For a full three seconds, Maria just stared at me. “You did what?”
“I bought a supermarket,” I repeated, as if it were as normal as buying bread.
Her mouth opened. Closed. Then opened again.
“Why?” she asked finally, the word leaving her slowly, carefully, like she was trying to make sense of something that absolutely refused to make sense.
I waved a dismissive hand. “That's not important. What matters is that we’re going shopping there before dinner with my family.”
Maria stared at me harder. “You bought a supermarket,” she repeated. “And now… You want to shop there.”
“Yes.”
She squinted slightly. “Like a customer?”
“Exactly like a customer.”
Her lips twitched.
“I’m not sure that’s how ownership works,” she said cautiously.
I leaned back in my chair, crossing one leg over the other. “Well, it does now.”
Maria sighed the sigh of a woman who had clearly decided she was not paid enough to question my life choices. “Very well,” she said calmly, a small smile gracing her lips. “You should never change.”
“What?”
But Maria was already turning toward the door again. “You should never change,” she repeated over her shoulder.
I watched her walk away, not sure what she meant. I could try to figure it out, although three hours wasn’t nearly as much time as it sounded. I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, letting the water heat up as I gathered what I needed. Steam slowly filled the room as the water warmed.
Once it was hot enough, I stepped under the spray and let out a quiet sigh as the warmth washed over me. I rinsed my hair thoroughly, letting the water run through it before reaching for the shampoo.
The familiar routine helped clear my mind. For a little while, it was just the sound of the water and the steady rhythm of washing my hair. Once I finished, I rinsed everything outcarefully before stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around my body.
I grabbed another towel and began drying my hair. After a few minutes, I slipped into clean underwear and returned to the bathroom mirror. My hair was still damp, so I reached for the blow dryer.
The next several minutes were spent drying my hair completely. I worked slowly, making sure there was no moisture left before I moved on to the next step. One braid after another, neat and close to my scalp.
It took time, but I didn’t rush. If the base wasn’t done properly, the wig wouldn’t sit right. By the time I finished the last braid, nearly an hour had passed. I stretched my arms slightly before reaching for the wig.
The hair was already straight, but I still picked up the flat iron. I ran the iron slowly through the strands, pressing the plates together as I moved down each section. Christina’s comment echoed in my mind, forcing me to ensure there wasn't a single curl in sight.
I briefly considered telling Callahan everything she’d said earlier. It would be easy to bring it up. I could simply mention it in passing, let him know how she’d spoken to me. But there was already so much drama with his mother, and I didn't want to add to it any more than I already had.
I set the flat iron aside and began installing the wig. I took my time with it, adjusting the lace carefully and securing everything in place so it looked natural. Once it was fully installed, I picked up the flat iron again and ran it through the hair one last time. The strands fell sleek and straight down my back. Exactly how I wanted it.
I studied my reflection in the mirror for a moment, making sure everything looked right. There was still time before Callahan arrived, but at least the most time-consuming part ofgetting ready was finished. Now all that was left was my makeup and getting dressed.
I was slipping on my jewelry for the evening, fastening the clasp of my bracelet while staring at my reflection. The room was quiet except for the faint clink of metal against glass as I set down a pair of earrings and reached for the next one. I should have been thinking about the evening ahead, rehearsing polite responses, preparing myself for whatever subtle—or not so subtle—barbs my mother-in-law might throw my way.
Instead, my mind had gone oddly blank.
Then suddenly, like lightning striking in the middle of a quiet field, the perfect plan appeared.
I froze mid-motion, one earring still dangling between my fingers.
“Oh,” I murmured.
