Chapter 1
Today was my son's engagement party.
The moment I saw the bride-to-be's sister, I felt like I'd been struck by lightning.
She was the mistress who had destroyed my daughter's marriage.
I recalled how my daughter had been eight months pregnant when that woman pushed her.
The fall caused massive bleeding, and my daughter lost her baby and had to undergo a hysterectomy.
In the end, her husband abandoned her, and she eventually ended up in a psychiatric hospital.
The hatred I'd buried for so long came roaring back.
My son didn't notice anything wrong. He was still grinning beside me as he happily announced, "Mom, I'm thinking of setting the wedding date for Thanksgiving—"
Before he could finish, I raised a hand and cut him off. "This marriage will never happen. I absolutely refuse to let you marry her."
*****
The festive atmosphere in the private room vanished in an instant.
Everyone's eyes locked onto me.
"Why?" My son, Ethan Warren, blurted out. "Mom, this isn't funny at all!"
Claire Summers, my future daughter-in-law, tried to smile, but it looked strained.
"Ms. Warren, is there something about me you don't like?" Claire asked.
Her eyes were rimmed with red, and she looked utterly hurt.
I ignored her.
Instead, I stood up and walked over to her sister, Natalie Summers.
Natalie was sitting right across from me.
Her hair was done up in big, glamorous waves.
She wore a luxury pearl necklace around her neck.
On her wrist was an emerald bracelet.
And on her ring finger, that massive diamond ring was downright blinding.
Everything about her screamed that she was a rich wife.
But all of this should have belonged to my daughter Jessica.
It was Jessica who built everything from scratch with that scumbag.
It was Jessica who brought in the investments for him.
But what did she get in return?
A permanent stay in a mental hospital?
Was that fair?
My heels clicked against the floor.
One, two, three...
On the fourth click, it finally hit Natalie who I was.
Her hand holding the wine glass trembled noticeably.
"Y-You are," Natalie stammered.
Before she could finish, I snatched the wine glass out of her hand.
Without hesitation, I dumped the red wine straight onto her head.
Her flawless makeup was instantly ruined, dripping down her face in streaks.
Her expensive designer dress was drenched.
The whole room went dead silent, everyone staring in disbelief.
The next second, Natalie jumped to her feet, screaming, "Are you out of your mind?"
Yeah, I was crazy.
From the moment she drove Jessica insane, I lost it.
"Natalie, debts always have to be paid back," I said.
I flipped the wine glass upside down on the table.
I glanced at Ethan and Claire, both frozen in shock, then turned and walked out.
Today was supposed to be a happy day for my son's engagement.
As his mother, I was genuinely happy.
I dressed up in my finest, putting on my best gown that I'd kept tucked away for special occasions.
I booked the most expensive dishes at a five-star hotel.
All to make sure I could treat my future in-laws well.
Ethan told me that Claire's parents had passed away when she was young, and it was her sister who raised her.
At first, I really felt for her sister.
But I never imagined she would turn out to be the mistress who wrecked my daughter's marriage.
I couldn't forgive her.
And there was no way I could accept her sister as my daughter-in-law.
As soon as I stepped out of the hotel, the night breeze blew against my face.
I closed my eyes for a moment, letting out a deep sigh.
Was this old debts returning in another form?
*****
At eight o'clock that night, Ethan came home.
He smelled like he'd drowned himself in booze.
I was flipping through Jessica's photo album, not looking up at him.
"You know everything now?" I asked.
"Yeah," he replied.
His voice was hoarse.
It was obvious he'd been crying.
"What do you know? Say it!" I demanded.
I could tell he was torn between family and love, and it was eating him up inside.
But this was a toxic relationship.
If one didn't break it off now, one would simply get sucked into the mess.
Ethan struggled to find the words, his face contorted with anguish.
After what felt like forever, he finally managed, "Claire's sister was the one who ruined Jessica's marriage."
I still didn't look up.
My eyes landed on a photo of Jessica and Ethan together.
Jessica was six years older than Ethan.
I was always busy teaching graduating class in high school so Jessica practically raised Ethan herself.
She taught him his first words and how to write.
She took him to and from school every day.
She cooked his meals and tucked him in at night.
To everyone else, Jessica was only Ethan's sister.
But to Ethan, Jessica had already become more like a mother than a sister.
I closed the photo album and looked up at him.
It hit me then. After just four hours, Ethan looked so much older.
Even though it hurt to see him like this, I still said, "Break up with Claire. Can you do that?"
I thought it was the obvious choice.
But to my shock, Ethan cried, "Mom, I can't live without Claire."
A storm of emotions raged inside me. "What did you say?"
I sprang to my feet, sending the photos flying across the floor.
One photo showed Jessica spoon-feeding Ethan when he was sick, her face full of care.
Another captured Ethan gently fanning Jessica while she was pregnant, worry etched on his face.
Every single photo was proof of the deep bond between them as siblings.
Looking at these memories only made me more furious at Ethan for letting me down.
"Ethan, have you lost your mind?" I shouted. "You know perfectly well that Natalie is the one who destroyed Jessica's life, and you still want to marry her sister?
"If you marry Claire, your sister will have to become in-laws with the very woman who wrecked her marriage.
"She'll be forced to call the woman who killed her baby family.
"How could you be so cruel, rubbing salt into your own sister's wounds?"
My voice boomed through the living room, every word laced with fury.
Ethan kept his head down, like a student being lectured.
"Lift your head. Look at me," I demanded. "Tell me! Do you still want to marry Claire?"
Ethan finally looked up.
His face was streaked with tears.
It made my heart ache for him.
He said, "Mom, I know I'm letting Jessica down, but I really love Claire.
"Jessica loves me so much. She'll understand.
His voice was soft and steady, but every word cut right through me.
My blood pressure shot up, and everything went black for a second.
I staggered back.
Ethan rushed forward, looking panicked, trying to steady me.
I slapped him hard across the face.
"Is your love really that great?" I shouted. "Are you really willing to throw your family aside for it?"
Ethan pressed his lips together.
"Mom, I really can't live without Claire," Ethan cried. "Please, let me marry her."
He bowed low, staying in that position for a long time
I collapsed onto the sofa, letting out a furious snort.