Across from them sat my in-laws, William Brooks and Patricia Brooks, and there was nothing warm or welcoming in their expressions. I forced a polite smile as I stepped further into the room, trying to make sense of what I had walked into.
“Jonathan, what is going on here,” I asked carefully, setting the champagne bottle down.
He rose slowly, as if he had rehearsed this moment, and his calm tone made everything feel even more disturbing. “Well, today is actually a very special day,” he said without hesitation.
I nodded, confused, and tried to remind him why I was so excited. “Yes, I know, I just finished paying off the loan this morning,” I said, waiting for him to share the same joy.
Instead, he gave a small laugh that made my stomach tighten. “Yes, about that, today is also your last day living in this house,” he said with unsettling ease.
The champagne nearly slipped from my hands as I struggled to process his words. “What are you talking about,” I asked, staring at him in disbelief.
Jonathan wrapped his arm around the woman beside him and pulled her closer, as if presenting something he was proud of. “I have chosen someone better suited for me, and her name is Vanessa Reed, and we have been together for almost a year now,” he said without any shame.
