Chapter 7 Family Dinner

Elena was still crying about the charity event when her phone rang Friday morning. Mrs. Kaelthorn's name appeared on the screen.

"Elena," Mrs. Kaelthorn's voice was ice cold. "Family dinner tonight at seven. Don't be late."

"Family dinner?" Elena asked.

"Jack's aunts and uncles are visiting from Celestria. They want to meet Victoria properly."

Elena's heart sank. "Victoria will be there?"

"Of course Victoria will be there. She's practically family now." Mrs. Kaelthorn paused. "You will serve dinner and stay quiet. Don't embarrass us."

The phone went dead.

Elena spent the day dreading the evening. She knew this dinner would be torture. Jack's family had never liked her, and now they would compare her to Victoria in person.

At six thirty, Elena arrived at the Kaelthorn family mansion. The house was huge and cold, just like Mrs. Kaelthorn herself. Elena had only been there a few times in three years of marriage.

The butler let Elena in through the back entrance. "Mrs. Kaelthorn wants you in the kitchen first," he said.

In the kitchen, Elena found the head chef preparing an expensive meal. Lobster, imported wine, gold-plated dishes. Everything was perfect and costly.

"You'll be serving tonight," the chef told Elena. "Mrs. Kaelthorn's orders."

Elena felt sick. She was going to serve Jack's family like a maid while Victoria sat at the table like a queen.

"Put this on," the chef handed Elena a black uniform dress. "You need to look proper."

Elena changed into the uniform. It was the dress servants wore. Simple, black, and white. She looked like hired help.

At exactly seven, Elena heard voices in the dining room. She peeked through the kitchen door and saw Jack's family arriving. His two aunts, two uncles, and three cousins. All wealthy and elegant.

Jack was there in an expensive suit, looking very handsome. And beside him was Victoria, wearing a stunning purple dress.

"Victoria, darling!" Jack's Aunt Cordelia rushed over to hug Victoria. "You look absolutely beautiful! Just like your mother did at your age."

"Thank you, Aunt Cordelia," Victoria said sweetly. "You're too kind."

Aunt Cordelia? Victoria was calling Jack's aunt by a family name. Like she already belonged.

"Where's that wife of his?" Uncle Reginald asked loudly. "That orphan girl?"

"Elena is helping with dinner," Mrs. Kaelthorn said dismissively. "She wanted to be useful for once."

Elena felt her face burn with shame. Mrs. Kaelthorn made it sound like Elena chose to serve dinner.

"Good," Aunt Cordelia said. "It's time she learned her place in this family."

Elena had to start serving. She walked into the dining room carrying a tray of appetizers. The moment she appeared, the conversation stopped. Everyone stared at Elena in her servant's uniform.

"Oh my," Aunt Cordelia said with fake surprise. "Elena, you look so... different."

Elena set down the tray quietly. "Good evening, everyone."

"Good evening," Uncle Reginald said coldly. "Don't you look appropriate for once."

Elena wanted to disappear. She was being treated like hired help in front of Jack's entire family.

"Elena, pour the wine," Mrs. Kaelthorn ordered. "And be careful not to spill any. This bottle costs more than you used to make in a month."

Elena poured wine for everyone at the table. When she got to Victoria, Victoria smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you, dear. You're doing such a good job."

The way Victoria said "dear" was so condescending. Like Elena was a child being praised for simple tasks.

Elena had to stand against the wall while the family ate and talked. She was not invited to sit or join the conversation.

"Victoria, tell us about your time in Lysandria," Aunt Cordelia requested.

"Oh, it was wonderful," Victoria said elegantly. "I learned so much about international business. I speak fluent Lysandrian now, along with other four languages."

"How impressive!" Uncle Reginald said. "Jack, you must be proud to have such an accomplished woman in your life."

Elena noticed Jack's family was talking about Victoria like she was already Jack's wife.

"Victoria is joining Kaelthorn Corporation as my business partner," Jack announced. "She'll be handling all our international shipping contracts."

"Perfect!" Aunt Cordelia clapped her hands. "Finally, Jack has someone who can actually help his business instead of just spending his money."

Elena felt like she'd been slapped. Everyone was looking at her when Aunt Cordelia said that.

"Elena, clear the appetizer plates," Mrs. Kaelthorn ordered.

Elena moved around the table collecting dirty dishes. She had to lean over everyone, feeling like a servant interrupting important people.

"Be careful, Elena," Victoria said loudly when Elena reached for her plate. "These dishes are very expensive. They're family heirlooms."

Victoria was making it sound like Elena was clumsy and couldn't be trusted with nice things.

"I'll be careful," Elena whispered.

"See that you are," Uncle Reginald said sternly. "Some things can't be replaced."

Elena continued serving while the family talked about Victoria like she was perfect. They discussed her education, her family's wealth, her beauty, her intelligence.

"Victoria would make such beautiful children," Aunt Cordelia said meaningfully. "The Ravencrest and Kaelthorn bloodlines combined would be magnificent."

Elena almost dropped the wine bottle. Jack's family was talking about Victoria having Jack's children. Right in front of Elena.

"Children are very important," Uncle Reginald agreed. "A man needs heirs to carry on his legacy."

Elena felt tears starting but tried to hold them back.

"Victoria, do you want children?" Aunt Cordelia asked directly.

"Oh yes," Victoria said with a bright smile. "I love children. I can't wait to have a family with the right man."

She looked at Jack when she said this. Jack smiled back at her warmly.

"What about you, Elena?" Uncle Reginald asked suddenly. "Still no luck in that department?"

The room went quiet. Everyone stared at Elena, waiting for her answer.

"We're still trying," Elena said quietly.

"Still trying?" Aunt Cordelia laughed. "After three years? Maybe it's time to accept reality."

"Some women just aren't meant to be mothers," Uncle Reginald said cruelly. "It's nature's way."

Elena wanted to run away, but she had to keep serving dinner.

"Victoria, on the other hand," Mrs. Kaelthorn said, "comes from a very fertile family. Her mother had five children."

"Five!" Aunt Cordelia gasped. "How wonderful! Victoria, you'll probably have no trouble at all."

"I hope not," Victoria said sweetly. "I dream of having lots of children someday."

Elena was serving the main course when Victoria suddenly grabbed her wrist.

"Elena, you're shaking," Victoria said with fake concern. "Are you feeling alright? You look very pale."

Everyone at the table turned to stare at Elena. Her hands were indeed shaking from stress and humiliation.

"I'm fine," Elena whispered.

"Maybe you should sit down for a moment," Victoria continued. "Oh wait, there's no extra chair. Well, you can sit on the floor if you need to rest."

The suggestion was so cruel and humiliating that Elena couldn't speak.

"Elena doesn't need to sit," Mrs. Kaelthorn said coldly. "She's here to serve, not to rest."

Elena finished serving dinner in silence. She had to stand against the wall and watch Jack's family treat Victoria like a beloved daughter in law while treating Elena like unwanted help.

During dessert, Aunt Cordelia made an announcement.

"Victoria, we've all discussed it, and we want you to know that you're welcome in this family anytime. You're exactly the kind of woman the Kaelthorn name needs."

"Thank you so much," Victoria said, tears of joy in her eyes. "That means everything to me."

Elena felt like she was dying inside. Jack's family was officially accepting Victoria while rejecting Elena.

"Elena, you can go clean the kitchen now," Mrs. Kaelthorn ordered. "We want to talk privately with Victoria."

Elena was being dismissed like a servant so the family could have intimate conversations with Victoria.

In the kitchen, Elena washed dishes while listening to laughter from the dining room. Jack's family was having the best time with Victoria. They were probably planning Jack and Victoria's future together.

Elena was scrubbing a plate when Jack walked into the kitchen.

"Elena," he said coldly. "My family wants to talk to you."

Elena's heart dropped. This couldn't be good.

She followed Jack back to the dining room. Everyone was staring at her with serious faces.

"Sit down," Mrs. Kaelthorn ordered, pointing to a small stool in the corner. Not a real chair at the table, but a servant's stool.

Elena sat on the stool, feeling tiny and powerless.

"Elena," Uncle Reginald began, "we've been discussing your situation."

"My situation?"

"Your failure as a wife," Aunt Cordelia said bluntly. "Three years of marriage and you've given Jack nothing. No children, no business connections, no social advancement."

Elena felt tears coming but tried to stay strong.

"Meanwhile," Uncle Reginald continued, "Victoria has already proven herself valuable. She's helping Jack's business, fitting into our social circle, and she can clearly provide children."

"We think it's time you stepped aside," Aunt Cordelia said directly. "For Jack's sake and for the family's future."

Elena looked at Jack, hoping he would defend her. But Jack just stared at his hands, saying nothing.

"Jack deserves happiness," Mrs. Kaelthorn added. "He deserves a real wife who can give him everything he needs."

"What are you asking me to do?" Elena whispered.

"Divorce Jack," Uncle Reginald said simply. "Quietly and without drama. Let him marry Victoria and live the life he should have had from the beginning."

Elena felt like the room was spinning. Jack's entire family was telling her to give up her marriage.

"Think about it, Elena," Aunt Cordelia said with false kindness. "You're still young. You can start over somewhere else. But Jack can't waste any more years waiting for you to become something you're not."

Elena looked around the table. Every face was cold and determined. Even Victoria looked at her with pity.

"I need time to think," Elena whispered.

"You have until Dr. Mortaine returns," Mrs. Kaelthorn said firmly. "One week to make your decision. After that, we'll make the decision for you."

Elena stood up from the servant's stool and walked toward the door.

"Elena," Victoria called out sweetly. "Don't forget your uniform. You'll need to wash it before you return it."

Elena had forgotten she was still wearing the servant's dress. The final humiliation of the evening.

Elena drove home in the black uniform, crying so hard she could barely see the road.