Chapter 5

“Audrey, I’m telling you, if Serena suffers severe psychological trauma, we won’t let you off the hook! Everyone here is a witness!”

Relatives and friends pointed fingers at me. They were right, what if Serena fabricated false evidence to frame me? That wouldn’t be good!

I immediately followed them into the ambulance.

In the emergency room, Serena, looking pale, saw me engrossed in a book and assumed it was a business textbook.

But then I flipped it over, showing her the cover, and she realized it was a graphic novel.

Her face instantly contorted in a sneer.

“Audrey, what is wrong with you? Aren’t you buried under a mountain of debt right now? You’re not trying to earn money, you’re here reading comics! Throw that thing away!”

I nonchalantly glanced at her, then moved to a chair by the door to continue reading. Serena looked like she was about to explode.

“Have you lost your mind?! Why are you acting so lazy and careless? You used to be so ambitious!”

“Mom, why are you staring at me like that?”

Martha’s hand, holding a spoon of porridge, froze mid-air. She looked utterly startled.

“Serena, why do you have red spots on your neck? That’s strange.”

Prompted by Martha, I also looked at her neck. Indeed, there were two or three small red spots, though not very noticeable.

Serena’s face instantly drained of all color, looking deeply unhappy.

Martha chuckled awkwardly.

“Serena, don’t mind me. I just wanted to remind you that there are many mosquitoes at night. I’ll buy you a new electric mosquito repellent later. It’s all my fault, your window screen is broken, and I haven’t had anyone fix it yet.”

The doctor reassured Serena that her examination showed no problems and she could go home directly.

Martha, overjoyed, ordered Serena’s favorite platter of mixed seafood takeout, hoping it would cheer her up.

I pouted, feeling annoyed.

“Mom, why are you only concerned with making Serena happy? Just now, you thought I was bullying her, brought her to the hospital, and glared at me, giving me a bad attitude. My feelings are hurt too, so how are you going to cheer me up?”

“If I hadn’t refused a dowry and brought my own, and if Mom and Dad hadn’t been helping Mark’s family all these years, his business wouldn’t be the size it is now. Are you trying to cut ties with us after you’ve crossed the bridge?”

Martha flinched, then forced a strained smile against her true feelings.

“Didn’t I just misunderstand you, Audrey? I know you’ve always been a good child, and I truly care about you. Don’t mind it, Mom apologizes to you.”

Hilarious. Care about me? Would she push me to my doom if she truly cared?

Honestly, for the first few years after I married into the Lewis family, I truly believed her when she said she’d treat me like her own daughter.

“Mom, I really must thank you. You truly are different with me.”

As Martha opened the delivery box of marinated seafood, I eagerly rushed over and, with my bare hands, started stuffing shrimp, crab, abalone, and clams into my mouth.

Serena’s face went green with horror, and she frantically gave Martha a look, urging her to snatch the food away.

But I was strong, and Martha couldn’t take anything back. I had already eaten it all.

“Martha, I’m your daughter-in-law. I’ve given your family so much money. Are you really too stingy to even treat me to some takeout?”

Seafood would only worsen my skin condition. Bring it on! Let’s go down together!

The moment I stepped out of the hospital, I regained my composure.

I hurried back to my own home, and as soon as I entered, I grabbed my parents’ hands.

“Dad, Mom, Mark borrowed ten million from our family for his business before, didn’t he? Even though we have money, we can’t just let outsiders leech off us. If he wants to make money, he needs to learn to stand on his own two feet. I think we should get all that money back.”

“You two always said Mark wasn’t good enough for me. It’s my fault for not listening to you back then. Now I see clearly. I’ll divorce him soon, and I’ll spend the rest of my life honoring you two at home.”

My parents exchanged a look, tears welling up in their eyes, deeply moved.

They let me move back home, tidying my room meticulously. I didn’t have to do any housework, could eat whatever I wanted, buy whatever I wanted. My family wasn't short on money, and I didn't need to earn any.

“My sweet girl, as long as you’ve come to your senses, you’ll always be Dad and Mom’s little princess. We’ll do anything for you, unconditionally.”

Dad stroked my head.

“We only have one wish: we just want you to be happy.”

A warm current surged through me, and my eyes welled up.

As I lowered my head to wipe away my tears, I caught a glimpse of my arm. The red rashes seemed to have lessened, and they weren’t itching as much!

The rumors that I had bullied Serena quickly spread through the family group chat.

After Serena was discharged from the hospital, Mark even bought her an apartment, and she moved in directly.