Lia knew something was wrong the moment she saw the extra place setting beside her husband. But when her mother-in-law opened the door and welcomed Ryan’s ex inside, the awkward dinner became something far more unsettling.
The extra place setting was the first warning.
It was beside my husband Ryan’s chair, close enough that whoever Patricia was expecting would practically be sitting with him instead of across from him.
“Are we expecting someone?” I asked.
My mother-in-law smiled as she poured herself a glass of wine.
“Just someone I haven’t seen in far too long.”
Then the doorbell rang.
Patricia was out of her chair before anyone else moved.
A minute later, she returned with a woman I’d only ever seen in old photographs.
Lauren.
Ryan’s ex.
Ryan went completely still.
“Lauren?”
She smiled uncertainly. “Hi.”
He looked at his mother.
“Mom, what is she doing here?”
Patricia waved him off. “Oh, don’t make this awkward. Lauren is practically family. I’ve known her for years.”
Then she pulled out the empty chair.
“Lauren, sweetheart. I saved you a seat.”
Right beside my husband.
I waited for Ryan to look at me.
He didn’t.
That bothered me almost as much as Lauren being there.
Lauren sat down and tried to make conversation.
“Do you still hate mushrooms?”
Ryan frowned. “Uh… yeah.”
“I knew it.” She laughed. “Some things never change.”
Once Patricia served dinner, things only got worse.
She brought up vacations Ryan and Lauren had taken together.
Lauren mentioned restaurants they used to love.
“Remember that Christmas in Vermont?” Patricia asked. “You two were so happy.”
What happened next changed everything… FULL STORY on the next page.
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