---- Chapter 6 A few days later, Bennett insisted she accompany him to the annual Randolph family dinner. It was a command performance, a show of unity for the clan. = He played the part of the attentive husband perfectly, holding her chair, placing a hand on the small of her back. His touch felt clinical, a practiced gesture for the benefit of his relatives. Kelsey remained placid, an observer in her own life. She looked around the table at the sea of Randolph faces. They had never truly accepted her. She was the quiet, artsy girl from a respectable but not powerful family. Not one of them. She had spent years trying to earn their approval, trying to be the perfect Randolph wife. She had sacrificed her dream of motherhood on the altar of Bennett's fear, a fear she now knew was a convenient excuse. She had accepted his decision, supported him, loved him through it all. And in return, he had split himself in two, giving her the respectable, public half, while saving his true, passionate self for someone else. It was over. The performance was over. She was done. And then, as if summoned by her thoughts, Aria appeared in the doorway of the formal dining room, escorted by Bennett's younger sister. ---- Kelsey kept her face a placid mask, but inside, a cold fury simmered. Bennett shot to his feet, his face a mixture of shock and anger. "What is she doing here?" he hissed at his sister. Aria looked small and frightened, her arm in a sling, her eyes darting around the room full of imposing, well-dressed people. "Father wanted to meet her," his sister said defiantly. "She's carrying the Randolph heir. She's one of us now." The patriarch, Mr. Randolph Sr., still frail but with an iron glint in his eye, nodded from the head of the table. "Exactly. The boy is what matters. The vessel is secondary, but she should be welcomed." Bennett, trapped, tried to play it off. He turned to Kelsey, a forced, reassuring smile on his face. "This is just a formality, Kels. Aria is the surrogate, but you are the mother. You will raise our child. She will be gone after the birth." Aria's face fell at his words. She looked wounded, a tear trembling on her eyelash. She turned to leave. "Stay," Mr. Randolph Sr. commanded. "The Randolph family does not run away. You are carrying my grandchild. Your place is here." Kelsey felt a wave of nausea. The whole grotesque spectacle was about legacy, bloodlines, and power. She and Aria were just pawns in their game. ---- Bennett, seeing his father's intransigence, became agitated. He grabbed his father's arm. "This is my life! My child! You will not dictate how this is handled!" In the midst of the escalating argument, Aria's voice, small but clear, cut through the tension. "I'm pregnant," she announced, her hand going to her flat stomach. "With twins." The room fell silent Kelsey stared at her. Twins. Of course. The lie just kept getting bigger, more audacious. Bennett's face was a storm of conflicting emotions. Shock, disbelief, and then, a dawning, undeniable flicker of joy. Twins. Two heirs. He had secured the dynasty. Kelsey almost laughed. The irony was so thick it was suffocating. "Well," Kelsey said, her voice calm and clear, breaking the stunned silence. "That's wonderful news. It certainly clarifies things." She stood up. "I think it's time for us to formalize our separation, Bennett." Panic flared in his eyes. "Separation? What are you talking about? We're not separating." He grabbed her arm. "I love you, Kelsey. Aria means nothing. She's just a surrogate! A vessel!" ---- His words, meant to reassure Kelsey, were a knife in Aria's heart. She let out a choked sob and ran from the room. And just as he had at the party, Bennett's instincts took over. He let go of Kelsey and ran after Aria Kelsey watched him go, then calmly followed them out into the grand hallway.