The Lie Of That Night Chapter 08
The banquet hall of the Mendez’s mansion was a sea of brilliant lights.
Tonight was Paulina’s birthday gala — the very occasion Terrence had chosen to officially give her the recognition she deserved.
He had bought out the finest hotel in the city, inviting nearly half of high society.
The grand scale, the exorbitant gifts, and the relentless stream of flattery all served as a public proclamation of Paulina’s newfound status within the Mendez family.
“Mr. Mendez is truly devoted to Ms. Elliott. He didn’t throw such a lavish affair even when he got married, did he?” someone whispered enviously.
“Why bring up the past? I heard his wife had a mental breakdown and was sent away. Ms. Elliott hasn’t had it easy all these years. She’s taken such good care of Julia and raised Mr. Roderick so well. Now she’s finally getting the happiness she deserves. Seeing her standing there with Mr. Mendez… they really are a match made in heaven.”
“Exactly. Look how attached Mr. Roderick is to her. You’d think they were flesh and blood.”
The snatches of gossip drifted into Terrence’s ears.
His mind, however, was adrift, unable to find a solid anchor.
Gretchen’s hollow, lifeless eyes flickered across his mind like a recurring ghost, pricking him with a sudden, inexplicable agitation.
He tilted his head back and drained his glass. The icy liquid slid down his throat, yet it failed to quench the rising fire of unease within him.
Paulina caught his lapse in concentration. Her fingertips tightened, nails digging into her palm, though her perfect smile remained unshaken.
“Terry,” she said softly, “are you tired? If you’re feeling stuffy, we can step out onto the terrace for some air.”
Terrence snapped back to himself. Meeting her concerned gaze, a pang of guilt resurfaced. He forced a thin smile. “I’m fine. It’s your birthday; your happiness is all that matters today.”
He surveyed the bustling, festive scene, trying to convince himself that this was the life he had always wanted.
Yet, for some reason, he felt utterly hollow.
Suddenly, Paulina’s phone buzzed.
She stole a quick glance at the screen.
A message appeared: “The cargo has been dealt with. All traces cleared. The remaining payment can be settled.”
A smirk played on her lips. She beckoned to Roderick. “Ricky, come here to me. Why are you sitting all by yourself?”
Roderick pursed his lips, set down his cake, and walked over with sluggish steps.
Paulina pulled him into a fond embrace, finally coaxing a small smile from the boy.
Watching the harmonious tableau, the knot in Terrence’s chest loosened slightly.
Time healed everything. Perhaps this truly was the best arrangement after all.
Leaning into Paulina’s embrace, Roderick listened to her gentle murmurs. But somehow, flashes of unpleasant memories kept intruding upon his thoughts.
He remembered that night, when Paulina had whispered to him, “Ricky, Gretchen doesn’t like you. She hates me, and she hates you. She wants to steal you away from me and hurt you. Next time, if she gives you anything, you must tell Daddy that she forced you to eat it, okay? That way, you’re protecting me, and you’re protecting yourself.”
He also remembered that day in the hospital when, in his daze, he had heard the tearful words “I’m his mother.”
That phrase, “I’m his mother,” overlapped and intertwined with the countless gentle lullabies of the mother in his distant memories.
His heart gave an involuntary, painful tug. He felt a discomfort he couldn’t name.
When he had pointed at her and said those words… was he really right to do that?
But Mommy said that only by saying those things could the three of them stay together forever and never be parted again.
Inside the hall, the flattery flowed like wine.
“Mr. Mendez and Ms. Elliott are truly a match made in heaven.”
“Mr. Roderick looks so much like Ms. Elliott.”
Hearing this, that gnawing sense of unease returned to Terrence. He loosened his tie irritably but, in the end, said nothing.
At that moment, the doors to the banquet hall were thrown open with a crash.
Randolph’s voice was thick with terror. “Mr. Mendez! Something… something terrible has happened!”
Terrence’s heart plummeted. A dark omen gripped his chest as he barked, “What’s happened? Tell me!”
Randolph gasped for air, his face a mask of horror. “The car taking Ms. Harvey to the hospital was involved in a massive accident on the road. The vehicle smashed through the guardrail… and plunged into the sea.”
“What?”