The other waiters joined in with cold, mocking voices, saying, “That’s right, Jameson is President Simpson’s real husband.”
“You, country fool, what right do you have to steal his wife? I’ve never seen anyone so shameless, seducing a rich woman just to live off her; it’s disgusting.”
“Jameson, a man like him, deserves a good beating.”
Jameson nodded slightly, then glanced at the table. Without hesitation, he dumped the plate of braised fish, still covered in ice crystals, onto the floor and crushed it under his heel with deliberate force.
Looking down at me, his tone full of arrogance, he said, “You’ve lied this much, all for the medicine, haven’t you? Fine. Kneel down and eat this pre-made fish you looked down on. If you finish it clean, I’ll give you the medicine.”
I looked at Calvin lying on the floor. He met my eyes, his voice weak and trembling as he forced out, “Don’t…”
Even in pain, he didn’t want me to lower myself for his sake. Though Kelly had betrayed me, her father had always treated me with kindness.
He had always told Kelly to treat me kindly and warned her never to wrong me, saying that if she ever did, he would cut ties with her completely.
To avoid being a burden on me and Kelly, and to let us live peacefully, he insisted on returning to the countryside alone, no matter how much we tried to stop him.
Every time he came to visit, he would bring bags filled with local produce, treating me like his own son.
Watching his breathing grow weak and his face turn pale, I didn’t think twice. I dropped to my knees, held back the nausea, and began eating the fish that had been crushed into the dirt.
I let go of all pride and cared about nothing except keeping my father-in-law alive.
Jameson laughed loudly, pointing at me with satisfaction. “Everyone, look at this pathetic man, doesn’t he look just like a dog?”
“A moment ago, he sneered at the pre-made fish, and now he’s eating it as if it’s the best thing he’s ever had.”
The waiters burst into laughter.
“Jameson really deserves to be President Simpson’s husband; he sure knows how to put people in their place.”
I ignored their laughter and forced myself to swallow every last piece of the dirty fish.
When it was done, I lifted my head, my eyes full of desperation, and stared straight at Jameson. “I did what you said. Now give me the medicine.”
Jameson sneered. “Just as I thought, you really are a fool. You actually believed me? I was lying to you.”
He swung his arm and threw the pill bottle out the window. It flew through the air and dropped straight into the lake.
“No!”
As I watched the medicine sink, my chest felt like it was tearing apart, and tears filled my eyes.
At that moment, Calvin’s body trembled, his gaze unfocused as his eyes rolled upward.
With shaking hands, he reached toward my face, trying to wipe away my tears.
“Matias, I’m sorry.”
After saying those few words, his hand slipped from mine and fell weakly to the floor.
His shallow breathing faded until it stopped completely.
“Dad? Wake up! Dad!”
I shook him again and again, but no matter how I called or pleaded, he didn’t respond. My father-in-law was gone.
I had never thought that a simple visit to Kelly’s restaurant would turn into this, that I would run into that man, Jameson, and lose my father-in-law because of him.
My body went weak as I sank to the floor, my cries breaking through the pain that filled me.
The restaurant’s floor manager rushed over, checked for a pulse, and shouted in fear, “Jameson, the old man, he’s really dead! What should we do?”
Jameson frowned, a look of irritation crossing his face. “He came here trying to scam us. If he’s dead, that’s on him.”
“Besides, my wife is the president of Simpson Group. With her power and influence, what do I have to be afraid of?”
The waiters, who had been tense a moment before, all let out a relieved sigh when they heard that.
Seeing Jameson still acting arrogant set something in me off. I snapped, pushing myself up and grabbing Jameson by the throat.
“You beast, I’ll kill you!” I shouted. All I wanted then was for him to pay for what happened to my father-in-law.
One waiter yelled, “Damn it, you dare hit our Jameson?” and kicked me hard to the ground.
The others swarmed me, punching and kicking until I was driven flat. The blows left me broken and gasping, but Jameson wasn’t done.
He coughed, clutched his throat, and glared at me with pure hatred.
“You useless trash! No one’s ever dared touch me. Today, you’ll learn what that costs.”
Then Jameson grabbed a knife and fork from the table and drove them into my thigh.
Blood poured out, and the pain was unbearable. I didn’t scream, but my eyes turned red as I shouted at Jameson, “Jameson, you’ll die for this! You definitely will!”
Jameson snapped, “You piece of trash! You still dare to threaten me?”
Filled with rage, he treated me like a target, stabbing me again and again with the knife and fork.
Just when I was about to lose consciousness, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, “President Simpson is here!”
