4: 4
If it hadn't been for that moment during the gift-giving.
Hilda had deliberately tugged the pendant out from under her collar and looked straight at me, daring me.
Until then I hadn't even known he'd give away the birthday gift meant for my mother.
Marvin frowned and pulled me off to the side.
"Can't you keep your voice down? If your family hears you, they'll take it out on Hildy."
"It's your mother's birthday. Don't cause a scene now, don't embarrass her."
I laughed.
"When you brought your ex-girlfriend to our family dinner and sat her in my seat, you weren't worried about embarrassment then?"
"Get the pendant back. Now."
At that, Hilda came over, eyes brimming with tears.
"Kate, I'm sorry. I really didn't know it was your mother's gift."
"When it was delivered to your house, my name was on it as the recipient. I've been having nightmares lately, and Marvin said good jade calms the nerves, so I thought he'd bought it for me."
"I know you don't like me. I'll give it back to you, so please stop making things hard for Marvin…"
She lifted the pendant off her neck and made as if to press it into my hand.
Then let go before it ever touched me.
The jade shattered into pieces on the floor.
Hilda burst into tears at once.
"Kate, is it because you think I'm filthy?"
"I'd rather die than be humiliated by you like this. I'm only in your way as long as I'm alive anyway!"
She ran out crying.
Marvin shoved me hard, and I went down onto the floor.
My palm came down on the sharp edges of the broken jade, and my whole hand was covered in blood.
Marvin glared at me, seething.
"Kate, you knew perfectly well that Hildy has depression, and you still provoked her like that, so cruelly. Are you satisfied now?!"
"I'm the one who forgot to change the recipient's name, and I'm the one who said it was for Hildy. If you've got the nerve, come at me!"
"It's just a birthday gift. It's not like your family is short one piece of jade. Or do you think your mother won't live to see next year? Making a huge deal out of nothing, nitpicking over every little thing. You're impossible!"
With that, he rushed out after Hilda without a second thought.
I slumped on the floor and pulled the corner of my mouth into a bitter little smile.
So changing the address had made no difference. The recipient was still Hilda.
And for her sake, Marvin would even curse my own mother.
Back home that night, my mother dabbed medicine on my palm, her heart aching for me.
I didn't want her to worry, so I'd deliberately worn long sleeves to keep the cuts on my arm hidden.
"Dad, Mom, I'm sorry. I made you lose face."
My mother opened her mouth to ask something, but my father stopped her.
He handed me a partnership letter of intent.
"Katie, whether we lose face doesn't matter. What matters is whether my daughter has been wronged."
"You're not in a good mood right now, and there are things you don't want to talk about yet. We won't press you. But whether or not you still give him this letter of intent, that's for you to decide."
This year Marvin's little company wanted to expand, and I was the one who put in a good word for him.
That was why my father had agreed to hand one of our outsourced supply chains over to him.
The plan had been to give it to him today, right after he presented the birthday gift.
Instead Marvin ground our whole family's face into the dirt.
I said quietly, "Dad, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
Three days later, Marvin texted me.
【Your dad's got the partnership letter of intent drawn up by now, right? Everything's ready on my end.】
【A lot of friends and clients heard our families are partnering up and want to come congratulate us, so I've thrown a reception. Bring it over and sign today.】
His breezy way of papering over everything was nothing new to me.
I only replied: 【Understood.】
When I arrived, the banquet hall was already packed with guests.
Hilda was in a mermaid gown, her arm hooked through Marvin's.
The two of them kept leaning in, heads close, murmuring and smiling. Very cozy.
A friend they both knew teased them.
"If you ask me, after all these years, you two are still the best match."
A few clients joined in.
"Mr. Gilbert, this must be your wife? A talented man and a beautiful woman, just as they say."
Hilda flushed pink, and Marvin thanked them politely without correcting a thing.
When he saw me, Marvin came over and frowned at my casual clothes.
"Why aren't you in a gown? Even Hildy knows to dress the part for an occasion like this. You're regressing more by the day."
"I was rushed. Besides, the gown I picked out earlier, isn't that the one you mailed to Hilda? It's the one she's wearing."
Marvin froze for a moment, then changed the subject, uncomfortable.
"You brought the letter of intent? Your dad signed it?"
"Yes."
"Then let's go up on stage and hand it over. Everyone's waiting. Oh, and remember to apologize to Hildy in front of everyone later."
"That night, you bullied her so badly she nearly slit her wrists."
I said flatly, "Sure."
Marvin hadn't expected me to agree so readily. He nodded, satisfied.
"Katie, you've finally learned some sense."
On stage, after a few words thanking the guests, he held out his hand to me.
"Katie, hand over the letter of intent. Once I sign too, the partnership between our families is officially in effect."
I took out a document, but I didn't give it to him.
Instead I took the microphone and spoke slowly to the crowd below.
"Everyone, I did come today with something to hand to Mr. Gilbert in front of you all."
"Only it isn't a partnership letter of intent. It's divorce papers."
