“Madam, you’re back?”
“I’m so sorry, my clothes got soaked in the rain and Mr. Coleman was worried I’d catch a cold. He kindly lent me your nightgown.”
I glanced at Richard.
He was sitting at the dining table, still as handsome as ever, but his eyes were cold as ice.
It felt like I had walked into someone else’s dinner like I was the intruder.
“Why didn’t you say you were coming back?”
His tone was distant, not a trace of concern.
I clenched my fists, forcing down the rage bubbling inside me.
“This is my home. Do I need to file a report before I walk into my own house?”
Lauren jumped in quickly, her voice laced with carefully crafted guilt.
“Madam, please don’t misunderstand. I only came to deliver documents to Mr. Coleman. I didn’t expect the sudden downpour...”
I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Do you need to wear my nightgown to deliver documents? Do you need a candlelit dinner for that?”
“Get out.”
Lauren stepped back, pretending to be frightened, her eyes even turning slightly red.
“I’m sorry, it’s all my fault... I’ll go change right away...”
As she spoke, her fingers slowly undid the buttons of the nightgown, her eyes flicking subtly in Richard’s direction.
Sure enough, Richard suddenly stood up and stepped in front of her.
“Amanda, that’s enough.”
“Lauren is a guest. What right do you have to treat her like this?”
“Guest?” I scoffed coldly.
“Fine. If she’s not leaving, I will.”
I stormed into the bedroom and started stuffing clothes into a backpack.
Richard looked like he wanted to stop me, but the moment Lauren tugged on his sleeve, he sat back down.
As I passed the study, I opened the door to grab my mother’s portrait.
But what I found stopped me cold.
The frame was shattered.
Glass shards scattered across the floor.
And a large, filthy footprint was stamped right across my mother’s photo.
My blood ran ice cold.
“Who did this?”
My voice came out low and tight, trembling with fury.
Lauren followed me in, pretending to be shocked as she leaned close.
“Madam, I’m so sorry. I accidentally knocked it over while getting out of the shower. I’ll buy you a new one.”
“Accidentally?”
I turned slowly to face her, my eyes locked onto that perfectly pitiful face.
“Did you accidentally bump into it… or did you deliberately step on it?”
Her expression faltered for a split second.
But then, just as quickly, she slipped back into her innocent mask.
“I really didn’t mean to. Please don’t be angry…”
Richard appeared behind us, frowning.
“Amanda, Lauren already apologized. What more do you want?”
“It’s just a photo of your mother. We’ll reprint and reframe it tomorrow.”
“She said she didn’t mean it. Why are you being so harsh?”
Those words were the final straw.
The fuse was lit.
I grabbed Lauren by the collar and slammed her against the wall.
“Who do you think you are, touching my mother’s portrait?!”
Fear flashed in her eyes.
But she quickly squeezed out a few tears.
“Madam, I really didn’t mean to!”
Richard rushed over and pulled at my arm.
“Amanda! Are you insane?! Let her go!”
I ignored him.
I grabbed Lauren by the hair and slammed her head against the wall.
A dull thud echoed through the room.
Her forehead instantly swelled, blood trickling down the side of her face.
“Amanda! Stop it!”
Richard was screaming now, trying desperately to pull me off her.
Lauren finally dropped the act. Her face twisted in hatred.
But her voice stayed soft, calm, like she was still performing.
“Madam, if you do this… Mr. Coleman will be heartbroken...”
“Heartbroken?” I slammed her into the wall again.
“What does his heartbreak have to do with me?”
Richard shoved me away and threw his arms around her, his voice furious.
“Amanda, you’re completely out of control! We’re done!”
“We’re getting divorced tomorrow!”
I slapped him hard across the face.
“Richard, this isn’t something divorce can fix!”
“You can trample on my feelings, but you don’t get to insult my mother!”
“If I don’t kill the both of you today, I’ll write my name backward!”
