“You know what, Rachel?” I said, my voice calm and steady. “I’d rather wear this stained dress than spend another minute pretending to be civil with you. Your behavior is pathetic and embarrassing. If you’ll excuse me, my husband and I are leaving.”
I turned to Paul, who was looking at Rachel with a mix of shock and disgust.
“Let’s go home,” I said.
As we walked toward the exit, I heard Rachel’s shrill voice behind us.
“Paul, darling, don’t go. Stay, and I’ll take good care of you.”
Paul didn’t even turn around. He put his arm around me and said loudly enough for everyone to hear, “The only person I want taking care of me is my wife. Goodbye, Rachel.”
As we drove home in silence, I couldn’t shake the feeling that a line had been crossed. Rachel had shown her true colors, and there was no going back after this.
One sunny morning, Paul came into our bedroom with a serious look on his face.
“Anna, I have to go on a business trip,” Paul explained. “It’s important for the company. I’ll be gone for about a week.”
I nodded, trying to ignore the small knot of unease in my stomach.
“Okay. When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow morning,” he replied. “I’m sorry for the short notice. It came up suddenly.”
I forced a smile.
“It’s fine. I understand. Your business is important.”
The next day, Paul left for his trip, and I found myself alone in our house.
The week passed slowly. I kept myself busy with work to distract from the emptiness.
On Tuesday evening, my phone rang. To my surprise, it was Rachel.
“Anna, darling,” her overly sweet voice came through the phone. “I’m organizing a little get-together tonight. Just a small group of 12. I’d love for you and Paul to come.”
I hesitated.
“Uh, Paul’s out of town on business, actually.”
“Oh, what a shame,” Rachel said, but she didn’t sound disappointed at all. “But you should still come. It’ll be a great chance for us to bury the hatchet and start fresh. What do you say?”
Every instinct told me to say no, but a part of me was curious.
“I’m not sure,” I said, hesitating.
“Oh, come on,” Rachel urged. “It’s at Mzia Taverna. You know the place, right? Very exclusive. It’ll be fun, I promise.”
At the mention of Mzia Taverna, I couldn’t help but smile a little.
“All right,” I said, making a quick decision. “I’ll be there. What time?”
“Wonderful,” Rachel exclaimed. “9:00. Don’t be late.”
At exactly 9:00, I walked into Mzia Taverna. I saw a cheerful group of Paul’s friends, 12 people including Rachel, sitting at a table.
For a moment, I thought maybe everything would go well.
But as I walked closer, my heart sank.
There was no place set for me at the table.
Rachel stood up, her eyes gleaming with malice.
“Oh, Anna,” she said loudly, her voice filled with fake concern. “I’m afraid there’s been a misunderstanding. You see, we’re full up here. No room for extras.”
She spun around, showing off her designer dress.
“This is a place for people who belong, Anna. Beautiful people. Successful people. Maybe you should try the diner down the street. I hear they make a great hot dog.”
The table went silent. Everyone looked uncomfortable, but no one spoke up.
I laughed, genuinely amused by Rachel’s pathetic attempt to embarrass me.
Then I turned and called out, “Excuse me, could I speak to the restaurant manager, please?”
The manager quickly approached our table, professional and polite.
“Is there a problem here?” he asked, looking between Rachel and me.
Before Rachel could say anything, I smiled at him.
“No problem at all. I was just wondering if I could join this lovely group for dinner.”
The manager smiled kindly at me.
“Of course, madam. Let me get you a comfortable chair right away.”
As he walked off to fetch the chair, Rachel’s face twisted with rage.
“Excuse me,” she blurted out. “I booked this table for 12 people,” Rachel said, her voice sharp. “She wasn’t invited, and there’s no room for her here.”
The manager returned with a plush chair, placing it at the table.
“I apologize for the confusion,” he said politely, “but madam has the right to sit at any table she wishes. After all, she is the owner of Mzia Taverna.”
A collective gasp spread around the table.
Rachel’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, while Paul’s friends stared at me in disbelief.
One of them, Scott, spoke up.
“But Anna, I thought you were an accountant. That’s how Paul introduced you to us.”
I smiled and shrugged modestly.