Chapter 5 - The Rehearsal Dinner
Four days later, Logan came home carrying a large box from a high-end Italian restaurant.
"I thought we could have a nice family dinner tonight," he announced, setting the food on the dining table. He looked remarkably relaxed, a man who believed every single piece of his grand puzzle was falling effortlessly into place.
"That sounds lovely, Logan," I said, setting out the plates.
Throughout dinner, Logan was uncharacteristically attentive. He asked Emma about her art class, complimented my hair, and passed the pasta with a gentle smile. It was sickening. He was playing the role of the devoted husband one last time, comforting his own conscience before delivering the blow.
"Clara," he said smoothly, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Sienna invited us over to her place this weekend. She's hosting a small dinner party for some prospective clients, and she thought it would be great if Emma and Mason could hang out again."
"Oh?" I said, taking a sip of water. "What kind of dinner party?"
"Just a casual gathering," Logan said quickly. "It would really help solidify the partnership between our firms. Plus, I think it's good for Emma to socialize with Mason more. They're going to be around each other a lot with our business projects."
Socialize. Another word for adjust.
"I think that's a fine idea," I replied calmly.
Logan blinked, visibly caught off guard by my immediate agreement. He had clearly prepared a whole script to counter my expected objections. "Really? You don't mind?"
"Why would I mind supporting your business, Logan?" I smiled serenely. "We should all go."
On Saturday evening, we drove over to Sienna's home—a stunning mid-century modern house in an affluent neighborhood.
When we walked inside, it became immediately obvious that this was not a "client dinner party." There were no business associates present. The only people in the grand living room were Sienna, her mother, Mason, and a local family photographer holding a high-end camera rig.
"Clara! Logan!" Sienna greeted us, gliding across the hardwood floor with two glasses of champagne. "I'm so glad you made it!"
"Sienna," I said politely, refusing the champagne glass. "What is all this?"
"Oh, just a little family photo session!" Sienna said airily, waving a hand toward the photographer. "I wanted to get some updated portraits of Mason for my mother, and since Logan and Emma are practically family now with our firm's success, I thought we could get a few group shots together!"
The sheer audacity was breathtaking. They were attempting to generate photographic evidence of a happy, blended family unit—photos that Logan’s lawyer would undoubtedly try to introduce in court later to prove how "well-adjusted" Emma was to this new dynamic.
"Come on, Emma!" Mason called out, running over with a box of board games. "Let's play in my room!"
"Go ahead, sweetie," Logan encouraged, patting Emma's back. "Go play with Mason."
Emma looked at me nervously. I gave her a small, reassuring nod, and she followed Mason up the stairs.
The photographer set up his lights near the fireplace. "Alright!" he called out cheerfully. "Let's get the parents and the kids together first!"
Sienna immediately stepped beside Logan, pulling him into a cozy pose by the mantle. "Clara, why don't you sit over on the sofa for this first set?" Sienna suggested smoothly. "We want to capture the business partners and the kids first."
"Actually," I said, standing firmly in the center of the room. "I think I'll stand right here."
Logan’s smile tightened. "Clara, don't make a scene. It's just a photo."
"I'm not making a scene, Logan," I said softly, pulling my phone from my clutch. "I'm just documenting the moment."
I raised my phone and took a clear, high-resolution photograph of Logan and Sienna standing side-by-side in front of the fireplace, framed by the photographer's professional lights.
Sienna’s face flushed with sudden anger. "What are you doing?"
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"Just capturing a memory," I replied, saving the photo directly to my cloud drive, where Mara Levin was monitoring my updates in real-time. "After all, sharing is a good thing, right Logan?"
Logan stared at me, a flicker of genuine unease finally darting across his eyes. For the first time, he seemed to realize that the quiet, submissive wife who always swallowed her questions was no longer standing in front of him.
