Beauty was seated between Bruno's mother and sister, Abigail, with a young boy, around eleven years old, seated across from her. He had a funny look on his face as he tried to get her attention.
Next to him sat a stunning elderly woman who looked much younger than her age, her long white hair plaited into two thick strands that cascaded down her shoulders. Despite the visible age in her hair, her face suggested she was in her late fifties.
But she's the oldest in the room; she must be older than that. Maybe Bruno's grandma, Beauty thought.
She gulped hard, nervously.
But the real discomfort came from the presence of her ex, Nathan. He was seated opposite her—the man who had engaged her and dumped her the same day. From the way he looked at her, it was clear he was enjoying the torment he was causing her.
Why me?
Why today?
Why here?
Beauty tried to catch her breath, but every time Nathan's wife's elder sister, who was the mother of the boy, glared at her and whispered something to him, he would answer her. The two of them would then look at Beauty and laugh. She felt as though the ground should swallow her whole. It was a small world after all, and she couldn't believe how unfortunate she was to be here, in this moment, facing her past.
She glanced around the room.
Mr. Hathaway's plate of food remained untouched, while his wife and daughter had already started eating, along with everyone else—except for her.
A voice broke through her thoughts.
A friendly-looking woman, whom Beauty guessed to be Bruno's grandma, spoke to her with a smile.
"So, you are Beauty? I love your name."
Beauty smiled back, feeling a bit more comfortable.
"Thanks, ma'am."
Just as she was beginning to relax, Mr. Hathaway's voice boomed, harsh and sharp like a thunderclap.
"What exactly are you doing here? In my house, Fatty!"
Fear filled Beauty's chest as her tension skyrocketed. She swallowed hard, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
Bruno, where are you? Please, be here any moment, or I am so dead. I'm going to die right here under Hathaway's glare, she silently prayed.
"Are you dumb?"
Another man—someone who looked like he could be Mr. Hathaway's brother—yelled at her. He was middle-aged too, so it could be an uncle.
"She is... actually... one of the reasons I dumped her," Nathan responded, his words dripping with hatred.
His fiancée and sister laughed out loud, but the rest of the family looked shocked, clearly surprised to learn that Beauty had once been Nathan's ex-girlfriend.
"Mom, is she really deaf and dumb?" the young boy asked, looking at Beauty with curiosity.
His mother shook her head.
Mr. Hathaway's anger only intensified as he yelled again.
"Why are you here? And you better answer me..."
"I invited her," Bruno said, stepping into the room, his towel slung over his shoulder as he walked towards Beauty.
He seemed calm and confident. He walked to Beauty and stood behind her, resting a hand on her chair and then sliding it down to gently massage her shoulders.
Beauty let out a long sigh, trying to calm herself just as Bruno seemed to be signaling her to do.
"Under whose permission?"
Mr. Hathaway's fury was palpable.
"I turned 26 today. Do I also need your permission to visit the toilet, Father?" Bruno shot back defiantly.
Nathan sneered, "Yeah, she's definitely the toilet," laughing mockingly.
The insult hit Beauty like a physical blow, and she almost choked on her saliva.
"You're a lot dumber than you look," Bruno snapped, his eyes flashing with anger.
"Bruno, what's wrong with you? That's your cousin's husband," his mother said, shocked by his words.
"Let the young man be, Tricia. He's old enough to give me great-grandchildren, and his bride isn't looking bad. I love how innocent and real she looks. These days, I don't understand what our young girls are turning into—plastic dolls? Starving themselves and dieting? That's sad," Bruno's grandmother chimed in, her voice light and soft.
Bruno seemed to relax a little, grateful for his grandmother's support. He sat down between Beauty and his mother.
"Bruno, your father wants the best for you, believe me. I've been there," Nathan added with a false sense of concern.
"And who the hell are you?" Bruno shot back, irritated by Nathan's interjection.
"He's my son-in-law and family," Bruno's uncle answered.
"So what, Uncle? He's still a clown. No sane man would treat Beauty the way he did. You should have asked before letting him marry your daughter," Bruno retorted.
"I treat princesses as princesses and dump trash as trash," Nathan fired back with venom.
"A homeless man... your opinion doesn't count," Bruno muttered under his breath and scoffed.
"I won't ignore you insulting my husband or calling him a homeless man!" Anita snapped in anger.
"He lives with his in-laws. He's shameless and homeless," Bruno shot back, yet calm.
"That's it!" Anita shouted, standing up and pointing a finger at Bruno.
"This girlfriend of yours has done nothing but turned you into a brat. You used to be very respectful, calm, and kind."
Bruno ignored her, as though she were invisible.
Beauty glanced at Nathan, and the venom in his gaze made her feel like she was the one being threatened.
"Please, let's just eat. The drama is too much already," Bruno's sister, Abigail, interjected, trying to calm everyone.
Beauty tried hard to hold back her tears, the memories of her broken relationship with Nathan still haunting her. She wondered if Bruno, too, would end up hurting her in the same way. It was hard to ignore the scars Steven had left, but she couldn't deny the possibility of starting a new life with Bruno, even if it seemed like a daunting task.
His family obviously doesn't want her.
Then, Mr. Hathaway's voice cut through her thoughts like a knife.
"So you're a pornstar outside the office. Don't you have any shame, Fatty?"
The words were like a bombshell, and Beauty felt her body freeze, the shame and embarrassment overwhelming her. She thought she might die from the intensity of it.
"Honey..." Mrs. Hathaway tried to calm him.
But Mr. Hathaway's words were unapologetic.
Bruno clenched his fists, visibly vibrating with anger. Beauty reached under the table to take his hand, hoping to calm him, but he seemed on the edge of losing control.
"I... am... sorry... sir," Beauty said shamefully, with her head bowed.
"Don't apologize to the old man. He's not your boss here, and your name is not Fatty but Beauty," Bruno said tightly with a frown.
His words only seemed to fuel Mr. Hathaway's rage.
"What do you think you're doing, fool? Who did you call an old man?"
His fury was explosive.