Without hesitation, everyone in the room rushed forward to greet Roderick. I stayed in my seat, quietly listening to the exchange of pleasantries.
After a long while, I slowly lifted my head and looked at him. He hadn’t changed much.
Dressed in an expensive suit, Roderick stood with Francesca clinging to his arm. There was nothing but warmth in the way they looked at each other.
With a crowd gathering around him, he didn’t notice me sitting in the corner.
Even after all these years, Roderick was still the center of attention. He had a presence that drew every eye the moment he entered a room.
The only one who hadn’t fared well in life was me.
Out of nowhere, Francesca beamed and gestured toward me. “Rick, Sav’s here! You two haven’t seen each other in years. You should catch up. Oh, and she brought a little surprise too.”
Roderick showed no particular reaction to the word “surprise”. Instead, he calmly ordered Francesca’s favorite foie gras. Only then did he finally look at me.
Meanwhile, Danny tugged nervously at the hem of my shirt, clearly on edge.
It was obvious that Roderick saw him too. For a moment, his indifferent expression faltered and turned to shock.
“What’s going on, Savannah?”
He was asking about Danny. I had never mentioned Danny to any of them. So, seeing me walk in with a child had clearly caught everyone off guard.
Their expression mirrored one another’s. It was a mix of surprise and concealed amusement.
Then, Francesca introduced Danny with a smile. “Rick, this is Savannah’s son. Isn’t he adorable? He looks just like her. And he’s not that young either.”
Roderick’s gaze shifted between Danny and me. A beat later, his eyes locked on mine and stayed there.
I thought he might ignore me altogether, but then he spoke up in a hoarse voice. “I wasn’t expecting this. You’ve been abroad for a few years, and now you’re married with a kid?”
I lifted my head and looked him straight in the eye. “I’ve been married for a while now. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
The room instantly fell silent. No one said a single word as Roderick stared at me, a flicker of disbelief in his eyes.
Just as Francesca was about to say something, he stepped toward me and asked, “Where’s your husband?”
I dropped my gaze before answering, “He had work, so he couldn’t make it.”
The room immediately buzzed with whispers, followed by soft, stifled laughter. Nevertheless, no one dared go too far. At least, not with Roderick there.
“And he just let you travel all this way alone? Doesn’t he care that something might happen to you?” he questioned, his expression darkening.
A bitter smile crept across my face as I replied, “I once flew to another country alone, and no one cared what would happen to me then. I’m a grown woman now. I think I’ll manage just fine.”
Roderick had sent me away once. I had never flown before, let alone gone to somewhere so far away.
Everything had been unfamiliar and overwhelming. I was terrified, unable to speak the language. Yet, he hadn’t cared.
At that moment, Roderick’s gaze grew colder.
…
I barely touched my food during the meal. I felt tense and out of place.
Everyone kept flattering Roderick, gushing over how perfect he and Francesca were together. But all I could think about was getting Danny out of there and letting him rest.
If I could rent a small place here and get a job, Danny and I would be okay. I had no plans of going back overseas, after all.
The moment the meal ended, I got up to leave with Danny. However, Roderick stopped me with Francesca standing beside him.
With a sharp look and a voice devoid of warmth, he warned, “Savannah, we’re both married now. I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of my life.”
Francesca leaned against him, smiling. “She won’t do anything, Rick. She’s a mom now. She knows better.”
They looked like the perfect couple. And I was just the outsider who didn’t belong.
No matter what I said, they’d never believe me. So, I nodded and replied, “You won’t hear from me again.”
