That night, I had planned a cozy evening with Megan. I carefully laid the table, lit the candles, and waited with a hopeful heart.

“Mom, this is Grayson,” Megan said a few hours later, clinging to the arm of a man who looked older than me.

He was tall, with a polished suit and a steady, confident smile.

“Erica, pleasure to meet you,” he said, extending his hand.

“Likewise, Grayson. Megan didn’t mention… a guest,” I replied, forcing a polite smile.

Megan laughed, but it sounded strained. “I thought it would be a nice surprise.”

Grayson’s eyes scanned the room as if assessing its worth.

I sat across from them, feeling an uncomfortable silence growing.

“So, Grayson,” I ventured, “what do you do?”

“Finance. Investments,” he answered smoothly, taking a sip from his glass without another glance.

“Finance, huh?” I murmured, glancing at Megan. “And Megan, how’s university?”

“Mom… maybe university isn’t the answer to everything.”

“What are you saying?” I asked, trying to keep calm. “We worked so hard to get you there, remember?”

“With Grayson, I feel free. He understands me in a way no one else does.”

My irritation bubbling up. “And how long has… this been going on?”

Grayson stood, adjusting his cufflinks with a slight, dismissive smile. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll step outside for a moment.”

***

That evening, we sat quietly, barely tasting our dinners. Despite everything, Megan appeared to expect that I would soften toward Grayson. Suddenly, a harsh knock broke the silence.

Megan opened the door to reveal a young woman with a flushed face and red-rimmed eyes, as if she had been crying for hours.

“Rachel?” Grayson whispered. Her gaze was locked onto him.

“You!” Rachel spat. “You promised me. You told me I was the only one!”

Grayson’s face paled. “Rachel, please… not here. This isn’t the time…”

“Not the time?” she interrupted, her voice climbing higher with each word. “I had to track you down! I put a GPS on your car because I couldn’t get a straight answer from you!”

Her words turned into sobs. Megan’s face twisted in surprise. I felt a pang of relief. That was the truth she needed, even if it was painful.

“Is this true?” Megan’s voice was cold. “You lied to me?”

“Megan, listen. It’s… complicated. I didn’t mean…”

“Complicated? You thought you could just… keep lying, jumping between us? How many others are there, Grayson?”