She strutted in, a sneer on her face. "You've now grown the balls, haven't you?"
"A good day to you too, Rose," I bit out, mirroring her tone as I sat back in the chair.
Rose was my mother-in-law. It was actually laughable how all of the people I considered family acted far from it. It was safe to say my mother-in-law hated my guts. Or maybe it's my family's guts she hates just because the status of my family in the elite society was way below theirs. It was a slap in the face for people below their status to marry into their family or meddle in their affairs. And that was exactly what my family did - married into their family.
According to her, I blinded her son with love and forced my way into the family. I don't think she knows how much her son dislikes me. If she did, she'd be jubilating.
"I asked you a question, young lady," she snarled.
I rolled my eyes and turned away from her. I pretended not to hear her. Luigi looked between the both of us and I wondered if he knew Rose. Does he know a lot about me?
My silent dismissal, as usual, provoked her and she hastily moved closer and spat out, her words laced with malice and bitterness. "Do you think if you pretend not to hear, I will let you go?"
I sighed and faced her, "Yes," I smiled sweetly, "Yes, Rose. I'm having an affair with this wild man here. We've just had sex and we're going to have sex in the car park later, would you want to join? I'm sure this wild man can handle the both of us."
I heard Luigi make a sad attempt at holding in his laughter. Rose's face was tinged pink as she furiously blurted out, "You shameless thing! I've been pardoning you, I won't anymore. I will make Mark divorce you immediately!"
I perked up, "Please, be hasty about it." Her mouth dropped open, "I would also really like to thank you after the divorce so expect a thank you letter and gift or even a visit after the divorce has been finalized."
If she could really make Mark divorce me then I would be saving the one million dollars tahtbhe had demanded. I'd be too happy to buy her a gift to thank her and put the balance to good use.
Rose's face turned red with anger and she pointed at me, her manicured fingers trembling from her broiling usually meaningless anger, "You bitch, I will make you regret this."
I peered at her and smiled slightly. "If you can make me regret it, I will take your surname. That surname you carry with so much pride would be stripped off your certificates."
She opened her mouth in disbelief and staggered slightly. She looked at me and said viciously, "You wait, Sydney, I will make you see my power."
And then she turned around and strutted off just as she had done when she came in.
I watched her leave, her back ramrod straight and chin stuck in the air. I've never met anyone so proud and crazy. I was sure she would run to Mark and cry to him. I was sure she would add lies to what really happened. I looked forward to seeing her performance and Mark's reaction. Perhaps he'd angrily sign the divorce papers and send me packing, I thought hopefully with a smile.
"Your mother in law just threatened you and stormed out and you're smiling," he sounded like he was admonishing me but he was grinning.
I stayed with Luigi for a while. He made one of the nurses tend to the little bruises I had incurred. I had intended to stay with him until he was discharged - after all he was in this state because of me - but I finally left when he wouldn't stop teasing me about how my hair looked like a bird's nest and my face looked like I dipped it in shit.
"Just leave, Sydney." I narrowed my eyes at him as she laughed, "Go home and get rid of the bird's nest on your head. I'm already fine."
I gave him his car keys and said my goodbye. On my way out,I saw the doctor and made sure they finalize every treatment with him before he leaves. I also made sure that there wasn't a single penny left in his bills.
I decided to go straight to our villa first. I hailed a cab and told them my destination. There would be no need to worry about Mark threatening to increase the break up fee just because I decided not to come home; he wouldn't be around. Rose would definitely summon him today and he most probably wouldn't return to his residence.
On getting there, I paid the cab man. My walk in slowed and I frowned at Grace's car - it was roughly parked. I shrugged and went inside, she must have rushed in to do something.
Just by the door, there was a bag and heeled shoes there. The bag was open and some of its contents had spilled out and the shoes weren't sitting upright and they weren't side by side like they should be. One of the shoes was by the bag while the order was by the foot of the first cushioned chair in the living room. I was sure they were Grace's. The heels were her favorite and the magazine of Luxe vogue that she always carried about peeked out of the bag on the floor.
I frowned, memories of Luigi attacking me flooded in. I instinctively reached for the stun gun I had hastily stuffed in my bag when I helped Luigi to the car.
The house was unusually quiet for when Grace was around. If she wasn't playing loud music on the stereo then she would be singing loudly with her voice while she occasionally drummed with whatever she held. It was the way she functioned whether she was working or not.
I gently placed my bag beside hers and tiptoed to the middle of the room. I stopped when I saw three empty wine bottles scattered on the center table while two more were scattered on the rug. There were more bottles and my eyes traced them to the kitchen entrance and that was when the sobbing sound reached me.
I raced to the kitchen. The door was open and my eyes first landed on the several bottles of wine on the countertop and floor. They weren't the same brand and the alcohol level in each differed but they all contained alcohol. Grace, donned in the gown she showed to me yesterday, laid on the floor, her face pressed to the floor faced the counter as she quietly cried, occasionally hiccupping.
I quickly dropped the stun gun in my grip and rushed to her. "Grace," my hands shook with worry and my brows furrowed in concern and anger at the scratch wounds on her face.
"Who did this to you?"
Her response when she opened her eyes and they landed on me was more tears, they flowed out of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks unbridled.
I helped her up and pulled her in for a hug. My heart broke and my anger intensified as I listened to her cries and hiccups. I pulled back, cradled her face in my palm and made a feeble attempt to wipe her tears but they kept pouring. Her shoulders shook and her lips trembled as she hiccuped now and then.
"Who did this to you? Tell me," my voice was thick with emotion and I was aware that my fingers tightened on her face from anger. I softened my grip. "Come on, Grace. Who hurt you?" I shook her.
I didn't mind going back to pluck Luigi from that hospital or going by myself, whoever did this would feel my wrath.
She struggled to get any word out since she kept sobbing. Soon, she swallowed and her voice quivered as she said, another lone tear rolling down, "It was Joel."