundy regions in blind tastings when she was 16. You should ask her to teach you something about refinement."

He looked at Selena with naked admiration. I lowered my gaze to the frosted glass of champagne.

The day I hemorrhaged from the ectopic pregnancy, I had lain on the bathroom's freezing tiles while blood ran down my thighs and pooled on the floor.

With the last of my strength, I called Leon for help. He had answered with the same impatient tone.

"You've crossed a line. Learn to call an ambulance yourself."

The scar on my abdomen gave a dull ache. I took out my phone, and the screen lit up with a confirmation email from London HR.

London HR: Claire, your electronic ticket has been issued. Your flight departs JFK Airport for Heathrow at 2 a.m. next Wednesday.

I read the line three times. The last of the suffocating pressure inside me vanished with that email.

I placed my phone facedown on the table and leaned back in my chair. Dinner went on for three hours. I never touched my silverware.

The ice around the king crab melted and dripped from the plate onto the tablecloth.

Leon was busy peeling shrimp for Selena and wiping Lily's mouth. Elizabeth was busy reminiscing with Selena about happier days.

Not one of them noticed that I had eaten nothing. Not one of them asked why.

I stared into the night beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows and removed myself completely from the room.