“Daphne, don’t be rude. Lauren is my wife. You must respect her!” Tristan scolded, his tone sharp.
Daphne, in a fit of fury, erupted into loud tears, pointing an accusing finger directly at my nose. “She’s not your wife! You said your favorite wife is Mommy! I’m going to tell Mommy that you hit me for this witch!”
I tried to look hurt by Daphne’s words and her tears, but the truth was, it stung more than I cared to admit. Tristan, now visibly furious, raised his hand and slapped her.
“You’ve been spoiled! Who taught you to use foul language?” he snapped.
Daphne froze, completely stunned by the slap. Her wide eyes locked onto her father for a moment before she began crying even harder.
Tristan, who normally had the patience of a saint, looked frustrated beyond belief.
His face twisted in anger as he barked at his subordinates, “Take Daphne back!”
With the child finally out of the picture, Tristan turned to face me, his expression suddenly softening.
His eyes,
filled with genuine pleading, made me almost feel sorry for him.
He stepped closer, his voice quiet, heavy with regret. “Lauren, will you come home with me?”
I pretended to hesitate, watching the worry in his eyes grow.
It was clear he was on the verge of breaking down, so I relented, letting the tension slide off my shoulders.
“Okay,” I said, my voice calm, trying to offer him the smallest sense of relief.
I returned to the McAllister Manor with my three–month–old son.
As soon as I walked in, the warmth of my in–laws‘ smiles hit me like a wave.
“Lauren, you’ve suffered enough,” Arthur McAllister, Tristan’s father, said, giving me a kind smile “Don’t worry, you’re the legitimate wife. Our family won’t let you or the child suffer anymore. I will bequeath all my property to my eldest grandson.”
Arthur gently took my son into his arms, showering him with affection. His wealth was the backbone of the McAllister family, and I couldn’t help but suppress a satisfied smile. I stayed quiet, just observing, knowing exactly how much control that money held.
Tristan, clearly trying to please me, added with an anxious expression, “Lauren, I’ll also bequeath 40% of my assets to our son.”
I forced a small, understanding smile. “I’ll thank you on behalf of our son.”
Tristan’s nervousness seemed to ease at my words.
For a brief moment, I could see a glimpse of relief in his eyes, thinking that I had forgiven him. Just then, his phone started ringing incessantly.
I didn’t need to guess who it was.
da me it 100,
It was Shirley.
Tristan checked my expression warlly, and despite the phone ringing loudly, he decided to step outside to take the call.
“It’s work,” he muttered, his voice low, “I’ll take the call outside.”
Maybe he was finally getting smarter, finding a way to cover up his actions with excuses.
But to my surprise, he came back after only a few minutes. Usually, he would have disappeared for the entire night, but today was different.
Arthur and Eleanor, satisfied with his conduct, shared approving looks before complimenting him in my presence.
“Tristan is different now,” Eleanor remarked, “He’s more family–oriented. Now that we have a son he’ll definitely be even more focused on family.”
Meanwhile, Tristan looked at me as if waiting for some recognition.
He confirmed, “Yes, from now on, I’ll focus on the family.”
I gave him only a faint smile, saying nothing in response.
At dinner, Eleanor and Tristan asked the kitchen to prepare my favorite dishes. However, after a year of Felix’s home–cooked meals, my taste had evolved, and I found nothing they prepared appealing.
Noticing I wasn’t eating much, Tristan asked with concern, “Not to your liking?”
I smiled faintly. “I prefer spicy food now.”
He paused, clearly surprised. I used to avoid anything spicy, and now I crave it.
Tristan then leaned over, putting his arm around my shoulder. “Your tastes have changed. I’ll ask the kitchen to add more spice next time.”
He didn’t realize that not only had my tastes changed–I had also changed.
At that moment, a servant came in, breaking the uneasy silence.
“Sir, that woman is here.”
Tristan’s face froze.
He glanced nervously at me as he said, “I’ll be right back.”
The next second, the loud honk of a car horn echoed from the front door.
‘Tristan, get out there! Get out! You hit our daughter for that bitch, do you think I’m dead? How dare you treat Daphne like this!”
Arthur and Eleanor looked horrified.
Fueled by anger, Arthur tossed his utensils down with a loud slam.
“Look at the kind of woman you’ve gotten yourself involved with, Tristan! She’s a complete shrew! And now she’s causing a scene here!”
5:13 pm A
