I sneered.
“Revenge? You canceled my daughter’s birthday party. Who’s really seeking revenge here?”
“Friends? They’re all Stella’s friends. What does that have to do with me? Even if I ran naked, no one would look at me.”
His expression darkened instantly.
“Are you still angry? Is this never-ending? I’ve explained it to you hundreds of times. You were the one who was late and made the relatives wait. I politely let them go home, wasn’t it just to give you a way out.”
“Give me a way out? Or give you and Stella a chance to kiss? You’ve been waiting for this day for so long, haven’t you? It must have been tough.”
I snorted coldly and Theo’s eyes turned red with anger.
Just as he was about to speak, Stella walked up from behind, holding my mother-in-law’s hand.
“Adele? Didn’t I tell you to rest today? Why did you come?”
Barbara rolled her eyes.
“At least you showed up. You’re busier than the president of the United Nations!”
“If it weren’t for Theo suggesting we change it to Stella’s birthday party, the money we spent on the hotel would have gone down the drain!”
“You left so early but were the last one to arrive. Those who know say you took a taxi and those who don’t think you took the kids to the afterlife!”
I didn’t back down and retorted, “Your son bought all the sanitary pads in the store and his assistant bought all the diapers in the mall. Those who know say he’s responsible and those who don’t think he really has a new home outside!”
Theo’s face turned even darker.
“When did I ever tell my assistant to buy anything?”
“At least think before you speak! Who uses diapers that much? Did he use all of them?”
Stella’s eyes welled up with tears, her face full of grievance.
“Adele, I didn’t mean to. I just wanted the assistant to buy them as a gift for the child.”
“I really didn’t know it would cause you trouble.”
I spread my hands, giving her a “you see” expression.
Theo changed the subject and defended Stella.
“Stella didn’t mean it either. Who knew you didn’t bring any spares today?”
I burst out laughing in anger.
“So it’s all my fault? What am I supposed to say? Should I kneel down and thank her?”
“Thank her for kissing my child’s father at the birthday party? Thank her for drinking the wedding cup with my child’s father?”
Theo rushed forward to attack me, but was held back by Stella.
“What’s with the passive-aggressive attitude? Who owes you anything? You were the one who was late and I didn’t stop you from coming!”
“If it weren’t for Stella being so considerate and enduring her stomach pain to smooth things over for you, you’d already be cursed out by the relatives! Do you think you’d still be standing here?”
“There are no ill-mannered people in the Baron Family! I’ll say this one last time, apologize to Stella, reschedule the private room for tonight and treat the relatives who left today to a meal. Otherwise, this isn’t over between us!”
My expression turned completely cold.
“You don’t think I came here to rush into becoming your Baron Family’s daughter-in-law, do you? Sorry, you’re overthinking it. I came here just to attend my daughter’s birthday party.”
“If you don’t want to be my daughter’s father, there are plenty of others eager to spend money on her. I’ve already found her a new father. Good dogs don’t block the way, so get out of the way.”
Theo finally noticed the man behind me, his forehead veins throbbing.
“Say that again?”
“You want my daughter to call him ‘father’?”
I pulled out the marriage certificate and household registration book I’d just received, flipped them open and held them in front of him.
“That’s right, it’s not ‘dad.’ He’s her father now.”
“Sorry, I’m in a hurry to celebrate my daughter’s birthday. If you have time, you can come over to the next door for a drink.”
“But..”
“We start with a million-dollar gift. I wonder if your bank account has enough?”
