Chapter 3

The next day was Martha’s sixtieth birthday. The house was packed with relatives and friends. Mark’s adopted sister, Serena, naturally wouldn’t miss it.

She entered wearing a pure white evening gown, looking like a pure angel, delicate as a lily, drawing everyone’s gaze.

Three years ago, when I first met her, she was covered in red spots, her face disfigured, too self-conscious to even look at me. She claimed she was my junior from college and admired me because I was such a campus celebrity.

Martha said Serena was her best friend’s child, an orphan, and so pitiable that she took her in.

I started helping her find dermatologists to treat her skin, taught her the ropes of doing business, and even urged Mark to be kinder to her, telling him to lighten up.

But strangely, my own body started breaking out in strange little bumps, sometimes so painful they’d wake me up in the middle of the night. My business plummeted, and even my in-laws’ concern for me dwindled.

Now, Serena rushed to me, sobbing, and hugged me. She meticulously scanned my body, a flicker of triumph flashing in her eyes, barely perceptible.

“Audrey, are you okay? Yesterday, Mom said you had a hemorrhage from a beauty treatment and ended up in the hospital. I was away on a business trip, and I was so worried I couldn’t eat or sleep. I even cried.”

“If you’re really not feeling well, maybe you should just put skincare on hold for a bit. Your life is definitely more important than your looks, don’t you think?”

Before I could even speak, the surrounding relatives burst into mocking laughter.

“Serena, you’re so beautiful and kind-hearted. Don’t get too close to women like her. Do you know what kind of skin diseases she has? Syphilis, herpes, maybe even HPV! Women like her get sick because they’re loose! It’s disgusting!”

“Serena, you’re pretty and you know how to make money. If only we could have a daughter-in-law like you, that would truly be a blessing from our ancestors!”

“Audrey constantly spends money on treatments because there’s a beautiful and smart woman like you living with Mark’s family. She feels threatened, of course, afraid Mark will divorce her and choose to be with you. Honestly, Mark is such an idiot. Why keep a woman like her around?”

Before this, I’d actually wondered if I’d caught my skin disease from sitting on a park bench. I even felt guilty towards Mark and Martha, and I dared not protest against the relatives’ ridicule.

But now, I uncorked a bottle of red wine and sprayed it all over their faces.

“How can your hearts be so vile! Instead of cheering for our family to fall apart, why don’t you try being supportive? You’re so full of garbage yourselves, no wonder you see everyone else as trash!”

“Alright, everyone, let’s calm down.”

Serena stepped in front of me, looking utterly pitiful, trying to shield me.

“I know I’ve made Audrey feel insecure and lacking in confidence, but there’s nothing wrong with her wanting to be better. We should respect everyone’s choices and treat everyone around us with kindness.”

“But Audrey, the uncles and aunts were just trying to give you friendly advice. It’s wrong for you to suddenly lose your temper. We’re all family, we should live in harmony.”

“Live in harmony, how?” My blood boiled. “Have they ever treated me like family? Would family accuse and insult me like this when I’m sick and miserable?”

Grandpa Lewis happened to be pushed into the room in his wheelchair. The relatives glared at me resentfully, then immediately fell silent.

“You fickle little hussy, still daring to yell at us here.”

After the banquet started, Uncle Dave, carrying a bowl of hot stew, “accidentally” bumped into me. The hot liquid spilled all over me, scalding my skin red and raising blisters.

I rushed to find a restroom to rinse off with cold water, but every single one was occupied. I lost my balance and fell, knocking out a front tooth.

The pain was excruciating, tearing through me, but everyone around me simply grinned, looking pleased.

Kevin, Mark’s best friend, disgustedly pinched his nose. “What a drama queen, and she’s not even pretty! Shouldn’t someone just make her leave? Who could eat with her looking like that!”