Chapter 3
I forced myself to lift my head, staring straight at the people crowding the doorway. "So you all listen to their side and automatically decide I'm the cheater?
"Why don't any of you ask why David was the one holding the extra card? Or why he already had the divorce papers drawn up before any of this started?"
The crowd at the doorway fell silent for a moment.
But David quickly cut in with a heavy sigh. "Sorry for making a scene, everyone. I really didn't want to drag our family mess out in front of everyone, but she won't let it go.
"Sure, I borrowed the extra card a couple of times, but I never checked what she was doing with it. I never thought she'd use it for something like this."
He didn't give anyone a chance to question him. He admitted the card had been in his hands, but made himself look totally innocent.
The crowd at the doorway bought it right away.
"It makes sense now."
"Guys never suspect their own wives."
"This woman is so manipulative."
I was shaking with rage, about to speak, when Lillian suddenly picked up the cup from the table and splashed the hot coffee and leaves straight into my face.
"You still want to argue?" she snapped.
The scalding coffee ran down my cheeks, and before I could recover, Jessica slammed her foot into the back of my knee.
Caught off guard, I collapsed with a heavy thud.
My knees slammed into the cold tiled floor, and the pain was so sharp it drained all the color from my face.
There was a commotion at the doorway. But not a single person came over to help me.
Instead, someone muttered under their breath, "Just admit it and apologize. Why make such a scene?"
I pushed myself up, but Jessica shoved my shoulder, forcing me right back down. "Don't move. You always care so much about your precious reputation, huh? Well, today, let's let the whole building see if your dignity is worth a damn."
She grabbed the compensation agreement and shoved it right in my face. "Sign it. You must give David 300 thousand dollars, and you cannot leave out a single cent."
I gritted my teeth. "I won't."
Lillian yanked my hair, forcing me to look up at the crowd at the doorway. "Look at her. She still won't admit it. This kind of woman won't know what shame is unless someone puts her in her place."
The crowd started to get rowdy.
"Make her apologize and beg for forgiveness."
"Apologize to David and his mother."
"She needs to be put in her place."
Hearing all that, I couldn't help but think how absurd it was.
These people used to greet me with friendly smiles, but the moment they heard I was cheating, they rushed to fan the flames.
I looked up at David, my voice icy. "Do you really think that if you drag me through the mud today, this whole mess will be over? So, when are you planning to bring Samantha and her baby into this house?"
My words landed like a bombshell in the room.
The whole place went dead silent for a second.
David's eyes flashed with a vicious look, and the next second, he clamped his hand around my chin. "Emily, say one more word and see what happens."
His grip was so strong that the pain made my vision go dark, but I smiled at him. "What? Afraid to let everyone hear the truth?
"Scared they'll realize it wasn't me who cheated. It's you—"