Too Late To Love Me, Mr. Blackwell

LYDIA

We had barely made it halfway through dinner when Vanessa stood up.

I watched uninterestedly while she began to clink her wine glass with her fork.

The annoying smile plastered on her face started to irk me and I looked away.

After all, the meal was more interesting than anyone or anything going on here.

"Everyone, I have an announcement I would like to make, good news," she said.

Her tone was cheerful.

Suspicion warped through me as I lifted my gaze to look at her, curious now.

When her eyes met mine, the glow in them was so bright it nearly blinded me.

I began to wonder why she had looked so smug and triumphant all evening.

My mother stopped eating and clasped her hands together on the table. 

"Oh, darling, what is it?"

Vanessa placed the glass down and reached for her flat stomach with one hand.

She glanced at me and held my gaze.

"I'm two months pregnant."

There was silence for a moment.

My brain began to process the news.

"Oh my," my mother started and the table erupted with congratulations.

I just sat there and watched as my parents hugged her, my mother crying.

Somehow, deep down inside of me, I felt relief that she was pregnant.

She would finally leave my husband alone and build her own fucking family.

But that relief was soon cut short.

My suspicion grew larger when Adrian stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms like she was fragile.

She squealed softly into his chest and my gut feeling whispered the unspeakable.

I sat up in my chair, frozen with my fork hanging halfway to my mouth.

Two months?

For some reason, my sixth sense told me something was wrong with these settings.

If I remembered correctly, my husband had accompanied my sister on a trip two months ago to help her sort out the problems she had with her start-up company.

A tight lump grew in my throat as I fought over what was the truth and what mustn't be the truth.

I turned to look at Adrian the moment she stepped away from Vanessa. 

He was smiling down at her with that same soft expression I had seen him give her at the door when we arrived. 

It was an expression he never gave me.

"Adrian," I started.

My voice came out strangled. 

"Is it yours?"

The table went silent. 

All eyes turned to me.

I saw him swallow, his Adam ape bobbling slowly with the motion.

His jaw tightened making unease settle in my stomach.

"Lydia, don't make a scene."

My eyes widened like saucers before my heart fell to the soles of my feet.

"I shouldn't make a scene?!" I screamed, my nostrils flaring in anger.

I stood up so abruptly that my chair fell backwards and landed on the floor.

"My sister is pregnant for you, my husband and I shouldn't make a scene?!"

"Lydia," My mother snapped, getting tired of her feet. "Sit your stupid ass down."

I glared at her.

"No." 

She went wide eyed.

My entire body was trembling as I ignored her and turned back to Adrian.

"How could you do this to me you, bastard? You got my sister pregnant while we are still married to each other!"

"Lydia," he replied in a sharp voice. "Our marriage is almost over in case you forgot."

I gasped softly.

"There is only four more months before I will be completely rid of you."

The words shouldn't have hurt considering the circumstances of our marriage.

But fuck it, it did.

I felt it deep down in my bones, it was almost as if my ribcage was pressing tighter around my heart.

"Look, until then, I would advise you to never forget your place Lydia."

"My place?" 

I scoffed in disbelief, refusing to acknowledge that all of this was happening.

My eyes went round the dining table to behold each and every one of them.

But none of them could meet my eyes.

Except her.

My sister.

Vanessa stood beside Adrian, smirking wickedly in what I supposed was triumph.

"What exactly is my place in this family?" I muttered, the question more mine.

"Second place," Vanessa murmured.

My head snapped towards her.

"And is that the reason you were sleeping with your second place's husband?"

Her eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets as she stood there, thunderstruck.

"Y-youu," she stammered. "How dare you?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Mother, can you see how Lydia is taking to me!" She complained.

"Lydia!" My mother called, and I turned around to look at her.

I watched my mother's face grow firm with disapproval before she spoke.

"You should be grateful," she spat, "because everything you own is because of Vanessa!"

Those same lines.

Again.

I have had to listen to them ever since I was adopted into this poisonous home.

"You were unwanted."

The corner of my lips curled in distaste.

"If not for Vanessa who asked us to adopt you, you would never have had education, a home or even a family to call yours."

I sighed exhausted because now my mother sounded like a broken record.

"And is this how you will repay her?" She continued to be partial.

I shook my head slowly as a dry scoff escaped from between my lips.

"Grateful?"

I exhaled sharply through my nose as my teeth ground together.

"I should be grateful that my husband is having a baby with my sister?"

"Vanessa is not really your sister," my father began quietly, joining the conversation.

I was gobsmacked.

"Father, what do you mean?" 

He stared up at me.

"You're not blood related. Besides, Adrian should have been hers from the start."

The words hit me like a brick and I looked at Vanessa, who was still smiling.

She had run away from the wedding, why did she want him now?

Because I wanted him?

"You planned this," I whispered. "You wanted him all along, didn't you?"

Vanessa's smile grew wide as she stepped forward, leaning into me.

"Of course I did." 

Her voice dropped lower.

"Did you really think I would let you keep him after you stole him?"

My breath hitched.

"I told you Lydia, whatever you think is yours will eventually be mine."