Chapter 5

I looked down. Inside the crystal ornament was an engraving of my figure.

In the photo she chose, I was turning my head to the side, mouth half-open.

The angle was so cunningly chosen that it captured the exact moment I looked most idiotic.

She always loved catching unflattering candid photos of me, telling Marcus I was cute.

Friends held up their phones filming me.

Mary retreated behind Marcus, also holding up her phone aimed at me.

Seeing the smile at the corner of her mouth, I also knew how ridiculous I looked—all dressed up, holding this ugly crystal emitting multicolored light.

Marcus raised the ring even higher, his tone urgent:

"Matthias, Mary specially bought you a gift to apologize too."

"Everyone's watching. Haven't you been looking forward to my proposal for a long time?"

Apologize?

I lowered my eyes.

Marcus seemed unable to see how cheap and ugly what Mary gave me was.

I wanted to laugh, but tears fell first.

Marcus and Mary thought I was crying from being moved.

I closed my eyes and raised my hand.

Suddenly an ear-piercing burst of laughter erupted on the scene.

Countless sprays of cream shot onto my face and body.

White ribbons fell like a funeral.

The cream stuck to my body was utterly inauspicious.

Flashbulbs went crazy flashing.

Marcus looked at Mary with an indulgent glance, then turned to me smiling:

"Matthias, Mary and I lost a game of truth or dare, don't—"

My hand swung down hard, slapping across his face.

The ring was knocked away, rolling into a corner.

Mary shouted at me angrily: "It's just a joke! Why did you hit Marcus?"

"Slap—"

I raised my hand again, a heavy slap landing on Mary's face.

Everyone finally noticed something was wrong with me and began to intervene.

"Matthias, it's your birthday today. Making such a scene, if word gets out... it's too undignified."

"What's wrong with you and Marcus? You're about to become family. Can't you give him some face?"

"Mary didn't do anything, right? Did you really need to hit someone?"

Marcus's face darkened: "I'm fine. Matthias, quickly apologize to Mary!"

"She was so thoughtful preparing a gift for you. Yesterday she even knelt for you for no reason."

I lowered my head, hiding the mockery in my eyes.

The huge screen suddenly displayed a file.

Opening it revealed screenshots of all the posts Mary had made.

Marcus still didn't understand.

He was still lecturing me: "Yesterday you threw a tantrum for no reason. I didn't even want to propose to you. I wanted you to calm down and realize your mistake."

"It was Mary who kept persuading me, saying today is your birthday. If she and I didn't show up, you'd definitely lose face."

"Mary usually plays the fool to make you laugh. Now you can't even take a joke?"

As he spoke, Marcus smeared cream on his own face, then dotted some on Mary's nose, as if comforting a tantrum-throwing child:

"Now we all look like this. Not angry anymore, right?"

"With a temper like yours, how will you be a mother in the future?"

I stared straight at Marcus, saying coldly: "Marcus, turn around and look at the big screen."

He turned around. The first thing he saw was his chat history with Mary.

Marcus: [Keep the baby.]

Mary: [I don't want to. She's my best friend.]

Mary: [If I really have it, the three of us are completely done. Do you know how much pain she'll be in?]

Marcus: [But aren't you in pain?]

Mary: [Don't forget, she also lost a child because of us.]