Chapter 10 - Second Place
Meanwhile, Grant grew increasingly loud, desperate to validate his new life.
He sent weekly, unsolicited emails containing photographs of the sprawling blue nursery in the penthouse. He forwarded emails from interior designers detailing the exorbitant cost of the baby boy's wardrobe. It was a pathetic, transparent attempt to make me feel small.
But Vivian’s cruelty was far more direct.
A small, velvet-wrapped package arrived in the mail at the guesthouse. It was addressed to Lily. I opened it cautiously, expecting another manipulative stunt. Inside rested a delicate, expensive silver baby bracelet.
I picked it up, admiring the craftsmanship for a fraction of a second before I flipped it over. Engraved deeply into the polished silver backplate were two words: SECOND PLACE.
A hot, blinding surge of maternal fury rushed through my veins. My hands shook, not from sadness, but from a rage so profound it stole my breath. Vivian had sent a piece of jewelry to a four-month-old infant solely to brand her as a failure for being born a girl.
I walked into the living room, where Lily was babbling happily on her playmat, reaching for a brightly colored stuffed animal. She was pure, innocent, and completely untouched by the poison of her father’s family.
I didn't throw the bracelet away. I didn't cry.
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I walked into my home office, pulled a plastic evidence bag from Daniel’s legal supplies, and dropped the silver bracelet inside. I sealed it tightly and wrote Vivian’s name on the front in bold, black marker.
“You will never be second place, my love,” I whispered to the empty room, securing the bag in my safe. “You are the entire board.”
