Talk about ridiculous.

There they were, looking like star-crossed lovers, while I - the actual wife - might as well have been invisible.

"How do you keep hurting yourself just walking around?"

Richard asked, his voice a mix of scolding and... was that tenderness?

Right then, our whole marriage felt like some sick joke.

If Susan was his true love, why marry me at all?

"I'll be more careful," Susan cooed, playing up the damsel in distress act.

Even the staff picked up on the awkward vibe, rushing me inside to the living room where the Blackwoods were gathered.

Henry Blackwood, Richard's grandfather, waved me over.

"Sophia, come sit. Where's Richard?"

"Playing doctor with Susan," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "She hurt her foot, and apparently only Richard can fix it."

The room went dead quiet.

Great - looked like I was the last one to figure out what was really going on between those two.

"This is unacceptable!"

Henry slammed his cane down.

"Is Richard mistreating you? You tell me if he is - I'll set him straight."

My throat tightened at his concern.

Henry had always been good to me.

Without him, Richard and I probably wouldn't even be married.

"It's nothing, Grandpa. We're fine," I lied. No need to stress out the old man.

"How badly is Susan hurt?" William, Richard's dad, cut in.

He'd always treated his stepdaughter like his own.

Right on cue, Susan hobbled in with Richard supporting her.

When he spotted me, he dropped her like a hot potato.

William rushed to help her sit.

"Richard, you idiot!" Henry rapped his cane against Richard's leg. "What are you doing with Susan when your wife's right here?"

"Susan was hurt, and I..." Richard reached for my hand, but I pulled away.

"It's just a twisted ankle, for heaven's sake," Henry snapped. "Remember who your wife is."

Then Henry dropped the bomb: "Susan, don't come to these family gatherings anymore. You're not welcome here."

The color drained from her face.

After an awkward dinner where I stuck close to Henry and ignored Richard, he was told to take me for a garden walk.

We wandered in painful silence until his phone rang.

"Sorry, I need to check on Susan," he said.

"What now? Did she stub her toe? Since when are you her personal medical team?" I couldn't help the bite in my voice.

"I'll explain later. She really isn't well."

And just like that, he was gone, leaving me standing alone in the garden.