Anthony thoughtfully pulled out a chair for me and the whole family echoed in unison, urging me to sit carefully, as though even sitting down could harm me.
I couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.
Pregnancy, what a powerful weapon it had become.
I had barely taken a few bites when Zora, Anthony’s mother, got straight to the point, her smile stretching wide as she placed a piece of meat in my bowl.
"Aurelia, now that you're pregnant, it won’t be long before the baby arrives. You and Anthony should hurry up and get your marriage certificate. Otherwise, things will get messy when it’s time to register the child."
I forced a smile, keeping my voice calm.
"Auntie, there’s still plenty of time. We haven’t even had the wedding yet."
For a split second, Zora’s smile faltered, her eyes flashing with something complicated.
She put down her spoon and fork and turned to Anthony with a dramatic scowl.
"I told you to mention this to Aurelia and you still haven’t?"
Anthony fumbled, unable to get a single word out.
Then, Zora turned back to me, her expression all business.
"Aurelia here’s what we were thinking. Weddings are expensive, so we figured we could skip it and save the money for when the baby arrives."
I feigned surprise, widening my eyes as I looked at everyone.
"No wedding? But I’ve already designed my wedding dress."
Anthony looked troubled, his lips sealed in silence.
I turned to Zora, my voice steady.
"Auntie, you might not know this, but in my family, there’s a tradition: we can’t get a marriage certificate without holding a wedding banquet first."
Zora froze for a moment, her face twisting with surprise before she let out a couple of awkward laughs.
After a long silence, she finally spoke, her tone a little too casual.
"I see… Well, it’s up to you two. If you want a wedding, then have one. But as for the betrothal money, let’s just skip it. When the baby’s born, I’ll spend that money on the child anyway. No matter how you look at it, it’s still going to be for your family."
What a clever scheme. It was so smooth and subtle.
I feigned surprise, coughing as if I had choked, quickly waving my hands in mock panic.
"Auntie… That’s not how traditions work. The betrothal money goes to my parents, not to me and certainly not to my child."
Zora’s face darkened in an instant.
I couldn’t help but feel a flash of amusement. I pressed on, my voice steady but pointed.
"Isn’t it the same in your family? I heard from Anthony that when Amelia got married, her betrothal gift of 288,000 dollars went straight to you."
The room froze.
A heavy silence fell over the table and the shock was written all over their faces.
Satisfaction curled in my chest. I was no pushover.
If you treated me well, I’d repay it tenfold. But if you tried to take advantage of me? Well, don’t expect mercy.
Finally, Oliver, Anthony’s father, who had been sitting at the head of the table, spoke. His voice was sharp, his gaze cutting through the tension like a blade.
"Then tell me, how much betrothal money do you want?"
I lowered my spoon and fork with a calm expression and spoke without hesitation.
"Not much. Just 88,000 dollars, the same last digits as Amelia’s."
Zora’s eyes went wide in surprise. She shot up from her seat, fury spreading across her face.
"That’s not much? Are you trying to bleed us dry? You can have 8,800 dollars, but 88,000? Absolutely not!"
She snapped her head away, her gaze fixed stubbornly elsewhere, unwilling to meet my eyes.
Amelia, who had been tightly wound the entire evening, finally reacted. She shot me a cold glare, her voice dripping with reproach.
"Aurelia, what’s this nonsense? Is this how you speak to your elders?"
I stood, about to fire back, but Anthony’s hand caught mine, halting me.
He shook his head, silently urging me to stay silent and not escalate things with his sister.
At that moment, I froze, realizing that what was right and wrong was as clear as day.
