The moment I saw them, I wanted to run, but my feet were glued to the ground. I cursed myself for feeling a coward in front of the three bullies. Moreover, Wendy was still my mother-in-law, so I couldn’t ignore her and leave.
“Yvonne, what a coincidence! Are you shopping as well?” Crystal put a grin on her elegant face.
“Yeah, hi!” I greeted her with a forced smile. Christopher was still talking over the phone. I immediately bid him farewell and hung up to focus on the upcoming confrontation.
No matter how hard one tried, life could still feel stressful. That was how I felt at that moment. I wished I didn’t have to accommodate these women, but I had to.
“Geez! You spend all day loafing around while Lyle works so hard at the company. Don’t you care about him? I can’t understand why he married you in the first place. Grrr!” Wendy scoffed sarcastically.
I merely smiled because I didn’t have an answer to that question. Then, my gaze shifted to Crystal. The two locked arms like a real mother-daughter duo.
“Mrs. Smith, don’t say that. After all, she quitted her job after she married Lyle. Naturally, she has more free time. Wow, what a nice watch you got there. I bet it is worth over two million. Lucky you, Lyle treats you so well,” Yvette chimed in.
Maintaining my silence, I glanced at my watch which was my most valuable possession. Christopher had trapped it to my wrist before I left the suite in the morning to remind me not to be home late.
“Has the cat got your tongue? Gosh, you’re such a disgrace! Come on, follow us.” As usual, Wendy was being unreasonable.
She took the lead like a queen bee and we trailed behind her when she walked into a shopping mall. Then she whispered something to Crystal and chortled. I wanted to leave, but my feet just wouldn’t budge.
Wendy had her ways to make my life a living hell at home. After I married Lyle, she turned the Smiths against me too. Initially, I would stand up for myself. She was too formidable, and I gave up fighting.
The trio shopped as I struggled to carry everything gifts from Wendy to Crystal. In return, Crystal bought a necklace for her and tossed a few words of praise. Surely she was ecstatic.
Panting, I tried to keep up with the mountain of bags. Nobody offered to help.
“Yvonne, hi! It has been a while, huh?” My little sister walked over to me with a mischievous grin. Before I could respond, she stepped on my foot really hard while no one was watching.
The pain made me lose my balance, and I fell face-first onto the ground. Passerby chattered amongst themselves as they watched me. It was humiliating.
Wendy roared, “Yvonne! You’re doing this on purpose, don’t you? Can’t you walk properly? Gosh, you are a good-for-nothing!”
I ignored her and massaged my toes to ease the pain. Then I gazed up at Yvette to see her mocking me.
“I’m sorry, Yvonne. I didn’t notice your hands are full. Here, let me help you.” Crystal came up to me and reached out her hands. Yet, I declined her offer to assist and scrambled up myself. Then I figured it was a chance for me to excuse myself from that evil mother-in-law.
