She hadn’t been forcing her way into Emma’s wedding.
She had honestly believed she’d been invited in.
Part Ten: “And Mom Does It Too”
Sophie turned on her father, eyes blazing.
“So you’ve been lying to both of them.”
Tom’s jaw tightened. “This isn’t the place for this.”
Sophie let out a short, bitter laugh. “Of course that’s what you’d say.”
“Sophie,” Emma said.
But Sophie wasn’t listening. She was staring straight at Tom.
“This is all Dad’s fault.”
“No.”
Emma said it quietly. Still, in that silent ballroom, every single person heard it.
Sophie turned. “No?“
“Dad did this,” Emma said, gesturing toward Kristen. Then she looked at her sister. “You did this.”
And then, slowly, her eyes found mine.
“And Mom does it too.”
My stomach dropped straight through the floor.
“Emma…”
“Do you know how many texts I send before every family event?” she asked.
Nobody answered.
“Every birthday.” Her voice was shaking now. “Every graduation.” She looked at Tom. “Every Christmas.” She looked at Sophie. “Every single time.”
And then she started to list them, one after another, like she’d memorized them. Like they’d been burned into her.
