The End of a Marriage (Colette and Matheo) novel Chapter 21

Chapter 14

Colette’s heart raced as she stumbled in shock. The drinks on her tray wobbled precariously, almost toppling before she managed to steady her grip. Her mind was in a whirl, the reality of Matt and Iris sitting together hitting her like a physical blow.

“You sure do know a lot about stock market and exchange rates, Ms. Iris,” one of the elder gentlemen in a brown suit remarked, his tone both impressed and conversational.

“Oh, well, it’s where I earned my first dollar, so…” Iris replied with a modest shrug, her voice carrying a hint of pride.

“You must be very proud, Matheo,” the elder gentleman continued, turning his attention to Matt.

Colette felt a pang in her chest as she watched Matt nod approvingly at Iris. “Very. I hardly know anyone more knowledgeable about the market than Iris,”

he said, his words slicing through Colette’s already fragile composure.

“Hurry up and put a ring on her finger already, then, before someone else raises the exchange rates,” the elder gentleman joked, and the table erupted in laughter. Stacy had finished placing the food on the table, and now it was Colette’s turn to serve the drinks. Her hands trembled violently, as if she were standing in the freezing cold of Antarctica. Her senses were scrambled, emotions roiling beyond her control.

In the midst of her turmoil, Colette realized she was waiting for Matt to deny it. She watched as he and Iris shared a secretive smile, a silent communication that excluded her entirely. It wasn’t hard for Colette to imagine that she was the butt of their inside joke.

“Actually, I am already married,” Matheo said with a rueful smile, breaking the moment. The old man seemed unperturbed, quickly dismissing the matter with a wave of his hand. But for Colette, her true test of patience had only just begun.

As she started placing the first glass of drink on the table, her eyes met Matt’s. His shock was evident, his expression a mixture of disbelief and confusion. Slowly, his eyes narrowed in disapproval as he realized his wife was serving drinks to his business partners.

Colette’s hands shook even more, the glasses clinking softly against the tray. Her mind raced back to her teenage years, to the days when she was a nervous wreck, unsure of herself and her place in the world. The same feelings of inadequacy and fear now surged back, stronger than ever.

Colette’s heart thudded in her chest as she navigated the crowded restaurant floor. Her hands were trembling, but she focused on keeping her head down. The last thing she wanted was for Iris to recognize her. She knew that if Iris did, it could lead to an embarrassing scene, not just for her, but for Mathew as well. He would be mortified if his affluent business partners discovered his wife was working as a waitress. With practiced efficiency, she placed the drinks on the table and retreated quickly. Iris was too busy basking in the attention of the group to notice the mousy waitress slipping away.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify