“Sallie, don't you think Carlos and Herschel are destined to be together? They look so alike, your mother in-law will be very happy to see them, as if they were your biological children.”
When I heard her words, I looked up subconsciously, only to see Herschel frowning slightly with guilt. In the end, he just barked, “What nonsense! All children look alike.”
Liza pouted in dissatisfaction and continued her confrontation, “I’m just talking, Sallie, you won't be angry, right?”
“No,” I answered expressionlessly.
Herschel breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this and changed the subject. “By the way, I just saw you holding a document in your hand. What did you do this afternoon?”
Before I could answer, Liza interrupted, “Ah! The child seems hungry.”
Herschel really diverted his attention and did not ask any more questions until he got out of the car.
Along the way, the two of them talked and laughed from time to time, teased the children and their actions were intimate and familiar, completely different from the perfunctory attitude they showed when they were with me.
I closed my eyes and felt mocking. His love was so cheap.
Before entering the villa, Liza suddenly found an excuse to take a few steps behind and whispered in my ear provocatively, “Sallie, I will take away everything that belongs to you bit by bit!”
I stood outside the door and watched a group of people come up to greet her with smiles, as if they were a family.
My mother in-law, who used to speak ill of me and looked down on me in every way, was that moment teasing Carlos in Liza's arms, with a kind look on her face.
My father in-law, who had not given me a good face for a long time, smiled and took out an envelope, stuffed it into Liza's arms.
I suddenly remembered that a long time ago, when they learned that I had agreed to Herschel’s proposal, they did the same thing.
At that time, Herschel’s mother held my hand and was so excited that she did not know what to say.
“Sallie, you are a good girl. You have been wronged by following us, Herschel. From now on, we will be your parents and will always treat you as our own daughter.”
However, after my parents went abroad in anger and Herschel successfully started his own business, they changed their attitude.
Over the years, I had endured all the quarrels and covert ridicules.
I loved Herschel and did not want him to be caught in the middle, so I tolerated and tried to please them everywhere.
I thought that even if their hearts were like ice, I could warm them up.
But it turned out that this family had hidden iron under the ice.
Herschel surrounded his family with a look of happiness on his face, but he quickly realized something and looked towards the door anxiously.
Seeing me staring at them blankly, with no light in my eyes, my heart ached suddenly.
Herschel walked up to me and pulled me over, asking cautiously, “What's wrong? Are you unhappy? Mom is just too happy and thinking that she is a classmate, she invited Liza to have dinner with her.”
Without waiting for me to say anything, Herschel’s mother interrupted me with disdain, “What's there to be unhappy about? She cannot give birth to a child and won't let me hold a grandchild?
“Herschel, you really spoil her too much. She eats and lives in our house and yet she dares to throw a tantrum.
“Go out and see which daughter-in-law is not doing anything like her. Liza is here today, so let Sallie cook!”
I subconsciously looked at Herschel, but saw that he was as silent as ever and I could not help but laugh at myself.
If he really loved me, why would he have seen me humble myself so many times? But I never doubted it before.
Not wanting to cause any more trouble, I did not argue and turned to go to the kitchen.
When the meal was served on the table, the family was already seated.
Liza smiled and asked me to sit down, acting like a hostess as she said, “Sallie, sit down and eat too. I remember you loved this the most.”
The next second, a few more shrimps appeared in the bowl.
I was silent for a moment and put the shrimp on the plate.
“I don't eat this.”
Liza's eyes instantly turned red and she looked helpless and aggrieved as she asked, “Do you hate me so much? You don't even want to eat the shrimp I peeled.”
Herschel’s mother could not help but slam her spoon and stood up, her face full of disgust.
“What do you want? Liza means well. Do you really want to ruin our happiness? Get out if you don't want to eat!” she yelled.
Herschel also frowned and looked at me with disapproval, as if I was being unreasonable.
“Sallie, why are you so hostile to Liza? She introduced Carlos to us and has done a great service to our family, but you keep throwing tantrums against her. She is innocent!” he snapped.
I guessed they loved Liza just because she was giving birth to Carlos. So, when I looked at this big family, I just found it ridiculous.
I actually laughed out loud and questioned him despite everyone's surprised looks, “Herschel, do you remember that I am severely allergic to shrimp?”
When he ordered pasta, he would specifically ask the store not to put shrimps in it and he would even avoid eating seafood.
He said that everything about me was a big deal, but then he had forgotten it.
Herschel felt flustered at first, then thought I was making a big deal out of nothing and his face turned ugly as he responded, “It's just a minor allergy, it won't kill anyone, why bother to embarrass Liza on the spot.”
I took a deep breath, put down my spoon and walked away.
But he stopped me with a disappointed tone, “Sallie, how did you become so selfish and cold-blooded now?! I know you feel bad about losing your child, but what does it have to do with them? Eat that shrimp as an apology!”
“Even though I might die?”
