Chapter 2

By the time I reached the dining table, they were already eating happily.

I froze.

Emma was sitting next to Jack, and they were talking quietly.

Emma was smiling, while he listened attentively.

My mother-in-law saw me and frowned, "You're a grown woman! Do we need to call you to eat?"

I silently sat down next to Lily and picked up my chopsticks, only to find that the entire table was filled with spicy dishes.

Emma spoke softly, "Rose, I made these myself. Won't you try some?"

I hesitated, knowing that spicy food often upset my stomach.

My mother-in-law rolled her eyes, "So picky."

Once, when Jack and I went out to eat, I had hot pot to please him and ended up in pain all night.

After that, he never ordered spicy food again. He would even dilute the spicy dishes for me when his mother complained about my pickiness.

I looked up at Jack, my heart filling with hurt.

Then Jack put some Kung Pao chicken in my bowl and said coldly, "Eat it. Don't disappoint Emma."

Meeting his cold eyes, my nails dug into my palms.

The cut on my hand from earlier stung even more.

I took one bite, and the spiciness churned in my stomach. I put down my chopsticks.

Lily, sitting next to me, saw that I had stopped eating.

She immediately pouted, "You're so picky. Aunt Emma's cooking is delicious. If you won't eat, then just go hungry."

Emma's voice trembled, "Mom, Jack, I know Rose doesn't like me. Maybe I should leave."

Hearing this, my mother-in-law immediately pulled her back to her chair and glared at me.

Jack looked up at Emma and said calmly, "Sit down."

Then he turned to me, his voice icy, "If you're not going to eat, go back to your room."

Lily angrily pushed my bowl and chopsticks away.

My heart clenched tight as I turned and left the table.

As I closed the door, I heard my mother-in-law complain, "Really, we have to cater to her? Emma, if only you hadn't gone abroad back then. You would've married Jack already, and we wouldn't have to deal with her."

My hand froze on the doorknob for a second. I didn't dare listen anymore and quickly shut the door.

I lay on the bed, crying.

I opened my phone to see a message from my best friend: "Can you believe how shameless she is? She was the one who chose to go abroad, and now she's back to ruin your marriage!"

She attached a screenshot of a social media post.

Emma had posted: "It's so wonderful to see the person I like as soon as I return home. I wonder if he feels the same way about me." She added a pouty emoji.

Below, Jack's friend had commented: "Don't worry, Emma. Jack definitely likes you. You have no idea how depressed he was after you left. He even had to marry someone he didn't love. I feel so bad for him."

"It's a good thing he doesn't have kids yet. He once said he was waiting for you to come back so you could have one together."