Chapter 1

Seven years into my marriage with Marcel Faulkner, his mother, Nancy Faulkner, still insisted on inviting his ex-wife, Kenna Schultz, over for Thanksgiving dinner.

As soon as she arrived, Marcel rushed over and started chatting with her about how things had been.

Elyse Faulkner, who still wouldn't accept me as her stepmom, hugged her and said, "Mom, I missed you so much, even more than Dad."

Then Nancy dragged me to the kitchen. "Come on and cook dinner. Kenna loves salmon and seafood. Marcel bought them early this morning. Make them nice."

I turned to Marcel. "I'm allergic to seafood. Don't you remember?"

Marcel's expression changed, but he didn't comfort me like he used to. Instead, he sounded a bit impatient.

He said, "I didn't say you had to eat it. Can't you just cook it? Don't be so dramatic. You've managed it for the past six years, haven't you?

"Think about the timing if you're going to throw a fit. Today is Thanksgiving, a day for family to come together. It makes sense that Mom invited Kenna to celebrate with us."

The last bit of hope I had vanished. I nodded and smiled, "Right, it's your family reunion. Let's get a divorce."

Marcel froze, his face full of disbelief.

"You're going to divorce me just because Kenna was invited to Thanksgiving?

"It's not like I invited her. Why are you taking it out on me?"

I put away the agreement about the huge overseas inheritance I was going to surprise him with and said lightly, "Because I don't belong in your family."

*****

Right then, Kenna barged into the kitchen and wedged herself next to Marcel, her smile almost smug and sugary sweet.

She smiled, "Come on. You're family. Is it really worth arguing?

"Vivian, no need to get jealous. Marcel and I grew up together. Even if we didn't end up as a couple, we're still friends, so, of course, he knows all my favorites.

"Well, since that's the vibe tonight, maybe I should just skip out on Thanksgiving. No need to make things awkward."

As she said that, she made it look like she was about to leave.

Elyse darted over, wrapped her arms around Kenna's leg, and shot me a death glare.

She snapped, "Vivian, I only get to see my mom once a year, and now you're trying to drive her away. Why do you have to be so nasty?

"You're the outsider in this house! If anyone should leave, it's you..."

"Elyse!" Even as Kenna scolded Elyse, she couldn't hide the gleeful triumph on her face.

I pressed my lips together, feeling nothing but sorrow and isolation.

Ever since I married Marcel, I had loved Elyse with all my heart and cared for her just like my own flesh and blood.

Even though she always gave me the cold shoulder and refused to accept me as her stepmom, I never held it against her.

I had always believed that time would bring us closer, but in the end, all I got was being called an outsider.

After Elyse threw out those words, the kitchen went completely silent.

Nancy just looked like none of this had anything to do with her, and Marcel just stood there, as if none of it mattered to him.

I clenched my fists so tight that my nails dug into my palms.

The pain kept me painfully awake. It finally ripped off the mask, letting me see the true, ugly face of the man I'd wasted seven years loving.

I nodded, forcing a faint smile onto my face.

I said, "Elyse's right. I'm the real outsider here tonight.

"Anyway, happy Thanksgiving to all of you."

With that, I brushed right past Marcel and walked out.

"Vivian! Can't you just drop it?" Marcel finally burst out, his patience worn thin.

He spoke up at last, but only to lay into me with another harsh scolding.

I stopped in my tracks, glanced back at the four of them standing together, and slowly shook my head.

I replied, my voice cool and steady, "No.

"After dinner, be sure to come home and sign the divorce papers."

Without another word, I strode straight out the door.

Every Thanksgiving, I'd think about bringing out those divorce papers, but each time, Marcel managed to coax me out of it.

I put up with it for six years, all because after every Thanksgiving, Marcel would literally get down on his knees and beg me to forgive him.

He pleaded, "Elyse only gets to see her mom once a year. I really can't bear refusing her.

"My mom watched Kenna grow up. She treats Kenna just like her own daughter. That's why she invites Kenna over for dinner.

"Next year, I promise I won't let my mom invite Kenna again, okay?"

No matter how many years passed, Kenna always showed up at every Thanksgiving dinner.

And every time I got upset, Marcel acted more and more indifferent. He barely even tried to care anymore.

Today, he didn't even try to hide it. He finally accepted that I was nothing but an outsider among them.

Frustrated, I searched everywhere for my phone so I could call back my inheritance lawyer, but I just couldn't find it.

I must've left it at Nancy's place.

Left with no choice, I grabbed my keys and headed back over.

As soon as I reached the door, Kenna's syrupy voice floated over.

She cooed, "Oh, Marcel, stop looking so miserable. How could she really divorce you?

"Vivian has no parents. All her relatives ditched her the moment she married you, and now you're all she's got.

"Besides, Elyse's been giving her the cold shoulder all these years, just like I told her, and Vivian's still stuck around. She's put up with it for six years. She can handle whatever else we do.

"Anyway, I'm just helping her get used to things for your sake. I don't want her to divorce you like I did. I really regret leaving you. I wouldn't want her to make the same mistake. I'm just looking out for her."

I gripped the doorknob, ready to step inside, when Marcel's voice made me freeze in place.

He said, "Yeah, I mean, seven years is a long time.

"If you hadn't stormed off just to piss me off and ended up divorcing me, I never would've married her. She's useless. She just causes trouble and throws tantrums."