Grant looked between Delphine and Sabrina, his expression shifting from confusion to something closer to betrayal. “You told me your sister mooched off your parents. That she couldn’t hold a job. That’s why we couldn’t tell them about us yet, because you said she’d make it about herself.” Delphine’s face went white as every carefully constructed lie collapsed in front of witnesses she could no longer control.

Dad finally found his voice, though it came out uncertain. “Sabrina, is this true? You’re Grant’s employer?” Sabrina nodded once. “I hired him eight months ago. Promoted him three months later for exceptional work. I had no idea he was dating Delphine until I saw his emergency contact form two days ago.” She turned to her sister. “That’s when I understood why you suddenly needed me excluded from tonight.”

Delphine’s composure cracked entirely. “I didn’t want it to be complicated. You always make everything complicated.” Sabrina shook her head slowly. “I didn’t make this complicated, Delphine. You did, the moment you decided lying to everyone was easier than being honest about who you were dating.”

Mom reached for Dad’s hand, her voice trembling. “We should have asked more questions. We just believed her.” Sabrina looked at her mother, feeling something between exhaustion and quiet vindication settle over her. “You always do. That’s exactly why this worked for as long as it did.”

Grant excused himself from the table minutes later, unable to stay through the unraveling mess his relationship had become entangled in. Delphine followed him out, her voice pleading, but Sabrina remained seated, finally allowing herself to breathe in a restaurant that had spent the last ten minutes learning exactly who she really was. She reached for her water glass, steady now, and looked at her parents. “I believe we were celebrating a birthday. Should we continue, or has enough truth come out for one evening?” Nobody answered, but for the first time in years, nobody asked her to leave either.