"Mavis, I'm so sorry. I really had no idea the release would be written like that."

I looked at her.

"You had no idea?"

Her eyes reddened.

"I only went up on stage because Mrs. Delgado arranged it. I never thought it would make you uncomfortable."

Sylvia happened to overhear, and her brow furrowed at once.

"Sabina didn't do it on purpose. It's the company's first day public, and you insist on making a scene?"

I looked at Morton. He said nothing.

Every time he stayed silent, it was his way of telling me to swallow it.

Once the banquet began, I was seated at the second table.

At the head table sat Morton, Sylvia, his father, Sabina, and a few investors.

Someone raised a glass, smiling.

"Mr. Delgado and Miss Pruitt really have supported each other every step of the way."

Sylvia's smile came easily.

"Sabina truly weathered a lot of hardship alongside Morton."

Morton heard it.

He picked up his glass and said only, "That's all in the past."

He offered no correction.

I lowered my head and looked at my phone.

Under the news, the comments kept piling up.

【Miss Pruitt has such elegance. She and Mr. Delgado make such a lovely couple.】

【No wonder the Delgado brand's aesthetic is so consistent. Turns out the boss's wife is the designer herself.】

【The power-couple energy is off the charts.】

I opened Morton's social media feed.

Blank.

Not because he hadn't posted. Because I couldn't see it.

Jean Fox sent me the screenshot.

Morton had posted a photo from the bell-ringing.

The caption read: 【Grateful to everyone who walked this road with me.】

In the picture, Sabina stood at his side. I zoomed in and stared at it for a long time.

That night on the way home, the car was very quiet.

Morton spoke first.

"The release will definitely be corrected tomorrow."

I looked out the window.

"And the post?"

He paused.

"What post?"

"You posted something today, didn't you?"

His hand tightened on the steering wheel.

"Just a work update."

"Then why can't I see it?"

He was silent, so I said it for him.

"Because I'm in the group that isn't allowed to see."

The car braked hard at a red light. Morton turned to look at me.

"Who told you that?"

I smiled.

"So it's true."

He tugged irritably at his tie.

"It's not aimed at you. Some business updates aren't convenient for family to see."

"Sabina isn't family?"

He fell silent. I nodded.

"Understood."

The next day, I took our wedding photo down from the bedroom wall. A layer of dust had settled behind the frame.

Morton saw the bare wall.

"Where's the photo?"

"Put away."

"Why?"

"No one sees it. It's a waste to keep it hanging."

He frowned.

"Mavis, there's no need for this."

I set down my cup.

"Morton, you won't make me public, and you keep even liking me hidden away. If it's like this, you shouldn't have married me in the first place."

Just then the doorbell rang.

Sylvia stood outside, Sabina behind her.

"We're at the old estate tonight. The investors' wives are coming, so, Mavis, go over early and help out."

She changed her shoes and came in, and saw the empty wall.

"Why did you take down the wedding photo?"

I said, "Too much dust."

Sylvia gave me a look.

"Some places, when other people set you up in them, you ought to be content. Don't always be reaching for the brighter spot."

I understood.

She wasn't talking about the photo. She was talking about me.

At six that evening, I arrived at the old estate. Sylvia was directing the housekeeper on arranging the flowers.

Sabina sat on the sofa, a tablet in her hands, helping Morton go over the investor list.

When Sylvia saw me, she handed over a stack of place cards.

"Mavis, set these out. Don't get the head table wrong. Sabina sits next to Morton."

I picked up the place card.

"Where am I sitting?"

Sylvia paused.

"You'll be at the second table. Easier for you to look after the guests."

Sabina looked up quickly.

"Aunt Sylvia, why don't I take the second table instead?"

Sylvia pressed her back down into her seat.

"You'll be spending the whole evening talking design with several of the ladies. How would it look for you to sit at the second table?"

I looked down at the place card.

After Sabina's name it read: Delgado Brand Consultant.

I asked Sylvia.

"Is this your arrangement?"

She frowned.

"Didn't you study PR in college? This sort of thing is right up your alley."

Sabina said softly, "Mavis, Aunt Sylvia only trusts you with it."

I gave a small smile.

"Sure."

I set the place cards out and went to the kitchen to check on the refreshments.

The housekeeper said under her breath, "Ma'am, Mrs. Delgado said not to come out too early. Wait until the guests are seated before serving the tea."

Ma'am. That title only existed in the kitchen.

At seven, the guests began to arrive.

One of the ladies took Sabina by the hand.

"Miss Pruitt, you must be Mrs. Delgado? I've seen you in the news. You're even prettier in person."

Sabina flushed a little.

"You've misunderstood."

Sylvia jumped in at once, smiling.

"Sabina is very close to our family. Whether or not she's called Mrs. Delgado, she's just as dear to us."

I walked over carrying the tea, and the lady glanced at me.

"And who is this?"

Sylvia said, "Mavis. Family help."

Family help. Not the daughter-in-law, not Mrs. Delgado. Just someone around the house who could pour tea.

Morton walked in right then and heard it.

He looked at me, and for a second his expression turned uneasy.

I set the tea down.

"Mr. Delgado, your tea."

Morton's face changed.

"Mavis."

I didn't look at him. I turned and went back to the kitchen.

After the dinner got underway, Sylvia handed a gift box to Sabina.

"Sabina, this watch is from Morton's IPO. I picked it out just for you."

Sabina hurried to refuse.

"Aunt Sylvia, I can't accept this."

"What do you mean you can't? You've walked all this way with Morton. You've earned it."

I sat at the very edge of the second table.

My phone buzzed.

It was a message from Morton.

【Don't read too much into it. Mom's just thanking her.】

I replied.

【Read too much into what?】

He didn't answer again.

Before long, Morton came over holding a glass of wine.

"Go sit at the head table. I'll have my assistant switch the seats."

I lifted my head and looked at him.

"Switch them now?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you switch them before?"

He pressed his lips together.

"There were too many people just now."

I laughed.

"Are there fewer people now?"

Morton's face stiffened.

Just then, someone at the head table called out to him.

"Mr. Delgado, Miss Pruitt says the two of you even slept at the office back when you were starting the company. Is that true?"

The whole table laughed, and Sabina ducked her head, embarrassed.

Morton glanced at me, but he still turned and went back.

I stayed where I was, and all at once none of it seemed worth it.

After the dinner broke up, Sylvia walked Sabina to the door.

"It isn't safe for you to go back alone. Let Morton drive you."

Sabina looked at me.

"Mavis wouldn't mind, would she?"

I picked up my bag.

"I mind."

Everyone froze.

Sylvia's face darkened at once.

"Mavis, what has gotten into you today?"

I looked at her.

"You asked whether I minded, didn't you? I answered."

Morton came over.

"I'll have the driver take her."

Sylvia said immediately, "The driver can take an outsider, but how could you let the driver take Sabina?"

I gave a small laugh.

"So the driver's for outsiders."

Sabina's eyes reddened again.

“Never mind. I’ll get myself home.”

Morton looked at her, his brows drawing together.

In that single second, I already knew the answer.

He said, “I’ll drop her at the corner. I’ll be right back.”

I nodded.

“Go.”

He froze for a beat.

I didn’t wait for him to come back. As I stepped out of the old family estate, Jean called me.

“Why do you sound like that?”

I said, “Jean, do you think Morton loves me?”

The line went quiet for two seconds.

Then she said, “I always knew this day would come sooner or later.”

I stood at the curb, the wind stinging my eyes.

So the humiliation I thought I’d hidden so well, everyone else had seen a long time ago.

On the third day, Morton offered to take me to the company himself.

“There’s an internal celebration today. I’ll introduce you properly.”

I looked at him.

“Properly to what degree?”

He said, “In front of all the executives.”

I asked, “Is Sabina going?”

Morton paused.

“She’s the brand consultant. She might come.”

I smiled.

“Then I understand.”

He said, “Mavis, don’t pin everything on her.”

I said nothing more.

At three in the afternoon, I arrived downstairs at the Delgado building.

The receptionist saw Morton and shot to her feet.

“Mr. Delgado.”

Morton took my hand.

“This is my wife, Mavis.”

The receptionist blinked, then quickly nodded.

“Hello, Mrs. Delgado.”

It was the first time. And before I could feel even a flicker of anything, the turnstile buzzed.

Red light. My badge wouldn’t let me through.

The receptionist checked for a long while, her face growing more and more awkward.

“Mr. Delgado, the family contact bound in the system is Miss Sabina Pruitt.”

Morton’s face darkened in an instant.

“Who entered that?”

The administrative manager hurried down.

“Mr. Delgado, Mrs. Delgado arranged it before. She said Miss Pruitt came to the office often, so it would be convenient for her to get in and out.”

I looked at that turnstile. Sabina could walk through without registering.

Me, the actual Mrs. Delgado, was blocked at the door.

Morton tightened his grip on my hand.

“Change it right now.”

The administrative manager opened the back end and asked carefully, “Mr. Delgado, do you want me to delete Miss Pruitt’s access?”

“Add Mavis first.”

I lifted my head to look at him.

“Why not delete hers?”

He said in a low voice, “She still has projects to come and go for.”

I pulled my hand free.

“Then don’t bother adding mine.”

Morton frowned.

“Mavis.”

I said, “I don’t want to be tacked on after her.”

Inside the conference room, the executives were already seated.

When I walked in, Sabina was standing in front of the big screen, presenting the brand campaign.

On the cover of the proposal was her name. I stopped.

That proposal was the one I’d stayed up three nights to help Morton revise.

From the user profiles to the crisis-response plan, from the post-IPO brand pivot to the entry point into the female consumer market, all of it was my work.

Morton saw it too, and his expression shifted.

When Sabina finished, applause filled the room.

Someone said with a smile, “Consultant Pruitt truly is the person closest to Mr. Delgado who understands the brand best.”

Sabina glanced at Morton.

“Actually, Morton gave me his input on a lot of the details.”

I gave a small smile.

Morton stood up.

“Mavis was involved in this proposal too.”

Too.

One word, and my three sleepless nights became a casual favor.

Sabina spoke up at once. “Right, Mavis looked over a few typos for me.”

Someone in the room laughed.

“Mrs. Delgado is very meticulous too.”

I looked at Morton. His brows were pulled tight.