His Wife's Place Was Never Mine

Three years married to Morton Delgado, and I had never once appeared on his social media feed. I told myself he was just a private man.

Then came the day his company rang the IPO bell, and the big screen looped a video titled "A Family Message for Mr. Delgado."

His parents were in it. His sister. Even the family dog.

And Sabina Pruitt, standing at his side, smiling as she called out "Happy New Year." But not me.

When I asked him about it, he said, "The company people spliced it together carelessly. Don't blow it out of proportion."

My mother-in-law weighed in too. "A man needs to save face out in the world. You're his lawful wife. Why fuss over little things like this?"

It was only later that I realized he wasn't someone who never posted.

He had posted the tie Sabina gave him. The cake Sabina baked. The seaside sunset from a business trip Sabina took with him.

I just couldn't see any of it.

He had filed me away in a group called "Family—Do Not View."

And Sabina existed, in every one of his public posts, exactly like his wife.

The cruelest part was the day Morton rang the IPO bell, when the host invited Mr. Delgado's family up to present flowers.

As my mother-in-law passed me, she slid the bouquet out of my arms and pressed it into Sabina's hands.

"Go on, Sabina. You've walked all these years beside him."

When the flashbulbs went off, the bouquet still in my hands suddenly felt very heavy.

So it wasn't that he couldn't make me public. He had simply never intended to.

……

After the bell-ringing ceremony, Morton was swarmed by reporters.

Sabina stood at his right, a white corsage pinned to her chest.

It read: Family Guest.

I looked down at my own chest. Nothing.

A staff member came over and stopped me, politely.

"Ma'am, the media zone is off-limits."

I said, "I'm Morton Delgado's wife."

She paused, then flipped through her tablet.

"I'm sorry. The only family member on Mr. Delgado's list is Miss Pruitt."

I stared at that line.

Sabina, family.

The two words sat close together, as if they'd been arranged that way long ago.

We'd had no wedding when we married.

Morton had said the startup phase was delicate, that the capital markets didn't like a founder's private life being magnified, and asked me to keep things quiet with him.

So for three years, apart from the Delgados and a handful of close friends, no one at the company had ever truly seen me.

Morton finally pushed his way out of the crowd and came toward me.

"Mavis Winfield."

I held out the bouquet to him.

"Looks like you won't be needing this. Someone's already handed one over."

His expression shifted slightly.

"That just now was a last-minute arrangement. My mother was afraid the moment would fall flat."

"So Sabina goes up, and it doesn't fall flat."

"She used to help the company. The media know her."

I nodded.

"So I'm the one who can't be seen. Is that it?"

Morton frowned.

"Today matters. Don't make a scene here."

I gave a small smile.

"Did I make a scene?"

He stopped.

"You look terrible."

I handed him my phone. On the screen was the press release.

【Delgado Group founder Morton Delgado, joined by family member Sabina Pruitt, witnessing the moment of the IPO together.】

Morton stared at that line, his fingertips going stiff for a beat.

"I'll have PR fix it right away."

He turned and called his assistant.

The assistant hurried over, face uneasy.

"Mr. Delgado, the release has already been picked up by the finance accounts. Pulling it now would hurt the public sentiment."

Morton was silent for a few seconds, then dropped his voice.

"Get through tonight first. We'll deal with it tomorrow."

I laughed.

"Morton, I really am a laughable excuse for a wife."

His face darkened.

"Mavis, now isn't the time to change it."

Just then Sabina walked over, still holding the bouquet I had prepared.