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Chapter_14
The Spoiled Sister–in–law
Matthew’s concerned voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his brow furrowed. “Are you tired? Maybe you should take a nap. I’ll stay here and play with Ava instead.”
I suppressed the tumult of emotions bubbling inside me. Nodding, I forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m tired. You can entertain Ava while I rest.”
I placed the plate of fruits on the coffee table, hoping my actions would convey the emptiness I felt inside. “Give her something to eat. There’s more in the kitchen if those aren’t enough.”
“Sure thing. You go rest. I’ll take you both out for a meal once you’re up,” Matthew said, picking up a fork to feed Ava.
As I retreated to the bedroom, the weight of the situation hit me full force. The keys—those two unfamiliar keys—had triggered a wave of suspicion. Matthew’s sudden rush to return home was no coincidence. He wasn’t worried about Ava. No, it was about those keys.
I tried to push the thought away, but it gnawed at me relentlessly. What if those keys belonged to someone else? Ivanna came to mind instantly. She had been thriving these past couple of years, living on her own in a spacious apartment she’d never once invited me to. I wondered why—maybe because it was convenient for her to keep secrets, to bring men home without anyone being the wiser.
The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. Melanie was involved in this mess, too. She had unwittingly complicated everything with her antics. But at the heart of it, there was a lie—a lie that Matthew and Ivanna shared. They’d kept secrets from me, and now I couldn’t shake the feeling that Matthew had been guarding himself against me for a while. When had he become so cautious, so closed off?
A sharp pang of sadness pierced my chest as I clutched the pillow, tears welling up in my eyes. Ava’s laughter floated through the air from the living room, but it didn’t reach me. My heart felt heavy, torn between the love I had for my daughter and the painful realization that the trust in my marriage had started to erode.
Later that evening, Matthew insisted on taking us out for dinner, and I didn’t have the energy to argue. Ava clung to both of our hands as we made our way to the car, a picture of a happy family. But I couldn’t help but feel like a fraud. Our smiles felt rehearsed, the kind of smile you give when you’re trying to convince others—and yourself—that everything is fine.
As we were about to leave, Melanie appeared, walking toward us with a confident strut. When she saw us preparing to get in the car, she stopped and asked, “Where are you going?”
“Daddy’s taking us to a restaurant to eat!” Ava chirped, clearly excited.
Without hesitation, Melanie walked straight to the front passenger seat, as if she had every right to be there. Her arrogance grated on me. When had she started freeloading at our house so often? Why was Matthew so blind to her behavior?
Matthew didn’t say much, simply starting the car and driving off. I seethed silently, frustrated with his tolerance of Melanie’s antics. I wondered why he never addressed her behavior, especially after everything that had happened at Galar Tower. If he didn’t blame her for that, he should at least be holding her accountable now. But instead, he let her walk all over him, and by extension, all over me.
My resentment was growing, and I felt more disconnected from Matthew than ever before. How could his family be so oblivious to their daughter’s behavior? I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of hold Melanie had over him.
We arrived at Aviary, a well-known restaurant, where the bustling crowd created a sense of urgency. Matthew told us to get out of the car while he searched for parking. Ava’s excited chatter filled the air, but it was drowned out by the tension that lingered in my chest.
As we stood by the entrance, Melanie snapped at Ava. “Why are you so noisy? You think just because we’re eating out, you can talk that much?”
Her words ignited a spark of anger in me. I whipped around to face her. “What’s wrong with that? You’re much older than her, yet you can’t even act like a decent aunt?”
Melanie rolled her eyes and retorted, “You’ve spoiled that brat.”
I couldn’t contain my fury. “She hasn’t been out much, has she?” I challenged, glaring at her. “What’s your problem? Can’t you be a mature adult for once?”
The verbal exchange continued, but before it could escalate further, Matthew appeared, having parked the car. Seeing me in the middle of a heated argument with his sister, he stepped in, patting me on the back in an attempt to calm me down. “It’s okay,” he murmured, trying to take Ava from my arms.
But Ava, ever the perceptive child, wasn’t having it. “Aunt Mel is evil!” she blurted out to Matthew, her innocent voice cutting through the tension.
Melanie shot Ava a forced smile, trying to cover up her true feelings. “What did I do, sweetie?”
It was always the same with her—putting up a front when Matthew was around, pretending to be sweet when everyone knew the truth. I wanted to avoid Matthew’s attempt to take Ava from me, but he was persistent. Instead, I walked into the restaurant, determined not to give Melanie the satisfaction of seeing me upset.
“Can you calm down?” I heard Matthew’s voice behind me, low but firm.
“Shut up. Haven’t you had enough?” I muttered under my breath. It was rare for him to speak to Melanie like that, and in that moment, I felt a slight relief. Finally, he was showing some backbone, even if it was too little, too late.
As we entered the restaurant, we were unexpectedly greeted by someone familiar—Johnson.