Then the dreadful moment came at last.
With the soft grin that had tricked me into believing him as a youngster, my father stood up, but it now only made me shudder.
He gestured for the servers to bring out an opulent wooden box by clapping his hands. There was a bottle of crimson wine inside, presented as if it were a precious gem.
“This is a bottle reserved only for the most special occasions in our family,” he said in a rich, proud voice.
Harper’s future looks bright as she graduates today. This unique and valuable wine is the perfect way to commemorate this occasion.
The guests erupted in cheers. They raised their phones to record this purportedly cozy family moment while laughing.
I grinned as well, but there was a stinging pain in my chest.
I saw it right away. The servers were not allowed to pour as usual by my father. He carefully filled each glass by hand after opening the bottle himself.
The glass was placed in front of me. My heart tightened as I tipped it a little.
I spotted it in the deep ruby swirl: particles that had not yet dissolved, fine dust that glittered slightly beneath the lights.
My heart pounded loudly in my ears. I suddenly remembered what I had overheard the previous evening.
Just enough poison to make her ill. spent a few days in the hospital. It’s time to move the assets.
Even though my throat became dry, I maintained a composed, unwavering smile.
I looked around. My mother’s gaze never left me while she feigned to converse with the woman next to her. My dad held up his glass and waited for me to do the same.
I leaned just a little bit and tapped Emily’s hand under the table in that tense moment. She raised her head and met my gaze, her eyes full of resolution and pleading.
I muttered, hardly moving my lips:
“Take note of this. Keep a record of everything.
Emily nodded just a little bit. Silently, she took her phone out of her clutch, set it on her lap, and, with a single, covert touch, turned the camera to roll in the direction of the table.
My father shouted, “To Harper,” across the rooftop.
The applause of the guests filled the air, echoing the celebration. I raised my glass.
Sitting next to me, Sophia grinned broadly, her face beaming with joy and devoid of any mistrust. She had never seen our parents’ darker side and had never thought they would hurt their own child.
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