When he turned to me, his voice dropped a few degrees. “Did you hear me? Quit throwing a tantrum. Go out there and apologize to Chloe. Tell her you weren't thinking straight, that you shouldn't have accused her, shouldn't have worried your mother.”
All I'd done was walk away with a cold face after Chloe slandered me in front of everyone. And he wanted me to go back and apologize.
Laughable.
Fine. If he wanted an apology, I'd give them one they'd remember.
Mark half-dragged me out of the restroom.
The second I stepped back into the living room, my mother slapped me across the face.
“You ungrateful girl! Chloe has been nothing but kind to you, and you dare accuse her? You pick fights with Mark? Won't you stop until this whole family is in ruins?”
She jabbed a finger at my face, screaming, every word dripping with disgust and disappointment.
“If Chloe hadn't risked her life to save your brother, there wouldn't even be remains left! She gave him an heir. This whole family owes her!”
“And what about you? No ambition, no decency, sleeping around. Compared to Chloe, you're not worth a fraction of her!”
Her face darkened further, and she added coldly：“Apologize to Chloe. Now. And from today on, you are not to cause her any more trouble, and you are not to go near Mark. Stop humiliating this family.”
Relatives chimed in from every side. Someone muttered：“Doesn't know what's good for her. Chloe's such a kind person, and she has the nerve to bully her.”
“Cheated on her own boyfriend, and now she's got the gall to go after her sister-in-law's man!”
“Exactly. Sleeping around, ten abortions. What a disgrace to the family.”
“Lucky we've got Chloe. Without her, this girl would've destroyed the whole household.”
Chloe stood beside Mark, my brother's posthumous child cradled in her arms, her eyes faintly red—wronged yet gracious, forgiving yet wounded.
“Please, everyone. Constance is still young, she doesn't know better. Don't scold her. I don't blame her.”
She paused, then looked at me, her voice gentle.
“Constance, I know you might have the wrong idea about me and Mark. We're just friends. He only feels sorry for me raising a child alone and wants to help, that's all. Don't take it to heart.”
Mark draped an arm around Chloe's shoulders and smiled warmly at the room：“That's right, everyone. Chloe and I are just friends. Constance is too sensitive.”
“Chloe's heart has only ever been with your brother and the child. She even tried to kill herself several times after he died. Constance, you really shouldn't have doubted her.”
“I'll have a good talk with Constance. I promise, she won't be causing anyone trouble again.”
He turned to me, his gaze sharp with warning：“Well? Apologize to Chloe.”
I just looked at them coldly, so chilled through I couldn't bring myself to say another word.
When I didn't speak, Chloe let out a deliberate little sigh, her voice soft：“Constance, I know you're upset. Why don't you go rest in your room? Don't ruin your health over this.”
“After all, it hasn't been long since your last abortion. Your body's still weak.”
My mother jumped right in：“Yes, yes, go back to your room. Stop being an eyesore. And don't you bring any of your filthy diseases near Chloe and the baby!”
“Everyone, I know Constance hates me. She hates that I've taken her place, hates that Mark looks after me. But I really don't mean anything by it. I just want to raise this child and survive, that's all.”
The relatives started up again, and the looks aimed at me turned even uglier.
I stared at that lying face of hers, and every last drop of rage and grief I'd been swallowing finally broke loose.
I raised my hand and slapped Chloe as hard as I could.
