Tangled Destinies

risp white linens. Her father-in-law's victory speech droned on, his words blurring with the hum of the crowd. She glanced at her husband, James, across the table, engage

s had been stealing glances at each other throughout the ceremony. Their poorly disguised performance was a public display meant to wound Lila. She absentmindedly

l. With a smile that was all teeth and no wa

urred, though it was clear she

round the glass she held. "Of cour

ovely event, isn't it? James really does know how to

ed her it was just a fling, something meaningless, yet Rachel's presence at these events said othe

h triumph. It sent an unpleasant jolt through Lila. "None for me, thanks. I'm afraid I can't indulge today," she said, p

ove a whisper. "I'm pregnant, Lila. J

seemed to spin around Lila as the words sank in. Pregnant. The word echoed in her mind, a cruel reminder of her own failed attempts to conceive, and now, this ultimate

or. "Let's talk. In private," she said. Her voice was

f the grand hall and into a quitter corner of the house. Lila led her to a s

d as they stopped. "But I can see it in y

ons, Rachel," she said, the words laced with ice.

ckly masked by arrogance. "Took you long enough to figure it out," she said, her voice dripping with condescension. "Thou

s, hushed whispers from James' relatives and her husband's own veiled disappointment followed her like a co

ila said, her voice low but laced w

onto him with your icy demeanor and empty womb? He already has the one thing he never had with you

with unspoken truths and unspoken threats. She glared at Rachel. "You're preg

In a sudden, shocking move, Rachel turned and flung herself backwards down the stairs. The scene unfolded in slow motion: Rachel's body tumbling, lim

face was contorted in pain. Panic surged through Lila. All thoughts of their argument fled, replaced

Lila cried, her voice

oncern. He was followed by a bewildered entourage of relatives and guests. Their horrified gasps filled the air as they took in the scene – Lila kneeling beside

attered, exposed for all to see. The glittering celebration had given

hecked her for injuries. Rachel moaned, clutching he

with a mixture of anger and fear. "What h

he fell," she managed to say, her own voic

with a pained expression. "She pushed me," s