Chapter 106

Sarah's POV

I sat at my vanity, scrolling through Howard Thompson's chat messages from last night for what must have been the tenth time. Each review only strengthened my conviction in my irresistible charm. The brief responses he'd sent were exactly what I'd expected from a man of his caliber-reserved yet clearly interested. Men like Howard didn't gush; they measured their words carefully. But the fact that he'd messaged me at all was the validation I needed.

With a satisfied smile. I tapped the screen to capture several screenshots.then swiftly composed a message to Caroline Gluck.

"Send these screenshots to Annie Baker," I wrote, my manicured nails clicking against the screen. "Let her see who her man was chatting with last night."

I swiveled in my luxurious leather chair, savoring the mental image of Annie's face when she received these screenshots-the shock, the anger,the insecurity that would inevitably follow. Howard might thinkhe was devoted to her now, but I'd planted the first seed of doubt. Annie would do the rest of the work for me, questioning him, perhaps even confronting him. Nothing destroys a relationship faster than suspicion.

I gently caressed my swollen belly, feeling the slight movement within.This pregnancy was perhaps my most powerful weapon-it garnered sympathy, protection, and an inexplicable power over mena like Philip who desperately wanted children. Society always sided with expectant mothers.

"Annie Baker," I whispered to my reflection, a cold smile playing on my lips, "who do you think you are? Just an illustrator drawing childish

pictures."

I picked up my phone again, checking to confirm Caroline had received my instructions.

"Sent." came her swift reply, making me nod with satisfaction. "Annie will definitely be devastated."

"Well done," I texted back, feeling a rush of control. "We have more plans to execute."

I loved this feeling-orchestrating evens like a master puppeteer while remaining seemingly uninvolved.

I walked toward my walk-in closet, sliding hangers along the rack as I selected today's outfit. The question of Annie's appeal to Howard continued to irritate me.

"A woman from Boston with no family connections or social standing," I muttered as I pulled out a designer maternity dress. "What right does she have to stand beside Howard Thompson?"

The fabric felt exquisite against my skin-soft, expensive, worthy of the woman I was.

"Howard has always had impeccable taste in everything," I mused,smoothing the material over my stomach. "How could he possibly look at someone like her?"

With my outfit selected, my plan began taking clearer shape in my mind.I

applied my lipstick with methodical precision, contemplating my next

move.

"Betty Baker is the perfect weapon," I thought, my eyes narrowing as I

considered Philip's mother. That pompous Upper East Side socialite was so predictable-obsessed with family legacy and social standing.She'd been fawning over my pregnancy since the announcement, desperate for another grandchild since Brian had become so distant.

I reached for my phone and dialed Betty Baker's number, my facial expression instantly transforming into one of vulnerable distress.

Betty answered almost immediately. "Sarah, dear! How are you feeling today?"

"Oh, Betty," I said, deliberately making my voice sound fragile and emotional. "I've been better..."

"What's wrong? Is it the baby?" The immediate concern in her voice made me smile inwardly. So predictable.

I launched into my carefully crafted narrative, a masterfully edited version of recent events that painted me as the innocent victim and Annie as the heartless aggressor.

"I'm carrying the Baker family's precious grandson," I said sweetly. "But Annie... she's been so cruel to me."

"What did she do?" Betty's voice already had an edge to it.

"I merely expressed some thoughts online," I said, my voice deliberately smaller, "and Annie publicly humiliated me. She should have just stayed quiet, considering her history with Philip. After all, she's just a woman Philip didn't want anymore. What right does she have to attack me?"

I paused, letting my words sink in before delivering the knockout punch.

"The stress she caused..." I let my voice break slightly, "It nearly made me

miscarry. Can you imagine? Your grandson almost lost because of her vindictiveness."

"That's absolutely outrageous!" Betty practically shouted into the phone."How dare she!"

"I know," I whimpered. "Philip tried to defend me, and she humiliated him too. I'm starting to think I should just avoid her completely.Since she enjoys bullying me and no one can stand up for me... she'll probably keep finding ways to attack me. If I stay far away from her,maybe she'll insult me less often."

I could practically hear Betty's blood pressure rising through the phone.

"You absolutely do not need to hide!" Betty's voice rose indignantly. "Wait right there, I'm going to teach her a lesson she won't forget!"

"You would do that for me?" I injected a note of hopeful surprise into my voice.

"Of course! Who does she think she is to offend anyone she pleases? Has she forgotten how I disciplined her when she was in our family? She needs to be reminded of her place!"

I allowed a small smile to form on my lips. My prey had taken the bait perfectly.

"Mom!" I exclaimed, using the term I knew would please her."I'm so touched that you're willing to protect me! Honestly, I already feel better knowing you're on my side."

I added the final touch, my voice dropping to an intimate whisper: "I think the baby feels better too... he knows his grandmother loves him so much."

"You just wait for my good news!" Betty responded triumphantly before hanging up.

The moment the call ended, my expression transformed instantly. The pitiable, vulnerable "daughter-in-law" act vanished without a trace.

I elegantly wiped away tears that had never actually fallen and smiled smugly at my reflection. These Upper East Side matrons were so predictably manipulable-obsessed with status, family legacy, and their own importance.

I set my phone down and walked to the window. My plan was in perfect motion: Betty would attack Annie while I appeared completely uninvolved.

The beauty of using proxies was that my hands remained clean while chaos unfolded around my targets.

I thought again about Howard's messages from last night, my fingers absently stroking my belly as I imagined my future:

Annie would soon lose her luster in Howard's eyes-her background wasn't suitable for someone of his stature anyway. I would appear at precisely the right moment, displaying my elegance, understanding, and sophistication. Howard would inevitably realize I was the woman truly worthy of standing beside him.

By then, I wouldn't need Philip anymore. The child would secure my position regardless of whose DNA it carried. A paternity test was the last thing I wanted, but I'd cross that bridge if necessary.