Chapter 7 Status Check

Sarah POV

"So, how's life with your mysterious husband these past few days? Don't tell me you two are still acting like polite strangers," Jessica said, expertly maneuvering her car through Saturday evening traffic while glancing at me sideways. We were heading to our high school reunion.

How could I explain this weird arrangement? "We... talked about it. Even though we're married, I still want to stick to what we originally said—take time to get to know each other, see if we're compatible before taking things further." I paused. "Michael agreed."

"Separate bedrooms?"

"Yeah, we each sleep in our own rooms and go to our own jobs. Like... roommates."

"Sarah, seriously? That man is obviously interested in you. You should see the way he looks at—"

I didn't want to discuss Michael's supposed looks. "I don't wanna talk about this."

Jessica caught my reluctance and mercifully changed subjects. "How's the job hunt going?"

I sighed. "I've sent out résumés to so many design companies, but the ones I really want to work for have all rejected me."

I thought back to a few days ago at the restaurant when I'd given my notice to the boss. Tony had been quitting, too—but he had good news. Some foundation had learned about his and his wife's situation and helped pay all their medical bills. He didn't need to keep working at the restaurant anymore. If only I could be that lucky, have some company recognize me and make my designer dreams come true... Envy stirred in my chest.

Jessica noticed my troubled expression and patted my hand gently. "Don't overthink it. Look forward to tonight's party instead. Maybe there'll be some surprises."

---

I pushed open the auditorium doors and immediately felt every gaze in the room focus on me. I instinctively smoothed down the black dress Jessica had lent me.

The auditorium was decorated lavishly—streamers and balloons created a festive atmosphere. I spotted Blake immediately. He wore a tailored white shirt, the small dimple in his chin appearing and disappearing with his smile, even more handsome than in high school. He really had become a genuine star.

Blake stood up to greet me, opening his arms wide. "Sarah, you finally made it. I thought you might not come."

I quickly stepped around his attempted embrace and walked toward other classmates. I didn't want to give him any wrong signals. "Mrs. Henderson! Do you remember me?" I greeted our old English teacher warmly.

A male classmate approached, appreciation in his eyes. "Sarah, you look like a Hollywood star."

"Thanks, Tom." I smiled politely, but felt nervous inside.

Several female classmates gathered around, one deliberately asking, "Sarah, Star City University graduate—you must be some big company executive now, right?"

My throat tightened. They knew exactly what they were doing, and they just wanted to watch me squirm.

Before I could answer, another girl quickly cut in, "Oh, speaking of successful careers, Blake's latest movie made over a hundred million at the box office!" She shot me a pointed look. "I heard he bought a mansion in Europe, too."

"And that limited edition Maserati in the parking lot," someone else chimed in. "Must be nice to have made it in Hollywood."

The conversation naturally flowed into a showcase of everyone's achievements. In the auditorium's central area, male classmates clustered together, sharing their successes. "I just made fifty thousand in the stock market," one boasted. "Our company's sales broke ten million this year," another added.

The women weren't far behind. "This is my husband's anniversary gift," one woman declared. "This season's new collection—I pre-ordered it," another mentioned.

Jessica tugged my arm. "Come on, let's get some drinks," she whispered, pulling me toward the refreshment table. As we walked away, a female classmate asked curiously, "What makeup do you use, Sarah? Your skin looks amazing."

"Cetaphi," I answered honestly.

Light laughter rippled through the group, several girls exchanging meaningful glances. I knew this would happen—they just wanted to humiliate me.

Jessica immediately defended me, "Artistic appreciation is true taste. My family's gallery recently exhibited a new artist's work. Real beauty comes from within."

Just then, a tall woman in an elegant suit walked over, her arm linked with Blake's. I recognized Amanda Foster—Blake's college classmate and now his agent. What was she doing here?

Amanda wore a professional smile as she asked, "Sarah, what's your relationship status? Do you have a boyfriend?"

I saw hopeful anticipation flash in Blake's eyes. What was he still thinking? We were over.

I took a deep breath. "I don't have a boyfriend."

Blake's smile grew brighter.

"Because I'm already married," I added calmly.

The entire auditorium fell silent, then erupted in commotion. Well, now everyone knew.

"What? Married?" someone shrieked.

A classmate complained, "Sarah, why didn't you tell us when you got married? We could've attended! We're all old friends."

I explained awkwardly, "We just registered at city hall. Haven't had time for a wedding yet. Once we set a date, I'll definitely invite everyone." If there ever actually is a wedding.

A female classmate asked sourly, "If you're married, why didn't you bring your husband?"

Amanda fanned the flames. "Yeah, send him a text to come over. We can all hang out together. Blake told me spouses were welcome." She emphasized the word "spouses."

I felt the pressure mounting. "He works at Pinnacle Industries Group. He's been really busy lately." That wasn't exactly a lie—Michael had mentioned being busy with work.

Amanda pressed on. "Pinnacle Industries Group? Which department? What position?"

My voice got smaller. "He's just a business development manager..." Why was I feeling ashamed of Michael's job? He was a good person—that's what mattered most.

A classmate said snidely, "Business development manager? Sounds like a salesman to me, haha."

Whispers and pointing surrounded me. Anger flared in my chest. They could mock me all they wanted, but what right did they have to judge Michael like this? He protected me when I was being harassed, comforted me when my mother was in hospital, and gave me a new home. Michael was so good to me, kinder than anyone in this room. I couldn't let them say these things about him.

"He's not a salesman," my voice rose an octave. "Michael is a wonderful person, more excellent than any of you can imagine."

Amanda played peacemaker, clapping her hands. "Okay, okay, everyone, stop arguing. Let's play some games and live it up. Truth or Dare?"

After several rounds, the atmosphere had livened up considerably. Someone had been dared to imitate a teacher, and someone confessed their high school crush—I was starting to relax, too. Maybe I was overthinking things; everyone just wanted to have fun.

When the bottle spun to stop in front of me, Blake looked at me with malicious intent, his smile carrying a challenging edge. "Sarah, Truth or Dare?"

I hesitated. If I chose Truth, they'd definitely ask tricky questions. "Dare."

Blake's smile turned more sinister. "I dare you... to call your husband and tell him to come over."