Ryan’s plan was clear: make me look like a public victim, embarrassing me in public.
But I took a deep breath and smiled.
‘Divorce?’ I asked, tilting my head. ‘Of course.’ Picking up the papers. ‘Living with a husband who cheats with your sister is stupid.’
The café exploded with reactions: gasps, whispers, laughter in amazement.
Raon turned pale. ‘What are you talking about?’ – he whispered.
And right into the trap fell Emily.
‘You know, sis,’ she said, stepping out of the shadows for the first time, ‘Ryan and I love each other!’
She sighed theatrically: ‘But with your cold heart, you’ll never understand what true love is.’
Silence ensued.
They expected my sobbing and pleading. But I only smiled – slowly, knowingly.
I took the divorce papers from Ryan without looking, and pulled my own papers out of my bag. The café was dead quiet as I placed them on the table.
‘Oh, Ryan,’ I sighed, ‘that was unnecessary.’ I tapped my folders. ‘I already filed for divorce – last week.’
He was stunned.
‘What?’ – He barely squeezed out.
Leaning slightly forward, I let him see the satisfaction in my eyes.
‘Including sole custody.’
Emily’s smile disappeared.
Ryan swallowed the lump in his throat. ‘That’s impossible,’ he wheezed.
‘It’s possible,’ I shrugged. – The courts don’t look too favourably on fathers cheating with their children’s aunt.”
Emily took a step forward, her voice cutting:
“You’re lying. It can’t be…”
And then the final chord happened.
A black SUV parked in front of the cafe. My father got out, calm, determined, with a bouquet in one hand and a heavy envelope in the other.
He walked inside, passing the others, and came over to me. Kissed me on the cheek, handed me the flowers, and looked around the room.
‘Happy birthday, dear,’ he said calmly. – Tell me, why has my daughter’s birthday party turned into a circus?”
An explosion of emotion swept through the café, but the father kept his composure, slowly realising the whole picture.
When his gaze fell on Emily, his voice became low and threatening:
‘You have disappointed me deeply.’
Emily flinched and started to make excuses, but her father cut her short:
“Silence. You will only speak when you learn to value loyalty to family. But you won’t learn that with my help.”
I reached for the envelope. When I opened it, it was a will.
My father’s voice was steady but firm:
“From this day forward, you are my sole heir. There will be no reward for treachery.”
Emily took a step forward, indignant:
‘You have no right!’
Father turned away:
‘You had no right to destroy your sister’s house.’
There was an oppressive silence – the silence of victory.
Ryan remained stunned, Emily’s lips trembling, her world crumbling.
I exhaled slowly and raised my glass.
‘To new beginnings.’
As my loved ones raised their drinks as well, it was clear to me – this birthday was the sweetest of my life.