“Welcome, Sofia,” I replied, my voice steady. “It’s lovely to meet you. Why don’t you both take a seat?” My politeness caught Michael off guard, a hint of confusion clouding his confident facade. He had expected a scene, an outburst, perhaps. But not this.

As they settled at the table, the conversation resumed with forced enthusiasm. Small talk floated around, but I barely registered the words. My focus was on the envelope neatly tucked in my purse.

I had known about Sofia for a while. It wasn’t hard to piece together the puzzle when Michael’s excuses grew flimsier by the day. Instead of confronting him with accusations and anger, I sought counsel and prepared myself for this moment.