The New Marriage

Alexandra "Lexi" Thompson stared at her phone, her eyes scanning the text message from her father, John, for what felt like the hundredth time. The words blurred together, but the message was clear: "I'm getting married, kiddo. I want you to meet Victoria, my new wife, at dinner tonight." Lexi's stomach churned as she read the words again, hoping that somehow, someway, they would change. But they didn't. She felt like she'd been punched in the gut. Her father, John, had been married to her mother for over 20 years, until her passing a few years ago. Lexi had always thought that her father would eventually remarry, but she had never expected it to be so soon, and certainly not to someone she knew. As it turned out, Victoria was not just anyone. She was Lexi's work rival at Smith and Co., a prestigious marketing firm where Lexi had worked her way up the corporate ladder. Victoria had been hired as a new assistant a few months ago, and Lexi had immediately sensed that she was trouble. Victoria was charming, beautiful, and ruthlessly ambitious. Lexi had tried to brush off her concerns, thinking that Victoria was just a colleague, but now she realized that she had underestimated her. Lexi arrived at the restaurant, her mind racing with thoughts of her father's new marriage. She spotted her father and Victoria sitting at a table, holding hands and smiling at each other. Lexi's gut twisted in disgust as she made her way over to them. "Dad, congratulations," Lexi said, trying to sound sincere. John beamed with pride. "Thanks, kiddo. I'm really happy, and I think you're going to love Victoria." Lexi forced a smile as she shook Victoria's hand. "Nice to meet you, Victoria. I had no idea you two were...close." Victoria laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "We hit it off right away, Lexi. Your father is an amazing man, and I feel so lucky to have him." As they sat down to dinner, Lexi couldn't help but feel like she was trapped in some kind of nightmare. Her father's marriage to her work rival was bad enough, but the way they were gazing at each other, like they were in love, made Lexi's stomach turn. Over dinner, Lexi tried to make small talk, but she couldn't shake the feeling that her life was about to change in ways she couldn't control. She glanced at her brother, Ethan, who was sitting across from her, looking oblivious to the tension. As the evening drew to a close, Lexi realized that she had to talk to Ethan, to warn him about Victoria. She excused herself and pulled Ethan aside. "You need to be careful around her," Lexi whispered, her eyes darting back to Victoria, who was laughing with their father. Ethan raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? She's nice." Lexi took a deep breath, trying to choose her words carefully. "She's not what she seems, Ethan. She's ruthless, and she'll stop at nothing to get what she wants. I'm not sure what her game is, but I have a feeling it's not going to be good for us." Ethan's expression turned serious, and for a moment, Lexi thought she saw a glimmer of understanding in his eyes. But as they returned to the table, Lexi couldn't shake the feeling that she was in for a wild ride, one that would change her life forever.