"She came to celebrate her baby — but his mother turned the cake into a weapon."
CHAPTER 1
Emily Carter had been smiling for two hours before her mother-in-law ruined the baby shower.
Her cheeks hurt from pretending.
The mansion party room looked like something from a magazine—cream walls, polished wooden floors, crystal chandelier, pale pink balloons, white roses in tall glass vases, and a cake table so perfect that every guest had taken pictures of it.
At the center sat a white-and-pink cake on a glass stand.
Beside it was a large white gift box tied with a pale pink ribbon.
Everyone kept saying how beautiful everything was.
No one mentioned that Margaret Whitmore had planned every detail without asking Emily once.
Emily stood near the cake table in her dark emerald green dress, one hand resting lightly over her pregnant belly. She was seven months along, tired, nervous, and trying not to show it.
Across the room, Margaret watched her.
Short silver-gray hair. Dark satin blouse. Sharp eyes.
She had the kind of face that could smile while sharpening a knife.
“You look pale,” Margaret said.
Emily turned. “I’m fine.”
Margaret’s eyes dropped to Emily’s dress. “Green was a strange choice for a baby shower.”
A few guests pretended not to hear.
Emily kept her voice soft. “Daniel liked it.”
Margaret’s smile tightened.
That was always the problem.
Daniel liked Emily.
Daniel loved Emily.
May you like
Daniel had chosen Emily.
And Margaret had never forgiven her for that.
