“It’s not about hatred, Babs. It’s about money. $120 million to be exact. Natalie sees you as an obstacle to her control over Jackson and his inheritance.” The truth of her words hit me like a physical blow.
“Do you think Jackson knows about any of this? About who she really is?” “I think Jackson is in love with the version of Natalie she wants him to see,” Judith replied gently. “And love can be the most effective blindfold.”
“We arrived at the Westbrook Hotel where the ceremony was being held.” As we walked through the lobby, I could feel eyes on me, whispers following in our wake. Though the wig concealed my baldness, something about me must have seemed different off somehow.
In the venue’s anti-chamber, I finally spotted Jackson in his tuxedo, surrounded by groomsmen. My heart swelled with love and pain simultaneously. He looked so much like his father had on our wedding day, handsome, brighteyed, full of hope for the future.
“Jackson,” I called, moving toward him. He turned and his expression instantly changed from joy to confusion. “Mom, what did you do to your hair?”
Before I could respond, Natalie appeared beside him in her wedding dress, a vision in white, but her eyes were cold as they assessed me. “Babette, what a different look for you,” she said with false sweetness, trying something new for the special day.
The audacity of her performance left me momentarily speechless, standing there pretending innocence while knowing exactly what she had done to me just hours before. “You know exactly what happened to my hair, Natalie,” I said quietly, trying to keep my voice steady.
Jackson frowned. “What are you talking about, Mom?” “Your bride drugged me last night and shaved my head while I slept,” I said, holding Natalie’s gaze. “She also destroyed my dress and stole my jewelry.”
Jackson’s face flushed with anger, but to my shock, it was directed at me. “Mom, how could you say something so horrible on our wedding day of all days?” Natalie’s eyes filled with tears on Q.
“I don’t know why you hate me so much, Beette. I’ve tried so hard to be a good daughter to you.” I stood there stunned by the performance and by my son’s reaction. “Jackson, I can prove it. She left a note. I have it here.”
I reached into my purse. “I don’t want to see whatever misunderstanding you’ve concocted,” Jackson said sharply. “You’ve been finding fault with Natalie from day one. And now you’re making up these crazy accusations because you can’t stand that I’m moving on with my life.”
Natalie placed a restraining hand on his arm playing the role of Peacemaker. “It’s okay, honey. Babette is just emotional today. We all are.” She turned to me with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Why don’t you take your seat? The ceremony is about to begin.”
As they walked away, I heard Natalie whisper to one of her bridesmaids. “I told you she’d go off the deep end eventually. Probably had a senior moment and cut her own hair, then forgot she did it.” The bridesmaid giggled, not realizing I could hear them.
I stood frozen, humiliated, and utterly heartbroken. My own son didn’t believe me. He thought I was either lying or losing my mind.
The pain was so intense it felt physical like a knife twisting in my chest. Judith, who had witnessed the entire exchange, took my arm. “Come on, Babette. Let’s find our seats. This isn’t over yet.”
The ceremony passed in a blur of pain. I watched as my son pledged his life and love to a woman who had assaulted me hours earlier. Each word of their vows felt like another betrayal.
When the officiant asked if anyone objected to the union, I felt Judith’s hand tighten on mine, warning me to stay silent. Not that I would have spoken up. I knew Jackson was too far gone to listen.
After the ceremony during the cocktail hour before the reception, I overheard Natalie recounting her version of events to a circle of friends. “Poor Babette is struggling with the idea of Jackson having another woman in his life. She actually showed up with this tragic new haircut and tried to claim I had something to do with it. Can you imagine?”
“Jackson says she’s been acting erratic lately. We’re thinking of having her see someone after the honeymoon.” Something snapped inside me at that moment. The last threat of restraint I had been clinging to simply dissolved.
Natalie had not only assaulted me and stolen from me, but she was now attempting to paint me as mentally unstable to everyone we knew. And worse, my son was apparently complicit in this narrative. I walked away from the gathering, found a quiet corner, and called my financial adviser.