Chapter 2 The Birthday Massacre

"Diro, sweetheart! Welcome!"

Irene Carter's voice rang out across the fancy entrance hall, sounding sweet but with something sharp underneath. She walked toward them in expensive perfume and a silk dress, reaching out to hug her son with a big smile.

"You look wonderful," she said, hugging Diro for a long time while completely ignoring Beverly. "My handsome boy."

Then her cold gray eyes looked at Beverly, and the room suddenly felt freezing cold.

"And what's this?" Irene's voice turned sour. "You brought the mute with you."

Beverly's whole body started shaking badly. Not just a little trembling, but violent shaking that started deep inside and spread everywhere. Her face went white and her eyes filled with terror.

Somewhere nearby, a baby started crying - loud, scared wails that cut through the air. Riko's baby could sense Beverly's fear and started screaming because of it.

"Look at you," Irene said with disgust, walking around Beverly like a hunter circling prey. "Shaking like a scared animal. Pathetic. Do you know what today is, you useless thing? It's MY birthday. MY special day. And here you are, making everything about your stupid drama."

The baby cried louder, getting more upset because of Beverly's obvious terror.

"Sit down," Irene snapped angrily. "You're making the baby cry with all that shaking. Look what you've done - you're scaring an innocent child. Sit down before you fall over and embarrass us all."

"I don't know why you act like some kind of ghost," Irene continued, her words cutting into Beverly like knives. "Walking around here with those empty eyes and that sad victim look. This is my big day, and I will NOT let you ruin it. Don't embarrass me today. Don't give me a reason to get angry. Just sit there, keep quiet - oh wait, you can't talk anyway - and try to blend in with the furniture where you belong."

Beverly stumbled to the nearest chair, her legs barely holding her up. The silk cushion felt cold against her skin. The baby's cries started to quiet down as she moved away, but the damage was done. Everyone already saw her as a problem from the moment she walked in. Around them, the party continued - glasses clinking, high heels clicking on the marble floor, and fancy laughter filling the air. But Beverly felt like she was drowning in all the noise and cruelty.

"Beverly!"

The voice made her jump. Riko Carter, Diro's younger sister, appeared next to her chair with the same mean smile that ran in their family. She was beautiful in the same sharp way as her mother, all angles and attitude.

"How are you doing, sister-in-law?" Riko's voice was sweet but nasty underneath. "You look... well, you look exactly the same as always. Quiet and sad."

Beverly managed a weak nod, holding her hands tightly in her lap to stop them from shaking.

"Speaking of looking the same," Riko continued, sitting in the chair next to her and pretending to be concerned, "when are you going to give my brother a child? I mean, you've been married for three years now. Three whole years, Beverly. Most women would have had a baby by now. What's taking so long?"

The words hit Beverly like punches. Her mind flew back to a memory so painful it felt like drowning.

Two months ago. The bathroom floor, cold against her knees. The pregnancy test in her shaking hands, two pink lines that had made her heart fill with hope.

She had been so careful when she told Irene the news. She thought - God, she had been so stupid - she thought having a grandchild might make the woman nicer.

"Please," Beverly had signed with her hands moving quickly as Irene's face filled with anger. "Please, I want to have Diro's baby."

The slap came from nowhere, splitting her lip and making her fall back.

"One mute is enough in this family," Irene had said with hate in her voice. "We don't need another broken child ruining our family line. You will end this pregnancy, and you will never NEVER try this again."

Beverly had tried to run, tried to protect the tiny life growing inside her. But Irene had grabbed her wrist with fingers like steel.

"You will take these pills every day," Irene had said angrily, shoving a bottle of birth control pills into Beverly's hands. "And if you ever get pregnant again, I will make sure you disappear. Do you understand me, you worthless thing?"

The abortion had been a nightmare of cold rooms and metal tools. Beverly had cried silently as they took away her baby - Diro's baby, the only thing that might have been truly hers in this house of horrors.

"Beverly?" Riko's voice brought her back to the present. "I asked you a question. When are you going to give us an heir?"

Beverly's hands moved in sign language, trying to explain that she wanted children, that she had tried.

"Enough!"

Irene's voice cut through the room like a knife. She appeared next to them, her face twisted with anger, her gray eyes blazing.

"Enough of this questioning, Riko. I will not have this discussion at my party."

"But Mother," Riko argued, "I was just asking about-"

"I said enough!" Irene's voice got louder and dangerous. Several people nearby turned to stare. "I don't want to talk about mute children. I don't want another cursed child in this family. This one" - she pointed at Beverly with disgust - "is already more than enough of a problem. The last thing we need is more broken children."

Beverly's world spun. The words hit her like acid, burning through her chest and settling in her stomach like poison. Around them, the party guests had gone quiet, their conversations stopping as they turned to watch.

"I will not let the Carter family line be ruined any more," Irene continued, her voice carrying across the room like a death sentence. "One mute is a tragedy. Two would be a disaster. So no, Riko, there will be no children. Not from her. Not ever."

Beverly's hands flew to her mouth, trying to hold back the sob that wanted to escape. The memory of her lost baby, the child Irene had forced her to abort, cut through her like a blade.

The silence in the room was complete. Dozens of eyes stared at Beverly, some with pity, others with curiosity, all of them watching her complete humiliation.

Irene smiled, happy with the pain she had caused.

"Now," she said, smoothing her silk dress, "let's get back to celebrating, shall we? After all, it is my birthday."

Beverly sat frozen in her chair, her whole body numb with shock and pain. The memory of her lost child felt like an open wound, and Irene's words had just poured salt right into it.

The party continued around her, but Beverly was drowning in her own pain, the memory of her aborted baby's heartbeat haunting her like a ghost that would never leave her alone.