Ten Years of Regret Chapter 05
At dinner, Chase sat next to me and kept piling food on my plate.
The three of them acted so warm and cozy, like they were the real family.
Mom kept going on and on. “Chase is such a wonderful son-in law. Not only does he come from a great family, but he’s also so attentive to our Cora.”
Dad, who was supposed to be the elder, acted almost obsequious, pouring Chase’s drink, laughing too hard.
Chatting about how I’d been too willful at the wedding, thanking Chase for being so understanding.
Their groveling broke everything I’d been holding together.
My eyes burned.
I clutched the glass of milk Mom pushed into my hands.
“Don’t worry. We’re husband and wife. Even if Cora makes mistakes, I’ll try to be patient. But the press conference…“
Chase kept his eyes on me.
Smug. Sure of himself.
I squeezed the glass too hard. Milk spilled over, dripping onto the floor.
I couldn’t take it anymore. “Am I even your daughter?” I asked my parents.
“Why can’t you ever be on my side? I’ve told you. I’m not getting back together with Chase!”
Chase’s brow furrowed tight. He probably couldn’t figure out why I was being so stubborn after all these years of giving in.
Mom froze mid-wipe. Then the milk-soaked rag hit me in the head.
Thick, sticky milk mixed with gray dirt ran down my face.
She gave Chase an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry, Chase. I didn’t raise her right. All this fuss over nothing.”
Then without a second thought, she slapped me hard and yelled, “Cora, you think you’re still some twenty-year-old virgin? You’re thirty!”
“Thirty, and he doesn’t care that you’re used goods. He doesn’t care that you’re a brat. He’s willing to stay with you. Be grateful. And you want a divorce? Where’s your upbringing?”
“It was just a little thing at the wedding. How long will you keep this up? Think about yourself, think about your baby, think about your parents.”
My face was turned to the side, stinging.
Chase hadn’t expected her to hit me.
He stood up so fast, pulled me behind him, and the next slap landed on his shoulder.
“Are you okay?” he asked, all concerned. “I’ll take you to the hospital.”
Then he turned to my mother.
“She’s my woman. She carries my family’s child. If it happens again, even if you’re her mother, I won’t go easy on you.”
Mom froze.
I laughed bitterly. “Don’t pretend to be the good guy now, Chase. This is exactly what you wanted.”
My stare cut right through him. The man who’d always been so high and mighty actually looked lost.
“You want me to take the fall as the mistress? OK. I’ll go to your press conference. But don’t regret it.”
I slammed the door so hard the house shook.
I walked faster and faster.
Flagged down a random cab and left.
In the rearview mirror, I saw Chase standing at the gate of the neighborhood for a long time.
He kept calling. I didn’t pick up.
Then a text: [The press conference is just urgent. I know you’re getting the short end. I’ll make it up to you.]
See, he knew I was getting hurt.
But when it came to Ivy, I was always the one who had to bleed.
I blocked him again.
Back at hotel, I lay on the bed with an arm over my eyes.
My parents called nonstop.
Mom asked if I wanted her dead. Said her headache was killing her, and if I didn’t sweet-talk Chase, she’d just let herself die.
Then a long lecture about how ungrateful I was, how they’d raised me for nothing.
I thought back to how their faces changed when they learned about Chase’s money.
I never understood why do children love their parents automatically, but some parents just don’t love their kids back?
I texted her back: [Your body, your choice. If you want to die, I won’t stop you.]
Then I stopped answering.
I called the client and said I’d take the overseas job.