Chapter 3
Jason stood stiffly, his beer belly already forming.
He walked up to me pretentiously, putting on a condescending air.
He said, "Irene, as long as you apologize to me, I'll let you return to the Dorsey family.
"When you are old, your daughters will be there to care for you.
"However..." Jason paused, staring at me intently. "You must give us your father's inheritance."
Rosa had long married Jason.
She was adorned with pearls and jewels, looking elegant as she walked up to me.
She said, "Irene, you're finally back. Do you how I've worried about you all these years?
"As long as you apologize to Jason, I'll tell the servant to prepare a room for you."
Seeing no change in my expression, Rosa immediately forced out tears.
She said, "Irene, do you still blame me?
"It's been ten years. Let bygones be bygones. We are old now. We shouldn't let past grievances divide us."
She covered her face and cried, sounding wounded. "I know you resent me for stealing Jason, but I loved him so much that I couldn't help myself.
"I couldn't leave him. Even though he was your husband then, I still couldn't help falling in love with him.
"Ultimately, all of this is my fault.
"To compensate you, I cared for your two daughters as if they were my own. I never mistreated them.
"Irene, can't you forgive me?"
As Rosa cried, she looked at Jason repeatedly.
Even at her age, her tearful eyes could soften anyone's heart.
Sure enough, Jason pulled Rosa into an embrace and reprimanded me fiercely, "Irene, don't push your luck.
"Rosa has already begged for your forgiveness. What more do you want?
"You should be content and not be so ungrateful.
"You better forgive her and do what we said. You are alone now. When you get older, you won't have anyone to care for you. It will be too late to regret then."
When I didn't speak and only looked at them coldly, Rosa cried even harder.
She said, "Irene, as long as you come back, I will immediately divorce Jason.
"I will let you two remarry. This is what I owe you."
Rosa spoke with such determination that Jason was surprised.
Rosa continued, "Irene, if you are still not satisfied and refuse to forgive me, I might as well die."
With that, she pushed Jason aside and lunged towards the wall.
Jason couldn't let Rosa get hurt so he grabbed her quickly. He patted her back to calm her down.
Then, he turned and yelled at me, "Irene, you're going too far. Will you only be satisfied if she's dead?
"Rosa is your best friend, isn't she? Can you bear to see her die?"
"Rosa and I are truly in love. Besides, you and I were already divorced. I gave you a chance to return for the sake of our daughters, because I couldn't bear to see you alone and helpless when you grow older.
"Rosa is my wife, now and forever.
"You are so petty and jealous. Isn't it normal for a man to have an affair? Yet you divorced me over it.
"I must have been blind to marry you.
"Divorcing you was the best decision I've ever made."
It had been ten years since I walked away from Jason. Although I appeared outwardly calm, my heart still ached.
To pursue me, Jason once swore before my father to treat me well for the rest of his life.
My father initially did not want me to marry Jason, who was poor at that time. He said Jason was too ambitious.
But I was so infatuated with Jason that I insisted on being with him.
Ultimately, my father couldn't dissuade me and agreed to our marriage.
However, my father, with his foresight, kept a trick up his sleeve—Jason was unaware of our family's financial situation.
After Jason and I married, we were deeply in love. He always indulged me and never said a harsh word to me.
But I never imagined he would get involved with Rosa.
He was clearly at fault for cheating and betraying me, but now he turned the tables and thought I was vicious.
He was disappointed in me. So was I in him.
I dedicated my youth to him, only to end up with nothing, like a clown.
Jason's voice was loud, and this farce attracted many guests.
A crowd gathered around us.
Based on the Dorseys' remarks, they started to criticize me.
"Irene, you've already divorced Mr. Dorsey. Why are you making a scene here? Are you short on money and came to extort them?"
"She must regret divorcing Mr. Dorsey now that he's successful."
"Moreover, she is driving Mrs. Dorsey to suicide. No wonder Mr. Dorsey divorced her."
"She is divorced, yet she still came to wish her ex-mother-in-law a happy birthday. Like that is what she is really up to."
I clenched my fists, suppressing my anger.
I was here today to celebrate Martha's birthday, not to cause trouble. I remembered her kindness and didn't want to embarrass her.
Otherwise, I would have humiliated the shameless Jason and Rosa right then and there.
Jason couldn't even control his own impulses, so how can he manage a company?
Moreover, he couldn't grasp market trends too. It was truly baffling how he still maintained a facade of success. God had to be blind.
When everyone was criticizing me, Martha walked out, leaning on a cane.
Smiling, she took my hand and led me to sit beside her.
I briefly told her how I'd been doing over the years.
Martha held my hand, and tears welled up in her weathered eyes.
She said,"It's all our fault. The Dorsey family has wronged you. You've suffered all these years."
We chatted. Seeing Martha also put my mind at ease.
Not wanting to stay longer, I got up and left.
When I stepped out of the hotel, a young girl called out to me.
I followed her instructions and detoured to the hotel's back door, where a hard object struck the back of my head.
Before losing consciousness, I heard a voice. "You brought this upon yourself when you refused the easy way out, Irene."