"You earned it." Samantha glances at her father, then back at me. "I just wanted to say hi. Let you know I'm here. In case—" She stops.
"In case what?" Grant asks gently.
Samantha's jaw sets. "In case Mom tries anything. I saw her watching you guys. She's got that look."
"Samantha, you don't have to—" Grant starts.
"Yeah, I do." She looks between us, her eyes fierce. "You guys are together. You're having twins. And Mom is trying to destroy that because she can't stand not being the center of your world anymore. It's wrong. And I'm not going to just stand by and let her do it."
My throat goes tight. This girl—this young woman who had every reason to hate me—is ready to stand between her mother and us.
"Thank you," I say quietly.
She nods, then slips back into the crowd.
Grant's hand finds mine again, and we glance at each other with a knowing look. We can handle this—because we’re together.
Victoria appears during the networking hour after dinner, when people are mingling and the bar has reopened. She glides through the crowd with practiced grace, and she's heading straight for us.
I immediately feel the anger radiating off of Grant’s body.
"Grant, darling." Victoria's voice is honey-sweet. "What a lovely speech. So heartfelt."
"Victoria." His tone is flat.
Her gaze shifts to me, and her smile sharpens. "And Emma. How are you feeling, dear? Pregnancy can be so taxing. Though I suppose with you being so young, it’s not as bad."
The dig is subtle but clear. I force a smile. "I'm feeling wonderful, actually. Thank you for asking."
"Mmm." She sips her champagne, her eyes assessing. "You know, I was just speaking with Lawrence Vance earlier this week. He mentioned he passed on investing in your little perfume venture. Such a shame."
The words are designed to wound. To remind me of her power.
"It worked out for the best," I say evenly. "Athena Capital is a much better fit for Essence's vision."
Something flickers in Victoria's expression. Surprise, maybe. I’m pretty sure she hadn’t heard the news.
"Athena Capital." She repeats the name. "How... resourceful of you. Though I do wonder how you secured that meeting. It's such a competitive fund. They rarely take cold pitches."
The implication is clear. She thinks Grant bought me the meeting.
"Victoria, that's enough." Grant's voice is low and biting. "You're done."
"Done?" She laughs. "Darling, I'm just making conversation. Surely Emma can handle a few questions about her business. Unless there's something she's trying to hide?"
People around us are starting to notice. To listen. Victoria's voice is just loud enough to draw attention, and I can feel the weight of curious gazes.
This is it. Her final play. A public confrontation designed to humiliate me, to make Grant look foolish, and to reassert her social dominance.
Grant steps closer to Victoria, his voice calm but carrying. "I said you're done. Your harassment stops now."
Victoria's eyes flash. "Harassment? Grant, really. You're being dramatic."
"Am I?" He doesn't raise his voice, doesn't need to. "You sabotaged Emma's investment out of spite. You sent that photograph to David, knowing exactly what it would do. You've been systematically trying to destroy Emma because you can't accept that I've moved on."
The people around us have gone completely quiet. Every eye is on us.
Victoria's composure cracks slightly. "You're making a scene."
