But as I said, it’s not all fun and games being in my position. Nobody likes you, nobody believes you. I stare at my huge wedding ring, move my wrist so it sparkles at her. “You don’t know anything about me.”

Sandra embraces her inner Sheryl Sandberg and leans in, too. I take a step forward. She says, “I know all about you.”

“No, you don’t. I mean sure, you’re the one who hired me to be John’s assistant. So, thanks for that.” I’m tired of her and her insinuations. I’ve dealt with them since I started at the company five years ago.

She was the first to catch on to the little something-something between John and me. She sniffed it, I could tell. If she could have, she would have fired me. But John was one step ahead of her. He wanted me, plain and simple. There was nothing Sandra or anyone else could do to stop it.

I look down at my sparkling eight-carat diamond wedding ring and hold my hand up, pretending to inspect it. I know she’s looking at it, too, with a dart of envy. “You’ll probably retire now, right? You’re that age, aren’t you?”

Her face contorts into an annoying grimace. “You mean old, don’t you? I’m sorry, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be watching you.”

“Enjoy the view.” I walk out of the now-empty conference room and feel her eyes on my back. There’s nothing she can do to me, but she should watch herself. She’ll need to stay on John’s good side if she wants to stick around.

And she should know by now that John runs everything through me. At least he did until recently. Another little issue we need to address on our weekend together. We really do have a lot to discuss: our relationship and other relationships in his life. I wish I didn’t have to pretend to be enjoying myself at this stupid party. I’d rather fly away with John and take stock of where we stand now that the IPO is launched. And we will soon. I check my watch.

I reach the atrium where the celebration is in full swing. The DJ is the best in the Midwest, and the catering company is central Ohio’s finest. Waiters in white jackets circulate with silver trays laden with signature cocktails and appetizers. There should be no complaints from the crowd about this bash. On the walls, gobo lights tell employees to use the hashtag #EventCoIPO.

Kate has thought of everything.

And there she is. Standing with John and Ashlyn. I make my way through the crowd without much trouble. Ever since I married the boss, chitchat with fellow employees has been awkward. I get it. I’m so far above them all now: untouchable, wealthy, in command. I’m isolated at the helm. I told you it isn’t easy being me.

“Nice shindig, Kate.” I slip my hand into John’s as I sidle up beside him. He’s mine, ladies. John squeezes my hand but then pulls away. I need to get him out of here, away from all the temptation of his past.

“Ashlyn did a great job helping out,” Kate says, and Ashlyn beams. In a new development, Ashlyn would like to be in marketing someday, and Kate thinks she’s brilliant at it. How wonderful. It’s especially wonderful because she won’t be working for EventCo. Not if I have a say in things. And I do. This gravy train is all over, dear. Too bad. But you’ll always have the memories from this summer’s internship. She graduates college next summer, and hopefully she’ll move far far away.

“I loved helping. You’re amazing, Mom.” Ashlyn finishes gushing over Kate. I fight the urge to say what I really think to the brat. Ashlyn and I have a détente, I suppose. Most of the time, I stay out of her way, and she stays out of mine. We were friends before I married her dad and for a time after. I was her slightly older BFF, a glamorous buddy to confide in, and a saving grace for a teenage girl who hated her mom. But things change.

Now I’m not so sure where we stand. I’ll deal with her later.

John is speaking. “I’m going to miss all of this. I hope things don’t change too much with the IPO.”

Is he drunk? I can’t tell. He’s definitely emotional. More emotional than I’ve ever seen him. His forehead is still shiny, too, and his face is pale.

“Did you eat?” I glare at him, but he ignores the question.

“I have dinner plans with Ashlyn tonight,” John says.

“You’ll need a rain check, I’m afraid.”

Lance appears, serious as usual. “John, it’s time to address the employees.”

“Ashlyn, will you come onstage with me?” John motions to his daughter, and they walk away from me toward the front of the room.

I’m seething. John should call me up there. I should be by his side. My face flushes. Lance watches me.

“What?” My hands ball into fists by my side. Calm down, I remind myself.

Lance says, “John will be right back. It’s just a speech. This is Ashlyn’s family business, too, and she’s the only child. It’s important for the employees to see her. After all, they watched her grow up.”

He’s so annoying. “I know that. I’m the wife. I’m important, too.”

He shrugs and walks away. I remind myself that in an hour we will be wheels up, free from these people for the weekend. I turn my back to Kate, who has been ignoring me anyway, and try to tolerate the show. I suppose she isn’t up there, either, so that makes me feel good.

John and Ashlyn stand side by side on a stage brought in for the event. He whispers something in her ear and she stares at me, shaking her head. The music stops, and John holds up both hands. The employees clink their glasses with cocktail forks until the room is silent.

“What a day! I just want to take a moment to thank you for your service to the company. Whether you’ve been here with us for twenty years or six months, we’re family. I wish you all well with the IPO. Thanks, too, for welcoming Ashlyn into the family business. She’s enjoyed her internship this summer and will be back after she graduates.”

Ashlyn smiles and waves. She loves all this attention. I didn’t really think it was in her, but it is. Disappointing, really. In high school she was so reserved. A bookworm. Easy to love, simple to understand, predictable, and malleable. I miss those days.

“I’d like to take a moment to thank Ashlyn’s mom and my business partner, Kate. EventCo wouldn’t exist without her. Kate, please join us.” John waves at Kate to come to the stage.

“Come up here, Mom,” Ashlyn says into the microphone. She thinks she’s some sort of emcee or something.

Oh, barf. Really? I feel my jaw clench as the whole room turns to watch Kate. She’s wearing chic high heels. She smiles broadly, and tears shine in her eyes. The lights from the disco ball bounce sparkles of light across her white suit. She seems to glow as she walks to the front. Damn it. Meanwhile, I’m brooding among the masses. Ignored and forgotten. Alone and angry.

“Kate really helped pull us through these last few weeks. Thank you for everything,” John says from the stage.

I watch in horror as the crowd parts. John takes Kate’s hand and pulls her up to stand between them onstage. One little happily divorced family.

The applause from the company employees is loud, over the top if you ask me. Maybe they’re all drunk.

Kate holds the microphone. “Thank you all for believing in us and our vision, some of you from the very beginning.” She’s at home in front of a crowd, in the spotlight. I know that already. I want to gag, but I’ll keep up appearances. Of course I will. “It hasn’t been easy lately, being one step removed from all of you as we worked through the S-1 filing and the quiet period, but now I couldn’t be more excited for the future. And for EventCo, the best is yet to be.”

How clever of Kate to work in the company tagline. The crowd roars and yells, “The best is yet to be!”

Thunderous applause. They’re lemmings. All of them.

“It’s an honor to stand up here, with my family, and take this time to celebrate what we’ve all worked so hard to achieve. All of Ashlyn’s life we’ve been creating EventCo. It started as an idea in the middle of the night and grew into a start-up in the basement of our first home.” Kate smiles. “Ashlyn cooing in the playpen in the corner.”

“Oh, Mom, really?” Despite her protests, Ashlyn seems proud of her mom right now. I thought they didn’t like each other? Maybe they’re both faking it in front of me. Or maybe things have changed? No. It’s a show. It must be.

We all know what Kate really is: a bitter has-been dried-up divorcée who drinks too much and fights with her daughter. That’s what John told me when we first started hooking up. That’s why he left her. Her best has already been. I’m the new Mrs. Nelson. The beautiful, elegant, young Mrs. Nelson.

I need to get up there onstage. This is my time to shine. This is my company, too. Ashlyn is my daughter, too. I can deliver a good speech. Just watch.

I start working my way up to the front of the crowd as Kate drones on.