I already knew that when I accidentally listened in on Mom and Dad’s conversation that day. After seeing how resolute she was about the matter with Christopher, I realized that she would never compromise.
I felt a little lost. Why was Mom acting so differently ever since she returned?
Crystal seemed to be the only one who was benefitting from this. She got everything she wanted including a promising future ahead of her. Meanwhile, I was once again living in her shadows.
“Get out!” Upon returning to the Goldstein residence, Isabelle pulled me out of the car. She was trembling in anger as she grabbed my arm, and her nails were digging into my flesh.
“Mom, it hurts!” I quickened my footsteps to catch up with her.
We arrived at the living room, and Isabelle suddenly slapped me hard on the face. Instantly, my cheek went numb.
I covered my cheek as I looked at Isabelle in disbelief. This was the first time she hit me this hard. However, she was still not done yet. Raising her hand, she slapped me again across the other cheek.
“How many times have I told you to stay away from Christopher? He’s the son of our enemy. Julia killed your Uncle Robert! You told me to give you more time to digest this, but you’re seeing him in secret! Did you not understand a word I told you?” Isabelle yelled at me.
I was still dumbfounded at the fact that my mother just slapped me twice.
“Yvonne, what the hell do you want? Are you not devastated over your Uncle Robert’s death? He’s my elder brother, and he died because Julia pushed him down the building! Do you know how heartbroken I was to see his body? I gave you my advice and told you how I feel, but what did you do? Are you trying to drive me crazy?”
Isabelle suddenly started coughing violently. She covered her mouth, but her coughing didn’t stop, and she bent over as she did so, seeming like she was about to cough her lungs out.
“Mom, what’s wrong? Please don’t get too angry… You have to take care of yourself…” I hurried over to help her up.
“Get lost!” Isabelle shoved me away. I staggered backward and hit the coffee table. As a result, the hot water the servant had just prepared spilled on my hand, and my face contorted in pain.
“That’s what you get for feigning kindness. I’m sure you wish that I never returned. If that were the case, you could’ve been living happily with Julia’s son already. Do you think I don’t know what you’re thinking?” Isabelle accused as she got hold of Crystal’s hand instead.
“Mom, how could you think of me this way? How could you accuse me like that? I’m your daughter. It breaks my heart to hear that.” I felt a chill running down my spine when I heard her accusations. She was my mother, and I loved her so much that I only wanted to fix my relationship with her and go back to how things used to be. Yet, in her heart, I was such a bad daughter.
“Breaks your heart? I think your heart breaks at the thought that you can’t be with Christopher instead.” Isabelle sneered, not even noticing the blister on my hand. “I’ve made myself clear today. You can never see Christopher again. Do you hear me?”
“Mom, can you stop making things difficult for me? Please!” My eyes turned red as I shook my head.
“Tell me that you won’t be seeing Christopher or anyone from the Lane family again.” Isabelle took a feather duster out of nowhere and whipped me with it.
She kept yelling with each whip, “Tell me you won’t see Christopher again and keep in contact with them. Tell me…”
