3: 3

Remembering all of that from my past life, I looked at my husband.

"Winning heart with heart is a fine thing to say. But put your hand on your chest and tell me. I've already given everything. Has your mother ever once been sincere with me?"

"What am I supposed to do to satisfy her?"

"Jayden, how do my parents treat you? Don't they treat you like their own son?"

"Both sets of parents, and yet why such a difference when it comes to an outsider who isn't blood family?"

I hadn't even finished speaking.

Every gaze in the room had already swung to my mother-in-law.

Heads shook, one after another.

Their eyes were full of contempt.

The two sisters, who had been sitting there acting like none of it was their business, couldn't stay in their seats anymore.

They came over.

Smiling, apologetic.

"Our mom isn't a bad person. She just speaks a little bluntly. What mother-in-law doesn't love her daughter-in-law? Of course she has to."

"Right. If our mom treated you badly once you're part of the family, I'd be the first one against it."

The whole time her daughters were saying this, Kathryn kept a cold face.

The corner of my mouth curved up slightly.

"You two shouldn't say that. You can't force these things. If she doesn't want to accept me, then I'll just go. I won't hold it against her."

A lot of people in the room couldn't take it anymore.

They started calling out how far Kathryn had gone.

As for me, I'd said what I needed to say, so it was as good a time as any to leave.

Seeing me turn to go, Kathryn's expression changed.

After all, she'd set out to put me in my place from the start, and she'd never expected that instead of going along with it, I'd walk out.

If I left, what would that make her?

So her mouth crumpled, and the tears came.

"It's all my fault. I'm the bad one, I'm the wicked mother-in-law, I'll leave. That works now, doesn't it?"

With that, she made a show of getting up to go.

Jayden panicked and grabbed her.

"Mom, you can't leave!"

Then he turned on me.

"My mother's already like this. What more do you want?"

"Apologize, now!"

"If you dare walk out, you'll never set foot in the Gilbert house again."

Calmly, I said, "Goodbye."

And I walked straight out of the hall.

4: 4

The wedding fell apart.

The guests had come to bless the couple. Now they were here for the show.

The story spread fast until everyone had heard it.

The Gilberts couldn't hold their heads up.

At his mother's prompting, Jayden texted me.

"Gabriella, blowing this up won't do you any good. Push it too far and you'll never get through the Gilbert family's door."

"My mom has a big heart. She says you're young, so a little willfulness is only natural. So she's willing to give you a chance."

The corner of my mouth curved.

I wrote back.

"Oh? Go on."

Jayden thought I'd caved.

His tone hardened.

"Now that's what a smart woman sounds like. Buy some gifts, come apologize to my mom in person, I'll put in a few good words for you, and we'll call the whole thing settled."

Then.

He sent me a list.

All high-end women's clothing.

And at the end, a photo.

A kneeling cushion, made of foam.

I let out a scoff.

"You mean kneel and bow my head?"

"Just once, enough to make the point. It's the Gilbert family's custom. See, I was worried you'd be uncomfortable on the floor, so I bought you a foam cushion special."

I sneered inside.

But I replied.

"You really are thoughtful."

Three days later.

I carried a bulging bag.

And knocked on the Gilberts' door.

The living room was packed.

Every one of the Gilbert relatives had come.

Along with a few unfamiliar faces, holding professional camera gear.

At the head of the room.

Mrs. Gilbert sat in a chair, arrogance all over her face.

At her feet.

That kneeling cushion, laid out neatly.

When they saw me come in.

Every face turned scornful.

The whispers started.

*She really came, just like they said, meek as anything.*

*That's called knowing which way the wind blows. Otherwise the Gilberts would drop her, and who'd ever marry her then?*

*If she'd known it'd come to this, why act up in the first place?*

Mrs. Gilbert spoke down at me from her seat.

"Gabriella, it's good that you came on your own to admit you were wrong. Just kneel now and bow your head, and I'll let everything that happened before go."

Then.

She shot the strangers a look.

The camera lenses clicked on, one after another, all trained on the cushion.

I laughed to myself.

She really had it all worked out. The moment I knelt, the Gilberts would win back every ounce of face.

I said: "No rush. Let's have a look at what's in the bag first."