Locked in the Car Because Her Tarot

The first time I was supposed to meet my boyfriend, Grady Cabrera's parents, he stopped me at the door. The reason? His childhood friend, Mallory Pierce, had just drawn a tarot card. According to the reading, I was cursed with bad luck today and shouldn't step foot inside the Cabrera family home. Before I could say a word, Grady reached for the gifts in my hands. "Wait in the car for a while. Once dinner's over, I'll drive you home." I didn't let go. "I've spent over a month getting ready to meet your parents, and you're not even going to let me inside?" His expression hardened. "Brenda, this is for your own good." Before I could protest, he shoved me back into the car and shut the door. Mallory smiled at me through the window. "Don't overthink it, Brenda. I'll go in and keep Linda Cabrera company for you." Grady stood beside her. From beginning to end, he never looked back. Because of a single tarot card drawn by his childhood friend, I—the woman who was supposed to be meeting his parents—had somehow become the one person who wasn't welcome in the house. In that case, maybe there was no point in joining this family at all. Chapter 1 The car doors locked with a sharp click. I reached for the handle, but it wouldn't budge. Grady Cabrera had locked me in the car like I was nothing but a problem. My phone buzzed. It was a photo from Mallory Pierce. The coffee set I'd spent two weeks picking out was already on the dining table. Linda Cabrera, Grady's mother, was holding the neck and shoulder massager I'd searched everywhere for, smiling from ear to ear. A message followed. [Linda absolutely loves it. Don't worry, Brenda. I'll make a good impression on your behalf.] I stared at the screen as my fingertips slowly turned cold. I'd gone to three different stores before I finally found that coffee set. As for the massager, I'd saved two months' worth of paychecks to buy it. Linda had chronic neck and shoulder pain, and I'd even kept notes on all the little things she liked. Now all of it had become Mallory's thoughtfulness. I called Grady. It rang for a long time before he finally answered. Laughter filled the background. "Brenda, don't make a scene." "Unlock the car." I commanded. "Didn't I tell you? I'll bring you in later." My voice turned cold. "Grady, today is supposed to be my first time meeting your parents. Not Mallory's. And I bought those gifts." He spoke to me the way someone humors a child, "Does it really matter who gives them? Mally is just helping make my mom happy. When you marry into the family later, my mom will remember it as your thoughtfulness anyway." I let out a humorless laugh. "So I pay for the gifts, I spend weeks picking them out, and in the end I'm supposed to thank her?" Grady lowered his voice. "Brenda, my grandma's here today. Do you really have to ruin everyone's mood over something this small?" I was about to answer when I heard Mallory's voice through the phone. "Grady, come on! Linda wants us for a family photo." "I'm coming." The call ended. The curtains over the living room windows hadn't been fully closed. From the car, I looked inside through the gap. Mallory naturally stepped to Grady's side and, at Mrs. Cabrera's invitation, posed with the entire Cabrera family. She happily claimed the spot that should've been mine. A moment later, a new message popped up in the Cabrera family group chat. Linda had posted the photo. [Our family is so lucky to have such a thoughtful girl in our lives.] The replies came almost instantly. [Is that Grady's girlfriend?] [They really look perfect together.] Grady neither denied it nor explained that the woman in the photo wasn't me. I called Grady again. This time, he declined the call. A text appeared a second later. [Once Mally cheers Grandma up, I'll come get you.] I looked at the nickname "Mally" and suddenly realized how pointless all of this was. I wasn't going to wait anymore. I leaned over and hit the car's emergency unlock button. The moment the door swung open, a blast of cold air rushed in. I grabbed the rest of the gifts and headed straight for the front door of the Cabrera Estate. The housekeeper, Teresa O'Hara, froze when she saw me. "Miss Allen, Mr. Cabrera said you..." I held up the invitation message Linda had sent me the day before. "I'm the one she invited." I looked up at the closed front door. "Who says I can't come in?" Teresa hesitated, unable to stop me. When I pushed the door open, the lively chatter in the living room died instantly. Grady turned around, his face darkening the moment he saw me. "Brenda, what are you doing here?" I ignored him. At a glance, I spotted the pair of pink house slippers on Mallory's feet. Grady and I had picked them out together just last week. He'd even said it was my first time coming home with him, and he wanted everything to be perfect. Following my gaze, Mallory spoke in a serious tone, "Brenda, why did you come in anyway?" Linda walked out of the living room, her expression less than pleased. "Brenda, Mallory was only trying to help. She said today wasn't a good day for you to come into the house, so we thought it would be better if you stayed away for now." I looked at the neck and shoulder massager around Linda's neck, the one Mallory had adjusted for her. I didn't even feel like arguing anymore. Grady stepped over and lowered his voice, "Now that you're here, don't start anything. When Grandma comes out, just keep quiet and stay by my side." I looked at him. "What about Mallory?" He hesitated. "She's taking your place for today's introductions." "Taking my place... how?" He didn't answer. Chapter 2 Mallory smiled and cut in before anyone else could speak, "Don't be nervous, Brenda. Grandma just wants to meet Grady's future wife today. "The tarot cards say you're carrying bad luck today. It wouldn't be a good idea for you to meet her. So, I'll meet her for you." Before she finished speaking, Teresa called from the living room, "Mrs. Cabrera, Grandma Elena will be down in a moment." Linda immediately urged her on, "Mally, hurry and change. We don't want to keep Grandma waiting." Mallory curved her lips into a smile at me. "Of course." A few minutes later, Teresa returned carrying a rosewood box. Inside lay a flawless tennis bracelet. Linda turned to Grady, unable to hide the smile on her face. "Your grandmother has been saving this for her future granddaughter-in-law. Today seems like the perfect occasion. Mallory can wear it first." Mallory walked over, her gaze lingering on the bracelet. "Linda, something this valuable really shouldn't be entrusted to me." She said the words, but her hand was already reaching for it. Looking at me, she deliberately lifted her wrist a little higher. "I'll just wear it for Brenda today. Once her bad luck has passed, I'll return it exactly as it is." I smiled. "Anything you've worn… I don't want back." Grady immediately turned toward me, lowering his voice in warning, "Brenda. That's enough." I looked at him. "She's taken my place. And you're telling me to be quiet?" His brow furrowed. "It's just a bracelet. Once the day's over, I'll have Mallory take it off. Just be reasonable." I stared at him. So, to him, everything I'd been put through amounted to nothing. Teresa helped Elena slowly into the living room, and Linda hurried over. "Elena, watch your step." Elena waved her off, but her eyes settled on Mallory. A smile spread across her face. "So this is the young woman Grady brought home?" I looked at him, still hoping he'd correct her. Instead, Grady smiled at Mallory. "Grandma, I'd like you to meet her." The last shred of hope inside me shattered. Elena took Mallory's hand with obvious delight before picking up a small wrapped gift from beside her. "Our family has a tradition. The first time I meet my future granddaughter-in-law, I always give her a little welcome gift." As she slipped the gift into Mallory's hands, Mallory deliberately glanced at me. "Thank you, Grandma." Elena patted the tennis bracelet on Mallory's wrist. "Now that you're wearing it, keep it on. From now on, you're family. Take good care of Grady." Several relatives chimed in. "Grandma has excellent taste." "They've been close since they were kids. It wouldn't surprise me if they ended up together." Grady walked over to me. "When everyone sits down, I'll introduce you to the family. I'll tell them you're my girlfriend... the woman I'm going to marry." I said nothing. I simply looked down at the message from my manager. [Would you like to accept the assignment in Blackridge?] My thumb hovered over the screen for a long time without replying. When Grady saw that I stayed silent, he assumed I'd finally given in. "We're getting engaged at the end of the year. The house and the wedding are already being planned. Brenda, stop being so stubborn." Before I could answer, Teresas began arranging the seating. At the head table, the place beside Grady had originally been reserved for me. Instead, Teresa removed my place card and replaced it with Mallory's. I walked over. "Why was my seat changed?" Teresa looked uncomfortable. "Miss Pierce said you shouldn't sit beside Mr. Cabrera today. She said it would bring Grandma bad luck after finally meeting her future granddaughter-in-law." Mallory sat nearby, my tennis bracelet still on her wrist. When she noticed me looking, she smiled and lightly patted the seat beside Grady. "Don't be upset, Brenda. I'm only taking your place for a little while. Besides, Grady already agreed." I slowly turned toward him. Grady avoided my eyes. Then he said quietly, "It's only one meal. Does it really matter where you sit?" Chapter 3 Teresa moved my place card to a table near the door where the driver and a few distant relatives were seated. I didn't argue. Grady had promised that once dinner started, he would introduce me to everyone properly. Before long, one of his aunts smiled and asked, "Now that Grady's finally brought someone home, when are you two getting engaged?" Elena patted Mallory's hand, beaming. "It's about time. I'm still waiting for a great-grandbaby." I was about to stand when a message from Grady came through. [Grandma's happy right now. Don't ruin it. I'll explain later.] Apparently, even admitting that I was his girlfriend had to wait. Just then, Teresa walked over carrying a set of keys. Mallory took them and casually set them on the table. I recognized them immediately. They were the spare keys to the house Grady and I were supposed to move into after we got married. I stared at them. "Why do you have a key to our house?" Mallory smiled and drew another tarot card. "Brenda, the cards say you can't spend the first night there. Someone with good luck has to stay there first. Otherwise, you might not be able to hold on to the house... or your man." I turned to Grady. "You're letting her stay in our house?" He didn't answer me directly. "Just for a few days. You'll be living there for decades. What difference do a few days make?" My gaze dropped to the tennis bracelet on Mallory's wrist. "So now you're taking my place in my own home too." I looked at her. "Mallory, what next? Are you planning to take my place in his bed too?" Grady's expression darkened instantly. "Enough. Brenda, Grandma is here. Do you really have to say something that disgusting in front of everyone? "Mally is only staying there first for good luck. Why do you have to turn everything into something sexual?" I stared at him in disbelief. "She's moving into our bedroom. And I'm the one making it inappropriate?" Linda frowned. "What's the big deal? Grady and Mally grew up together. She's practically his sister. And it's not safe for a young woman to stay alone in an unfamiliar house. Grady can stay there with her at night in case she needs anything." Mallory looked at me. "Brenda, you're not going to have a problem with that too, are you?" I didn't answer. I only waited for Grady to refuse. He was silent for several seconds. Then he looked at me. "It's just two nights." Whatever warmth I had left for him vanished. After dinner, he pulled me into the study. The moment the door closed, his voice turned cold. "You need to apologize to Mally." I looked up at him. "She's doing us a favor by staying at the house, and you asked her in front of everyone if she wanted to sleep with me. Do you have any idea how humiliating that was for her?" I stared at him, almost unable to believe what I was hearing. "She was humiliated? Grady, what about me?" He rubbed between his brows. "Brenda, stop acting like you're always the victim. If it bothers you that much, once she moves out, I'll buy us a new bed." I asked quietly, "And if I say no?" Grady studied me for a few seconds. Then he smiled. "You won't. We've been together for five years. You really think I don't know you?" He reached up and smoothed a strand of hair back into place, his voice turning gentle. "Your parents are gone. You've spent so long planning the house and the wedding. "Brenda, you won't walk away from all of this." So he knew. He knew exactly how hard it would be for me to leave. That was why none of the love I'd poured into this relationship felt precious to him. He glanced at the time. "I'm going to the house with Mally tonight. You should go back to your apartment and cool off. I'll pick you up tomorrow for the engagement party." He opened the study door. Mallory was already waiting outside, the keys to my future home in her hand. "See, Brenda?" She held up the tarot card. "Even the cards say this is all for your own good." When I didn't take it, she loosened her fingers, and the card fluttered to the floor beside my feet. I looked down at the blurry black image printed across its face, not wanting to argue anymore. Chapter 4 The next day, Grady came to see me. By the time he arrived, I'd already packed my clothes and gathered all of my important documents. He opened a thermal container and set a bowl of chicken soup in front of me. "Let's put yesterday behind us. I've already confirmed everything with the hotel. Our engagement party is tonight." I looked up at him. "Tonight?" "That's right." Grady took a seat across from me. "Grandma mistook the wrong person yesterday. I know that hurt you. Tonight, I'll introduce you to everyone properly, and I'll give you the tennis bracelet." I asked, "What about Mallory?" He frowned. "Of course she's coming. She's done so much for you. Stop picking on her." I lowered my eyes to my phone. A new message from my manager had just come in. [The Blackridge project assignment has been sent. Please sign and return it.] I tapped "Accept." "I'll pick you up at six. When we get there, keep your comments to yourself. Don't bring up what happened yesterday." I was about to respond when his phone rang. On the screen, Mallory stood inside a bridal boutique wearing a white gown. I recognized it immediately. It was the engagement dress I'd ordered three months ago. I'd personally chosen every pearl sewn into the waistline, and my name was even embroidered inside. Mallory turned slowly in front of the mirror. "Grady, what do you think? The cards say Brenda shouldn't wearwhite today. So I'll wear it for her for a little while and absorb the bad luck." As she spoke, she deliberately tugged at the waist. "It's a little tight." A sharp snap echoed through the room as the string of pearls along the side of the dress broke apart. Several pearls scattered across the floor. Mallory glanced down and smiled as if it were nothing. "Oops. Brenda won't mind, will she?" Before I could say anything, Grady spoke first, "If it's ruined, we'll buy another one." I turned to look at him. I'd altered that dress four different times. He'd been with me for every fitting, and he knew how much I loved it. And yet, he didn't have a single word of reproach for her. Mallory smiled. "So what should I wear tonight?" Grady rubbed his forehead. "Pick whatever you like." "I already did." She turned the camera. A white gown hung on the rack beside her. It looked almost identical to a wedding dress. "The cards say I have to wear white tonight to protect the Cabrera family from bad luck." I looked at Grady. "She's wearing white to my engagement party?" Mallory laughed. "Brenda, it's just a dress. You're not seriously going to fight me over a color, are you?" Grady ended the video call and looked at me. "Let her wear whatever she wants. You're the star of tonight. No one's going to mistake her for you." I didn't argue. "Okay." Seeing me give in, he reached over and gently ruffled my hair. "That's better. You're still Mrs. Cabrera. Wait for me tonight, and don't be upset anymore." Then he got up and left. I glanced at the time. The movers would be here in twenty minutes. I placed the keys, engagement ring, and access card Grady had left with me into a cardboard box. I turned off our shared location. Then I removed him as my emergency contact. At eleven o'clock sharp, the movers arrived. I only took my belongings. Then I headed to the airport alone. At exactly six that evening, Grady arrived at my apartment. He was carrying the engagement dress he'd brought for me. The box that had once held my gown now contained a hastily purchased replacement. He knocked on the door. "Brenda, open up." No one answered. He frowned and knocked again. "We're running out of time. If you're upset, we can talk after the engagement party." Still nothing. He took out his key and unlocked the door. The apartment was dark. The closet and the shoe cabinet were empty. Even the wedding countdown I'd taped to the refrigerator was gone, leaving behind only a strip of clear tape. A single cardboard box sat in the middle of the dining table. Inside were the keys, engagement ring, and access card he'd left behind. On top lay the note I'd torn from my memo pad. "The wedding is off. The house is yours to give to Mallory. As for you, I don't want you anymore."