The Other Man's Child

iness associate said. My fingers tightened around the glass of wine in my hand. The nerve of him to invite his mistress over for our child's sixth birthday party. "Mum, my friends said t

he smiled, exposing a set of white teeth. "Well, to give Tom what you couldn't after all these years. Isn't it obvious?" I jolted, turning to face her. She stood a few inches taller than me. "You think you can replace me, Lisa? You think you can just show up and become a part of Tom's life just like that? He loves us and..." "Oh please, Selene," she spat, "I have perceived you as so many things, but not delusional. It's obvious Tom never loved you." She walked around me and turned on the tap behind me, sending shivers down my spine. "I am the one he's ever truly loved. Don't you see? All I have to do is make one call. And the life as you know it goes poof." She snapped her fingers, "and he comes crawling back into my arms." My lips quivered. "I won't let you destroy my family." "You look like you might cry, Selene. I should leave; we don't want to cause a scene." She walked towards the door. "Oops, I almost forgot," she said, stopping in her tracks. "I wanted to show you this cute picture of Tom and me from last week" My breath caught-last week, when he told me he was on a business trip and ignored my calls... My feet stayed glued to the floor. I couldn't move. "Look!" She hovered her phone over my face. She wore a red dress; they stood at a rooftop, his hand placed at her lower back. Smiling back at her in a way he had never smiled at me before. It felt like I might faint. I gasped for air. "You see? He chose me over you." "Get out!" I managed to say