Chapter 14
Victoria gave up the matriarch seat voluntarily.
Not a literal chair.
The role.
She had spent decades organizing every formal family gathering.
Guest placement.
Introductions.
Who arrived through which entrance.
Who sat near me.
Who was “appropriate” around senior guests.
After Isabella, she stopped.
At first because I removed the responsibility.
Later because she admitted she liked not controlling everything.
That shocked both of us.
A younger event director took over.
Once she seated two rival cousins beside each other.
Disaster.
Victoria watched.
Did not intervene.
I nearly applauded.
She whispered:
“Don’t.”
Fair.
Afterward she said:
“Maybe being useful became another way to make sure no one could send me away.”
There.
Rosa’s dismissal again.
If usefulness guaranteed belonging, then Victoria would become indispensable.
She did.
Then treated other people’s independence as threat.
May you like
Understanding arrived slowly.
Better slow than fake.
