Chapter 5 - Dinner at the Frontlines
The Carter family home was a modest, sun-bleached ranch house tucked away in a quiet suburban cul-de-sac in Oceanside. For thirty years, it had been the kingdom of Evelyn Carter. Evelyn was a woman who lived by rigid social hierarchies, neat lawns, and relentless appearances. In her eyes, there were winners and there were disappointments.
When Mia pulled her modest rented sedan into the driveway, an immaculate white Mercedes C-Class was already parked by the curb.
"Vanessa is here," Dylan muttered under his breath, his knuckles whitening against his knees.
Vanessa Vance was Dylan's fiancée of six months—the daughter of a wealthy car dealership owner from San Diego. She was glamorous, sharp-tongued, and shared Evelyn’s deep obsession with status. To Vanessa, Dylan’s Marine uniform was the ultimate accessory, a patriotic badge of honor she paraded across social media while treating everyone she deemed beneath her like invisible background noise.
"Take a breath, Dylan," Mia said as she killed the engine. "You look like you're heading into a court-martial."
"Mia... about what happened on base..." Dylan began, his voice cracking.
"Not out here," Mia said softly, opening her door. "Let's get through dinner first."
As they walked up the flagstone path, the front door swung open before they could even ring the bell. Evelyn stood in the entryway wearing a floral apron over a pale blue dress. Her face lit up with an ecstatic smile the moment she saw Dylan in his service uniform.
"My boy! My handsome Marine!" Evelyn gasped, rushing forward to wrap Dylan in a tight hug. She smoothed the creases of his uniform, ignoring the dark, troubled shadow over his face. "Look at you. Vanessa and I were worried you’d be late! Did your battalion commander give you that commendation today?"
"Mom, please," Dylan said quietly, pulling back. "It wasn't like that."
Only then did Evelyn shift her gaze to Mia. The warmth vanished from her eyes, replaced by that familiar, patronizing coldness that had defined their relationship for nearly a decade.
"Oh, Mia. You actually came," Evelyn said, adjusting her pearl earrings. "I thought you’d be stuck in an office somewhere in Virginia shuffling papers. You could have at least worn something more presentable. Vanessa brought a caterer-quality roast."
"It's good to see you too, Mom," Mia replied evenly, stepping past her into the warm, familiar foyer.
Sitting on the cream-colored sofa in the living room was Vanessa, scrolling through her phone. When she looked up, her painted lips curled into a practiced, dismissive smile.
"Hey, Mia," Vanessa said, barely looking up from her screen. "Long time. Dylan said you were still doing administrative work for the government. Must be nice not having the stress of real deployments like Dylan." She stood up, walking directly toward Dylan to wrap her arms around his neck. "Babe, tell me you tore up the obstacle course today! I told all my followers you were getting promoted to squad leader."
Dylan stood entirely rigid in her arms. He didn't kiss her back. He didn't smile. He just stared at Mia, whose calm demeanor was far more terrifying than any scream or lecture could ever be.
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"Vanessa, stop," Dylan muttered, pulling her hands off his shoulders.
"What's wrong with you?" Vanessa asked, raising an eyebrow in annoyance. "Did your sister complain about the drive again? I told you not to invite her. She always brings this weird, gloomy energy whenever she visits."
