At my mother-in-law's seventieth birthday banquet, my husband, for the sake of so-called appearances, not only publicly denied our marital relationship but also made our son call his childhood sweetheart "Mom."
"Look at the mess you are. You're not worthy to be my wife. I only have one wife and that's Erin!"
When I confronted him, my mother-in-law, who had always treated me with respect, called me a jinx and told me to get out.
I was unwilling to accept it, but friends and relatives all mocked me as an unwanted castoff and drove me out.
Even the son I had raised for sixteen years shouted, “You’re not fit to be my mom! Dad would only be happy with someone as beautiful as Erin. You might as well get hit by a car and die to make way for Erin and Dad! They are true love!”
Looking at my husband and son, who now felt like strangers, I realized that in this moment, I was nothing more than a joke.
——
After entering the hotel, my husband arranged for me to sit at the lowest-ranked seat.
In the past, I was always the one accompanying him, but now, the person sitting by his side was Erin.
When everyone cast questioning glances at Victor, he proudly introduced, "I’ve already married Erin. She’s my wife now. As for Liane..."
He paused and looked at me.
I gazed back at him with a hopeful look, yearning for him to acknowledge all I had done for this family over the years and take back his earlier words.
But his eyes were filled with disdain. He sneered coldly, "Just look at her; a mess with rough skin like a beggar. She doesn’t even look like a woman anymore. We divorced a long time ago."
My son, Frank, chimed in with contempt, "A hideous woman like her doesn’t deserve my dad at all. She’s nothing compared to Erin who runs a cosmetic shop herself. She’s clearly here today with the same shamelessness she used back then to chase after my dad!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the room erupted in laughter.
One of Victor’s cousins glanced at me and mocked, “Victor, I heard that back in school, she chased you for four years, buying you meals, fetching water, giving gifts and even fighting to wash your underwear. That can’t be true, right?"
The look of disdain on Victor's face deepened. "Stop talking. During that time, I was in a bad mood and she took advantage of the situation. Looking back now, I really regret it. How could I have ever been attracted to a woman like her, someone so unkempt?"
Hearing this, a deep bitterness welled up inside me.
I never expected the sincerity I had given to him over the years would be treated with such humiliation.
Moreover, over the years, for the sake of them, I spent all my time on this family. I didn't have much time to take care of myself, but I was humiliated by them like this.
At that moment, Erin smiled sweetly as she nestled into Victor’s embrace, her eyes full of affection. "Victor, it was all my fault back then. I didn’t realize your true feelings for me in time and I went abroad without discussing it with you."
"Fortunately, our fate isn't over. From now on, I will stay by your side," she said, her hand shamelessly caressing Victor's waist, even slipping inside his clothes, subtly provoking me.
Victor, feeling Erin's affection, not only didn’t push her away, but instead, he held her even more recklessly and the two of them gazed at each other with nothing but love in their eyes.
At this moment, my mother-in-law cleared her throat softly.
I had thought that as an elder, she would never tolerate Victor’s behavior. But to my surprise, she spoke up and said, "Although Erin is a woman, she is independent and strong. She even opened a cosmetic store, unlike some people, who not only neglect their appearance but also stay at home all day."
Hearing this, everyone began to praise Erin as a role model for women, saying that Victor had made the right choice in divorcing and that a man should find a woman with strong opinions.
