Half a month later, Julian organized a birthday banquet for his mother. I initially didn't want to attend, but given that many influential figures from the city were expected, I decided to check it out.
Seeing the old lady was already unfortunate enough, and to my dismay, Merlin was there with her.
Bad luck seemed to multiply.
Merlin, dressed modestly, was sitting in my place. Upon seeing me, she stood up:
"Sorry, Evelyn, I just wanted to catch up with Mrs. Jenkins for a bit. We haven't seen each other in a long time."
"Just stay there, we haven't finished our chat. You like the apartment I'm currently living in, right? I decided to transfer the house to you." She didn't even glance at me but firmly held Merlin's hand.
She was wearing a bracelet.It wasn't expensive, but it was reputed to be an heirloom of the Mercer family, something Evelyn had always desired.
Julian’s mother had said it would be over her dead body that Evelyn could get it.
With the bracelet comfortably on her wrist, Merlin sat back down confidently: "Evelyn, as you can see, Mrs. Jenkins asked me to sit here."
"How does it feel to take something that isn't yours?" I pulled out a chair and sat down opposite them "Or do you enjoy the thrill of winning in these situations? That's a sign of low self-esteem, suggesting you don't value yourself highly. You can only feel significant through such unhealthy actions—you should consider seeing a psychologist."
I took out Dr. Chandle's business card and slid it across the table to her.
Merlin looked bewildered: "Evelyn, I think there's a misunderstanding. Mrs. Jenkins raised me from childhood, and Julian and I grew up together. Just because I took your seat, you’re saying I’m sick? Isn't that excessive?"
"The internet is even harsher. They call you a mistress, a shameless wretch that wrecked other's home. Yet, you seem unaffected, not even trying to avoid suspicion. Do you enjoy being despised?—That's unhealthy too. It implies that deep down, you agree with these views and have a strong tendency toward self-destruction. You really should see a psychologist."
No matter what she started, I always end up suggesting a psychologist.
This was far from her intent to provoke me.
Visibly upset and flustered, she glanced quickly at the business card.
Julian's mother tore it up: "What mistress? Who is the mistress? If it weren't for your scheming to make Julian marry you, Merlin would be my daughter-in-law. What right do you have to lecture her?"
Her voice was loud.
Everyone around us looked our way.
I poured a glass of red wine and smiled slightly: "What kind of scheming? The kind where you were in the ICU and I spent a million to save your life?"
At that time, Evelyn had been pursuing Julian for two years. Julian was indifferent, not deeply in love with her.But they get along well with each other. When his mother was in trouble, Evelyn did not hesitate to pay the life-saving money. The condition, however, was that Julian had to marry her. If he married her, he would own the company, and the money wouldn't need to be repaid. Her intent was to demonstrate her sincerity.
She tirelessly cared for Julian's mother in the hospital, doing everything from the menial to the crucial, until she was discharged. But because her kindness was conditional, Julian and his mother viewed her as an enemy. Julian's mother even saw her as an unwanted suitor who threw herself at their family, believing her son deserved better.
She snorted, "It's just a million? What’s so great about that? Julian has plenty of money now, he can repay the million, and you can divorce him."
I swirled the wine in my glass: "You owe me more than just a million; back then, that million bought your life. So, if you really want to act as if nothing happened, that's fine—you can die immediately, and I'll divorce right here."
Julian's mother's eyes widened: "What did you say?! Say that again!!"
I lazily lifted my eyelid: "You die right here, I divorce now. Which word did you not understand?"
Merlin slammed the table and pointed at me: "Today is Mrs. Jenkins's birthday, how dare you curse an elder like that! Do you have no manners?!"
"Whether an elder deserves respect depends on the person. Usually ungrateful and exploiting my feelings for Julian, she shamelessly putting on airs in front of me, and I’ve tolerated it. But today, in front of all these people, all these eyes, She actually found a mistress for her son. Is that how an elder should behave?" I raised my glass to the surrounding people: "—Sorry to expose our family drama to you all."
Someone was recording the entire scene with their phone.
Perfect.
I don't mind buying another trending topic to expose the true faces of this family.
Before I could lower my raised glass, someone grabbed my wrist.
"Evelyn, when will you stop going crazy every time you see Merlin?" Julian lifted me up. "Apologize to mom!"
"Mom? She's not my mom. My mom wouldn't ban me from coming home for Christmas, or make food that I can't even stomach."
"My mom wouldn't ignore me after a miscarriage, calling you late at night to keep her company, suggesting you find someone else because I couldn’t bear you children.
"My mom certainly wouldn't eagerly inquire if my illness was terminal, when I would die, who else was in the family, and who would inherit the house.
"Besides, my mom passed away long ago, otherwise she wouldn't let her celebrate her birthday here. If my mom were here, you, Julian, wouldn't even be allowed to my house, let alone her gaining status through her son."
"Listen to what she's saying, huh?! You don't know how to make your wife behave, so I'll do it for you!"
Mrs. Jenkins, red-eyed, lunged to slap me.
Just a few words had revealed the true nature of this coarse woman.
Julian called someone to hold back his mother.
I tried to pull away from Julian's grasp.
But he wouldn't let go.
In his increasingly moist eyes, I smiled and one by one pried his fingers open:
"Mrs. Jenkins, I once gave you some respect for your son's sake."
"Now, I don't even want your son now, so don't bother pretending nobility in front of me."
I left the fuming Mrs. Jenkins and the stunned Julian behind, stepping lightly away from the banquet.
Drawing a circle around an ant with a wet finger traps it; it can no longer smell its pheromones and cannot find its way out, doomed to circle within those confines.
Evelyn had drawn such a prison for herself, associating with these ungrateful people.
The best way to not lose a game is not to sit at the table.
If there are people in life you dislike, let them get out of your life.
The world is vast, and they are insignificant.
