I wore a tailored charcoal suit, held a slim leather portfolio, and wore the gold watch my grandmother had given me when I graduated from college. I didn’t look like a heartbroken, blindsided wife. I looked like a senior auditor who had spent the last 48 hours weaponizing evidence.
Up near the stage, Richard was grinning broadly in front of a massive digital presentation screen. Sarah was filming him on her phone. Eleanor was mingling with prospective investors, holding a glass of champagne as if the family had already hit the jackpot.
Eric was standing right near the stage podium.
For ten years, I had loved that man. I had shared rainy Sundays, home renovations, quiet dinners, and plans for growing old together with him. Now, looking across the crowded ballroom, all I saw was a parasite who had toasted champagne over the prospect of rendering me homeless.
Richard stepped up to the microphone. “Today, we demonstrate that Nebula Systems has secured the strategic backing necessary to take our platform to the next level.”
