My fingertips wouldn’t stop trembling. I used almost all my strength just to keep myself from losing control and standing up on the spot.
The people who had pushed me to this point… How could they be so shameless, so self-righteous?
This whole family was disgusting beyond words.
Before I could explode, Samantha suddenly reddened her eyes.
“Dad, please don’t say that.”
Her voice was soft and delicate, carrying a hint of choking sobs.
“Tara must be hurting so much inside.”
“Why don’t we do this…”
She stood up, as if she had finally made up her mind.
“I’ll drink in Dad’s place.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she downed three glasses in a row. The liquor slid down her throat, and an unnatural flush quickly spread across her face.
Lucy immediately panicked.
“Slow down, slow down. Don’t push yourself.”
Samantha shook her head, clearly forcing herself to stay composed.
“I’m fine.”
“As long as Tara can calm down.”
She poured another glass, held it with both hands, and offered it to me. Her eyes were red.
“Tara.”
“Could you give me this bit of face?”
“I know you’ve been wronged, but things have already come to this.”
“Just consider it for the sake of the child, okay?”
Randall finally snapped out of it. He grabbed the glass from her hand, his voice rising sharply.
“Are you crazy?”
“You’re already—”
He stopped himself abruptly.
The words left unsaid were more brutal than if he had finished them.
He looked down at her, his eyes filled with tenderness, his tone instantly softening.
“You don’t have to do this.”
But when he looked up at me again, all warmth vanished.
What remained was irritation and judgment.
“Tara.”
“Samantha has gone this far. Uncle and Aunt have already lowered themselves. What more do you want?”
“Haven’t you already agreed to drop the charges?”
“Why are you still putting on airs?”
“Do you enjoy watching everyone bow their heads to you?”
He stepped forward, his voice cold, like issuing a final ultimatum.
“Is drinking one glass really going to kill you?”
He knew.
He knew perfectly well.
I had just undergone surgery.
I couldn’t drink at all.
But to everyone at this table, my body, my pain, my life meant nothing.
What mattered was whether I would lift this so-called “reconciliation wine.”
I couldn’t take it anymore.
As the glass moved closer and closer, I raised my hand and knocked it away hard.
The glass shattered. Liquor splashed everywhere.
Samantha’s hand was cut. She screamed.
Before I could even react, the next second, Randall’s slap landed across my face without mercy.
I stood frozen, my ears ringing, my cheek burning.
I hadn’t wanted to cry, but my eyes betrayed me, turning red anyway.
Seven years together, and Randall had never laid a hand on me.
The first time he did, it was for Samantha.
My mind went blank. I turned, wanting only to leave.
Behind me, Randall seemed to realize what he’d done. He shut his eyes in regret, then quickly chased after me.
“Tara, I didn’t mean it. Don’t be mad.”
He grabbed me, panic finally creeping into his voice. “This is a mountain resort. There are no cars outside. You can’t leave right now.”
“Stay for now, okay?”
“Be good. Once you calm down, I’ll explain everything.”
I shook his hand off.
I looked at him, then, right in front of his eyes, pulled the plain band off my finger and tossed it into the trash. Without another word, I went upstairs.
“Tara!”
Randall panicked and tried to follow, but Samantha called out to him.
I watched him hesitate for a moment before turning back to the dining room.
Downstairs, laughter soon resumed, as if nothing had happened.
I let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh. What hope had I still been clinging to with this man?
Taking a deep breath, I turned and walked toward Randall’s father’s room.
I quietly placed the pinhole camera I had prepared long ago.
When I returned to the guest room and tried to call a car to go home, I saw Samantha slip inside like a snake and shut the door with a click.
She slowly turned around. The fake fragility was gone. What remained was smug provocation.
“Tara, does it feel stifling?”
She glanced at my phone lighting up and dimming again, the corners of her lips curling slightly. Her voice was so gentle it was almost pitying.
“Were you trying to call someone to pick you up? Or looking for someone to back you up?”
“You used to have that idiot brother who’d charge in for you. But now… he’s probably gone, huh?”
“What a pity.”
She sighed softly. “Your brother really had bad luck, getting stuck with a sister like you.”
“If you’re going to spew nonsense, do it outside. Don’t stand in front of me and get in my way.” I stood up. I didn’t want to stay in the same room with her for another second.
Samantha didn’t get angry at all. Her gaze slid from my face to the bandaged hand.
“Tsk, tsk. Look at our doctor. That hand is seriously injured.”
“Aunt Jaclyn was just saying earlier—this is perfect. Now, you won’t have to show your face everywhere anymore. You can stay home and be a useless person in peace. At least that way, you’re somewhat useful.”
As if recalling something, she chuckled softly.
“Did you know? They never really liked you.”
“Country background, weak family, stubborn personality, and still insisting on clinging to Randall’s future. In their eyes, someone like you isn’t even qualified to be a daughter-in-law.”
She stepped closer, superiority dripping from her tone.
“But I’m different.”
“The Hendershots has liked me since I was little. They’ve always believed I’m the one who truly belongs by Randall’s side.”
My breathing grew heavy. My whole body began to tremble.
Samantha looked as though she had been waiting for this moment. She slowly rested a hand on her abdomen.
“You still don’t know, do you? This child inside me—”
She smiled lightly, absolute confidence in her voice.
“Randall is very satisfied.”
“He said this is the child that should be born. The one everyone has been waiting for.”
“As for that clump of flesh of yours that got taken care of like a dog—”
“To put it bluntly, it’s a good thing it was never born.”
“After all, even if it had been, it would’ve just been an unacknowledged bastard.”
Her tone was casual, but every word was poison.
“And your brother.”
“Honestly, if he really dies, it’d be cleaner.”
“A family like yours just drags people down. One less burden would actually make things easier.”
She tilted her head, as if sincerely thinking it through for me.
“Look at you. No child. No hand. No future. And soon, no brother holding you back—”
At that moment, I couldn’t hear anything anymore.
The world dissolved into a sharp, piercing hum.
I lost all control.
I raised my hand and slapped Samantha across the face with all my strength.
