"Didn't the doctor say she lost her ability to have children?" I asked, my voice calm. "How did you give her a child? Did you make another woman carry it, and then have her recognize it?"
"Oh, my dearest wife, that's tragic, isn't it? Not only did your little lover cheat on you, but now you have to accept a bastard born from his affair."
I feigned pity, though the smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth was impossible to hide.
"Instead of sulking," I said, letting my voice roll over the crowd, "why don't you take a look at the little ones here? Adopting a godson and goddaughter almost completes a picture of a perfect family, doesn't it?"
At my words, the crowd shifted, jostling closer to her.
Rory's veins throbbed with fury, her temper flaring like wildfire.
"Shut the fuck up, Cyrus! I don't need any godsons or goddaughters! Everyone, get out of here!" she shouted, voice sharp as a whip.
I shook my head slowly, letting the tension simmer. "Now, now, how can that do? The main event hasn't even started yet. How can the audience just leave?"
Rory shot back, "Cyrus, you lunatic! What are you trying to do?"
I reached out and patted lightly.
Instantly, the bright 'Adoption Ceremony' banner hanging on the third floor was replaced with a stark white funeral banner.
It read: [Mourning the loss of Aurora McGrath's womb]
The upbeat music in the living room cut off abruptly, replaced by the mournful, wailing notes of a horn, an eerie, almost otherworldly sound. Each note hit like a victory fanfare in my chest, echoing with a haunting intensity.
Rory and Jesse's expressions twisted, changing in rapid succession.
Anger, humiliation, and murderous hatred blazed in their eyes.
"Cyrus, take that down immediately! Do you hear me?!"
Her face flushed crimson as she maneuvered her wheelchair closer, screaming with a raw, unrestrained rage.
I ignored her entirely, pulling the microphone I'd prepared and addressing the crowd.
"Thank you all for taking the time to witness this moment of profound sorrow," I said, bowing slightly to the assembled faces.
Then, quiet and deliberate, I spoke directly to Rory. "Growing up is just a series of farewells, Rory. Don't give up on yourself just because of this loss."
After all, in the days ahead, she would lose far more than this.