Chapter 306 Adamant
Thanks to my parents, the terrible feeling I felt earlier remained even after returning home. It was saddening that the first thing they had to say when they saw me was asking for two million.
Despite already acknowledging that I was insignificant to them a long time ago, seeing them prioritizing money over my happiness was still disheartening.
As if that was not enough, Michael received a call from Josephine as soon as we arrived. Even though she did not say anything other than wanting Michael to head home, I perceived that it must be about the incident at the hotel earlier.
After hanging up the phone, Michael stared at me with an unnatural expression. I knew he was pondering about how to tell me about that call.
“Don’t worry about me. Go ahead.” I smiled at him in response while feigning a look of nonchalance desperately.
Still, needing to hide my true feelings was not only unbearable but also depressing. I believed no woman could face such an incident forthrightly if it happened before their wedding.
“I’ll be back very soon.” Michael curled his lips into a half-smile after my words and planted a kiss on my forehead before leaving.
Following his departure, the smile on my face vanished as I looked toward the door in anguish.
Anyhow, I realized that it was not wise for me to dwell on such a feeling unceasingly. Thus, I took a deep breath to compose myself before making up my mind to meet my mother about the money issue. I would not allow them to receive two million from Michael for no reason whatsoever.
A few moments later, I arrived at the house my mother lived. After knocking on the door for quite some time, someone finally opened it for me. It was Steven. Unlike his previous hospitable demeanor, he looked indifferent when he saw me.
I recognized that their decent attitude toward me previously was only because of the betrothal gift. Since the situation had escalated to this extent, it was no surprise that a 180-degree change of attitude occurred.
Once he opened the door, Steven walked back into the house without even sparing a glance at me.
When I entered the living room, I discovered that my parents were on the couch watching TV. Like Steven, they did not bother to cast a glance at me.
It was pretty apparent that they were ignoring me since I was standing not too far away from them.
Regardless, I decided to remain standing while looking at them watching dramas for the time being as I thought they would talk to me after dissipating their anger. However, I had overestimated my importance. For the next thirty minutes, I was a nobody that no one gave a rip about.
“We need to talk, Mom,” I uttered in a chilling tone, staring at my mother as I could not suppress the fury in my heart any longer.
The second she heard my utterance, my mother shifted her gaze toward me at long last. Her eyes were seething with rage as well.
“There’s nothing to talk about between us! Aren’t you on the Shaw family’s side now? I don’t even know if you’re my daughter anymore!” Those words from my mother were full of displeasure. Undoubtedly, she saw me as the culprit that prevented her from getting two million from the Shaw family earlier at the hotel. She must have thought I was standing up for them.
I intended to talk it through with her initially, but her attitude indicated that it would be fruitless. Her decision would never change, no matter how I was going to reason with her.
“Did you care about my feelings when you asked for two million at once, Mom? Do you realize how difficult my life will be in the Shaw family if we’re on bad terms with them? I’m your daughter, for heaven’s sake!” I spoke everything from the bottom of my heart while staring at my mother in sorrow. Even if she preferred males over females, she should have had paternal love toward me at the very least since I was her daughter. Yet, every decision she had made thus far was hurtful toward me.
In response to my grumble, a hint of guilt surfaced on my mother’s face, and she furrowed her brows. Nonetheless, the more noticeable expression was annoyance. “Who gave you the idea that I didn’t care about you? Isn’t it reasonable for me to ask for a small betrothal gift since you’re about to marry into the Shaw family? We’re the ones who raised you. Shouldn’t you show us some gratitude? Unlike your forthcoming prosperous life, your father and I have suffered for a very long time. Don’t you want to see us having a blissful life?”
Although I would not deny the sensibleness of my mother’s words, a couple of things she did had gone overboard in my judgment. Marriage is equivalent to my paramount happiness. As my parents, shouldn’t they foremost desire to see me having a blessed life instead of emphasizing money? Why didn’t they ever care about that?
“I won’t stop you from asking for a betrothal gift, but two million is too much. A betrothal gift of over a hundred thousand is already a large amount in our area. Have you considered how Mrs. Shaw would think of me?”
Josephine had always thought I seduced Michael only for money’s sake. Consequent to that incident at the hotel, that opinion of hers must have solidified even more. As a result, changing her impression of me was much more difficult.
“The Shaw family should be happy since you’re pregnant with their descendant!” My mother glanced at me apathetically before resuming to drink her beverage. It seemed like I was unquestionably a nobody to her.
Subsequently, I clenched my fists tightly in furiousness. An urge to cause a big fuss surged within me, but I controlled my emotion because of my pregnancy. Being hot-tempered constantly during pregnancy would affect the baby’s growth.
“I will never allow you to receive two million no matter what, Mom!” I made my position clear to my mother as I could not endure her attitude. She was never going to receive two million from Michael on my watch.
That was not to say that I was reluctant to give financial support to my parents, but their action would only lead to my hardship in the Shaw family.
“You’re sticking up for outsiders now, huh? Are you even my daughter? How can you say such a thing to me?” My mother stood up from the couch while glaring at me.
I would have compromised before, but the numerous things that I experienced during that period had made me realize my place in my parents’ hearts. As I thought what I had done for them over the years was already sufficient, I was determined to be resolute and prevent myself from suffering once more.
“I’ll ask Michael to give you a betrothal gift of two hundred thousand tomorrow night, Mom. It doesn’t matter whether you want it or not. Don’t even think about the two million. If you think two hundred thousand is not enough, I’ll take it back!” I enunciated those words with a cold tone while subduing the anger in my heart.
