"Good!"
Relief flooded Irvin's face. He shot to his feet and reached for me. "Phyllis, I knew you'd understand. The guests are waiting—let's get back."
His tone shifted, threading in a note of reproach. "Honestly, fighting with your little sister over a red envelope? What will people think?"
I stepped back, blocking his outstretched hand.
"Irvin, the wedding is off. I'm done."
He froze, staring at me like I'd spoken in tongues. "What did you just say? Do you have any idea how many guests are out there? You want to humiliate me? Turn me into a laughingstock?"
"I'm not the one who should be embarrassed. Let them laugh."
I grabbed my purse and brushed past him toward the door. "You two made me the joke first. You mistook my patience for weakness."
I paused at the threshold, not bothering to turn around. "I came here to marry a man who'd put me first—not some spineless cheat who hides behind his 'little sister.'"
It was all so clear now. Family friend's daughter. What a joke. They were just two cheaters who couldn't keep their hands off each other.
All those times Irvin had used the Gilberts' past generosity as an excuse—buying Antonia designer clothes, expensive handbags, taking personal leave to whisk her off on trips whenever she felt sad. I'd swallowed it all. Now I saw it for what it was: an affair dressed up in sibling cosplay.
I'd just reached the doorway when Antonia burst in, tears streaming down her face. She dropped to her knees in front of me with a theatrical thud.
"Phyllis, this is all my fault! Auntie only gave me that big red envelope because she feels sorry for me—I have no one else. Here, take it all back. Please don't be angry at Irvin because of me."
Her voice cracked, perfectly pitched. "He loves you. I'm just... someone he keeps company with sometimes."
She fumbled with a wad of cash, shoving it toward me.
I swatted her hands away, irritation flaring. "Antonia, enough. Drop the act."
"Since you can't bear to be apart from your precious Irvin, why don't you just marry him yourself? You've already collected the bride price—what's left to pretend about?"
The force of my push sent her stumbling. She cried out and crumpled to the floor.
Irvin's expression darkened. He crossed the room in three strides and swept her into his arms. "Antonia! Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?"
She gazed up at him, eyes glistening with wounded innocence, then slid a glance my way.
"Phyllis, you've hit me, and I've returned the money. Please don't be mad at Irvin anymore." Her lower lip trembled. "If you really hate me that much, I'll go back to my hometown. I won't see Auntie or Irvin ever again."
Auntie now, was it? Apparently the scene after I'd left had been quite the bonding moment.
Irvin's face contorted. He rounded on me. "Phyllis, can't you just be reasonable for once? You want to drive her away so everyone can call me an ungrateful bastard?"
I regarded them both with cold detachment. Now that I saw everything clearly, I had nothing left to explain.
I lifted my chin and moved to step around him.
That's when Irvin snatched the bundle of cash from the floor and hurled it straight at my face.
"It's always about money with you, isn't it? Fine—take it all!"
Bills exploded against my cheek, scattering to the ground.
"No wonder my mother wanted to test you before the wedding." His voice was savage. "Now I finally see who you really are."
He grabbed the remaining cash and flung it at me, bill after bill, each one hitting my face like a slap.
The commotion drew staff and guests to the doorway. Whispers slithered through the crowd.
"That's the bride. Apparently she's throwing a fit because the red envelope wasn't big enough."
"I heard she's a college professor. Can you imagine? So petty over pocket change—like some country girl who's never seen money before."
