It wasn't the dishes she was unhappy with—it was me.
I shot to my feet, but Howard rose at the same instant and grabbed my arm.
He leaned close to my ear, his voice pleading. "Mom's just like this... Let's just finish dinner, and then we'll go home, okay?"
I clenched my fists and stared at him.
He was so spineless it made my teeth ache.
For his sake, I'd swallowed my pride again and again.
But I wasn't without limits.
For his mother's birthday, I'd given her a solid gold bracelet. When she fell ill, I'd arranged for the best specialist in the city. She loved showing off, so I'd ordered this obscene eighteen-course banquet.
And what did I get in return? Humiliation at every turn—all because I couldn't give her a grandchild.
Who could endure this?
Seeing that I was genuinely angry, Howard hurried to placate me in a low voice. "I know you've been wronged. Next year we won't come here—we'll spend the holiday at your parents' place, okay?"
I felt myself calm down slightly.
Three years of marriage, and I hadn't spent a single New Year with my own family. Even on the second day of the holiday, I wasn't allowed to visit them.
His mother's words still rang in my ears: "If you leave, who's going to hand out red envelopes to all these relatives and children?"
"You're married now—you need to hold up this household. Running off is out of the question."
For the sake of Howard's promise, I told myself: One more time. Just endure it one more time.
At that moment, Jude Fletcher raised his glass and swayed to his feet.
"Little brother," he slurred, "not to lecture you, but you need to keep your wife in line!"
"Can't pop out a kid, but sure knows how to burn through money. Tsk, tsk." He shook his head theatrically. "If she were my wife, I'd have slapped some sense into her ages ago!"
Under the table, Joyce kicked him. Her face, however, remained a mask of gentle concern. "You've had too much to drink. What nonsense are you spouting?"
"I'm not spouting nonsense!" Jude waved her off. "She married into the Fletcher family, so she follows Fletcher rules. A woman running a company? Out there schmoozing with God knows who?" He snorted. "Probably getting cheated on and doesn't even know it!"
Snickers rippled around the table.
Howard kept his head down. Silent.
I fixed Jude with a stony glare. "Big brother, who got you that job of yours? Without me 'out there schmoozing,' where would you be right now?"
Jude's face flushed crimson. He jabbed a finger at me. "You—!"
"Me what? Did I say something untrue?"
I met his gaze without flinching.
Howard immediately seized my arm. "Stella, that's enough—he's my brother!"
My eyes stung with sudden heat.
When others attacked me, he went mute.
When I defended myself, he held me back.
I'd never feared the knives and arrows of the outside world. But betrayal from the person closest to me? That I couldn't bear.
Darlene Hartwell suddenly turned to her daughter. "You work at Stella's company—how much does she pay you?"
Alyssa Hartwell blinked, caught off guard, then answered honestly. "Three thousand base, plus a thousand in performance bonuses."
"What?" Darlene slammed down her chopsticks. "You have a bachelor's degree, and she's paying you three or four thousand? She's screwing over her own family!"
Alyssa rushed to explain. "Mom, I just graduated this year. That's actually really good—"
Darlene smacked the table. "Stella, you dropped a hundred and eighty thousand on one meal, but you're this stingy with your own relatives? I don't care—you will give her a raise. Six thousand minimum!"
That opened the floodgates. Several relatives who worked at my company couldn't stay quiet any longer.
"Yeah, Stella, what about me? I've been at the company two years now—isn't it time for a bump?"
"Exactly! My dad handles your logistics—that's the dirtiest, hardest work there is. You can't play favorites!"
I turned to Howard, my gaze burning.
Every single one of these relatives had come to my company through him.
