Chapter 4

"Clara, you're my mother.

My grandmother was your mother-in-law.

Today is her funeral, and she was literally driven to death by Ethan and Madeline.

You..."

"Enough.

If anyone's to blame, it's you."

I could imagine my mother's teeth-gritting expression even through the phone.

She said a whole string of things, every sentence stabbing at my heart.

I thought, fine.

This is it.

My mother's love for me was truly gone.

"Clara, if you get Ethan to attend Rose's funeral, I'll divorce him."

"What are you scheming now?"

My mother still didn't trust me.

She started cursing me, saying I'd die a horrible death, that I'd never bear children.

"If Ethan doesn't come, I'll never divorce him, even if it kills me.

That way, your precious Madeline will be a mistress forever."

I said all this expressionlessly, then hung up.

I knew my mother would make Ethan come, because she cared so much about Madeline.

Sure enough, halfway through the funeral, Ethan appeared.

It wasn't that I insisted he come.

I just wanted Rose to leave with dignity.

At the funeral, I was the only family member.

Everyone else was pointing and whispering.

"Doesn't the old lady have a daughter-in-law?"

"Why didn't she come?"

"Yeah, I heard this granddaughter has a husband too.

What's going on?"

"Tsk, abandoned in her old age."

I knew my mother wouldn't come.

Even if she did, she wouldn't treat my grandmother kindly---she'd probably condemn her in front of all these people.

After all, she'd done it before.

When Rose discovered my mother treated Madeline better than me, she was furious.

She pointed at my mother and demanded, "Why?

She's your biological daughter!

Have you lost your mind?"

"Yes, I have lost my mind---to have married your son in the first place."

That's what put my grandmother in a wheelchair.

"Aria, Rose..." Ethan seemed shocked that Rose had truly died.

Seeing the shock in Ethan's eyes, I couldn't help but laugh mockingly.

"What are you pretending for?

Didn't you and Madeline go to the nursing home together?

Said all those horrible things and drove my grandmother to her death---didn't you expect this?"

"Enough, Aria.

We didn't expect things to turn out this way.

Besides, don't you have any fault in this yourself?"

It was still my fault.

My fault for trusting my mother.

My fault for loving you.

"Fine.

This is my grandmother's funeral.

I don't want to argue with you.

After this is over, I'll divorce you."

"I don't want to divorce you.

Stop making a scene.

Madeline is still heartbroken.

Go back and apologize to her properly, and all this will pass."

"Apologize?"

What did I do wrong that I need to apologize?

"Those things your mother posted online---even though they're not true, they still involved Madeline.

Now people suspect Madeline is a mistress.

How can she not be upset?"

"Isn't she though?"

Sleeping with my husband, bearing my husband's child---if that's not a mistress, what is?

*Slap...*

Ethan, as if pushed to his limit, slapped me across the face.

"Aria, for Rose's sake, I didn't want to make things difficult for you.

Do you have to do this?"