Only this day was special, different.
She felt it in every single cell of her body.
Kiana arrived home exactly at six o’clock, as she always did.
She climbed the four flights of stairs slowly, unlocked the door, and immediately heard voices coming from the kitchen.
Darius and his mother were already sitting at the small kitchen table, drinking tea from her good china cups.
A box of store-bought chocolate cream puffs sat on the table between them, sticky and sickeningly sweet.
“Oh, Kiki, come in, come in,” Ms. Sterling said, waving her hand as if she were inviting Kiana into her own home instead of the other way around.
“Darius and I are having some tea. Join us, dear.”
Kiana took off her jacket carefully, hung it on the hook by the door, and walked into the kitchen.
Her mother-in-law was dressed to the nines—a light silk blouse, pressed dark slacks, hair set in perfect waves, and a fresh, subtle beige manicure that must have cost sixty dollars at the salon.
The classic sixty-something American woman who took elaborate care of herself and wanted everyone to notice and admire her efforts.
“Hello, Ms. Sterling.”
Kiana sat down on the edge of a chair and poured herself lukewarm tea from the pot.
“How are you doing, dear?”
Her mother-in-law was smiling widely, but her eyes remained cold and scrutinizing, taking inventory.
“Working a lot. Tired, as usual.”
“Oh, your accounting work is so stressful,” Ms. Sterling said with fake sympathy. “Numbers and reports all day long. I’d go absolutely crazy doing that.”
She took a delicate bite of a cream puff and dabbed her lips carefully with a paper napkin.
“Darius mentioned you’re planning to redo the kitchen.”
Kiana met her gaze directly.
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