Adrian stood stiffly, saying nothing.
Shirley Turner raised her voice, "Finally, you say something sensible. We are all family. Isn't it right for an older sister to give way to her younger sister? Consider it a wedding gift to your sister."
I sneered continuously, looking at this stepmother, suddenly speaking gently, "Then I should add another gift."
"What gift?" Shirley Turner asked.
I said, "Send a coffin, placed at the wedding site."
"Lily Miller!" Shirley Turner's face turned livid with anger, glaring at me, unable to speak.
I laughed, explaining even more gently, "In ancient times, when a woman married, her family prepared a dowry with a coffin, to be taken to her husband's home on the wedding day. As the older sister from the bride's family, my wedding gift is quite appropriate."
What I said was reasonable and left them unable to find a flaw, like tasting bitterness in silence.
Just like earlier when I set off firecrackers, I was clearly celebrating and gloating, with an implication of cursing Sophie Miller— yet I claimed it was to ward off bad luck, and what could they do about it?
All these years, when they relied on my youth to bully me, when did they ever allow me to voice my grievances?
Now they should also taste this frustration and anger properly!
Shirley Turner was so angry her face turned red, pointing to the doorway, "Lily Miller, get out— get out!"
Not satisfied, she vented at my worthless father, "Jason Miller! Look at the good daughter you raised! Cold-hearted and vicious, she curses my daughter like this, and you just sit by!"
Jason Miller was equally outraged, and before Shirley Turner finished, he aggressively moved toward me.
Brother Adrian's face tightened, hastily stepping forward, "Uncle Miller, let's talk this out."
Jason Miller was stopped, but he still pointed at me, commanding, "Apologize to your sister!"
How could I apologize, so I argued justly, "What did I say wrong? You, without culture and unaware of the customs surrounding weddings and funerals, instead blame—"
Before I finished speaking, Jason Miller suddenly raised his hand to slap me.
But Adrian blocked him, stepping in front first, and the slap landed hard on Adrian, sending his hair flying.
Sophie Miller screamed, "Dad! What are you doing!"
Adrian seemed a little dazed, struggling to keep his eyes open, continuing to block Jason Miller, "Uncle Miller, violence can't solve problems. Ultimately, this is my fault. I failed to console Sophie. Give me some time, I'll handle this."
Jason Miller, plagued by illnesses for years, with hypertension, high blood sugar, and diabetes, now looked flushed with anger, appearing in pain.
He panted, instructing, "You… talk to her, next time this happens, I'll break her leg!"
Adrian promised repeatedly, then turned to me, speaking softly, "Lily Miller, let's go out and talk."
"No need, I have nothing to say to you."
I turned to leave, but he grabbed me, "Lily Miller, your attitude won't solve the problem. We are all family, can't we discuss things properly?"
Family?
The word disgusted me, so I replied, "You're not fit to be family with me."
After saying that, I raised the wrist he held, commanding, "Let go."
"Let's talk."
"I told you to let go!" I struggled hard, but he didn't let go, and in a fit of rage, I raised the other hand and slapped him hard across the face.
With a "slap," everyone in the room stared, stunned.
Then Sophie Miller cried, complaining, "Lily Miller, what are you doing! How dare you hit Brother Adrian? It's me who wants to marry him. If you have any grievances, direct them at me..."
I looked towards the bed, smiling, "Do I need a reason to hit a scumbag? As for you, the Yama King will deal with you, no need to dirty my hands."
After that, I didn't care how angry or ferocious they became, I turned around and slammed the door shut.
Returning to the car, I sat in a daze for a while, my mind gradually calming down.
Thinking of having such a family, I couldn't help but feel a deep sadness.
I thought that meeting Adrian and finding someone I loved could heal the wounds in my heart.
But to my utmost surprise, it was precisely him who dealt me the most severe blow.
Thinking of the sacrifices I made over the years to help him heal, it felt as if wolves were tearing at my insides.
The sudden ring of my phone snapped me out of my gloom.
I picked it up and glanced at it; it was my close friend, Wennie Lane.
"Hello..."
"Young Madam Gordon, didn't you forget we have a lunch date today, where are you? Don't tell me Adrian has kept you captive?" Wennie Lane teased, unaware of what I'd been through over the past few days.
I frowned slightly, suddenly remembering the lunch I arranged with my friend a few days ago, originally to discuss the wedding rehearsal.
"I'll be there soon."
The wedding rehearsal was no longer necessary, but I had to inform my friend about it.
Seeing Wennie Lane at the restaurant, she immediately noticed something was off with me.
"What's wrong? You look so terrible. Did you get into another fight with your family?" Wennie Lane asked with concern.
Wennie knew all about the horrible relationship I had with my family of origin.
Without answering her question, I calmly said, "Wennie, there won't be a wedding."
Wennie Lane was pouring tea, and upon hearing this, she looked up at me in surprise, pausing, "What are you talking about? The wedding is next week, how can there not be one?"
I smiled slightly, feeling completely numb inside, "To be precise, the wedding remains, but the bride is not me anymore."
Wennie Lane put down the teapot, got up and leaned over the dining table, placing one hand on my forehead. "Are you sick and lost your mind? Talking nonsense."
I pulled her hand down, made her sit properly, just so she wouldn't be too shocked and fall to the ground later, and then briefly recounted what had happened over the past two days.
Wennie Lane's eyes widened, her mouth gaped in astonishment, as if she had seen a ghost.
"Damn! Is Adrian Gordon crazy? Sophie Miller's face screams 'manipulative b*tch' everyday, is he blind? Suddenly changing the bride at the wedding, isn't he afraid of being ridiculed by all the guests, and getting himself trending for all the wrong reasons? There's no need to be so reckless even if he wants to mess things up."
Wennie Lane was indignant, her voice high enough to startle the surrounding diners.
"No way, I'm calling him to give him a piece of my mind!"
Her fiery temperament was even more intense than mine, and she picked up the phone to call Adrian Gordon.
Exhausted both physically and mentally, I quietly drank my tea, not stopping her.
"Adrian Gordon, did Sophie Miller cast a spell on you? What's her terminal illness got to do with you? Have you forgotten how much Lily Miller sacrificed to treat your illness over the six years you were together? If she hadn't been your blood donor, your grave grass would be two meters high by now! Ungrateful bastard!"
"And tell me, when did you and Sophie Miller become so close? Have you two slept together already? I've seen scumbags, but never someone so universally despised as you! You're somewhat of a public figure, aren't you afraid of being..."
Wennie Lane unleashed a torrent of scolding, going nonstop for five or six minutes, until the waiter came to remind her to lower her voice.
Not wanting to make a scene, I got up and snatched her phone, hanging up.
"Why did you hang up? I wasn't finished! It's not just Adrian Gordon who deserves scolding, that manipulative b*tch deserves it even more! Does having a terminal illness make her amazing? Does it give her the right to steal her brother-in-law?"
Wennie Lane was so angry she was losing control.
I quickly poured her a cup of tea to calm her down, "Forget it, don't disturb others while they eat."
Wennie Lane looked at the strange gazes around her and finally suppressed her temper.
"What on earth is Adrian Gordon thinking? Does he love Sophie Miller?" Wennie Lane couldn't make sense of it all, asking curiously but frustrated.
I shook my head, "I don't know, but he definitely doesn't love me."
Otherwise, how could he do something so absurd, bizarre, and shameless?
"Sophie Miller is a psychopath; she's tried to compete with you for everything over the years. Can't Adrian Gordon see that?"
I smiled wryly, "He always thinks I'm overthinking things, holding too deep a prejudice against Sophie."
Wennie Lane was so frustrated she drank several cups of tea, then suddenly asked, "Does he know Sophie Miller and Mason Miller are your half-siblings?"
"I'm not sure, I never told him. Maybe he knows, maybe he doesn't."
After all, it's a family scandal. Who wants to talk about that?
Even with the person you love the most, you can't lay bare all the unsightly aspects of your family.
Otherwise, on the day love is gone, these scandals will become public knowledge, and could be used by the other person as a weapon to hurt you.
"He doesn't know?" Wennie Lane smiled meaningfully, "Humph, I'm looking forward to the day Adrian Gordon sees Sophie Miller's true colors, he'll surely regret it to the point of crying on his knees."
I smiled without saying anything.
Whether he regrets it or not has nothing to do with me anymore.
After lunch, Wennie Lane comforted me, "At least you got the company as compensation. Throw away such garbage men, and focus on building your career."
Her words reminded me that there were still some procedures left for the company's legal representative change.
"You're right, I shouldn't be downcast over a man. Don't worry, I'm fine, it's lucky to recognize scum early on."
After saying goodbye to Wennie Lane, I arranged to meet Adrian Gordon in the afternoon to handle the legal representative change.
He readily agreed.
When I met him, there was a handprint on one side of his face, adding an amusing touch to his handsome demeanor.
"Hurry up, once we're done here, let's go get the divorce certificate." Seeing him walk leisurely, I urged him softly.
We had only been registered for a month, if I had known it would turn out like this, I shouldn't have queued early on 5/20.
Adrian Gordon looked at me with melancholic eyes, his mouth moved as if he wanted to speak but hesitated.
After leaving the commerce bureau, we headed straight to the civil affairs bureau.
Unexpectedly, upon arrival, we found out that divorce requires an appointment and submission of materials first.
Then a thirty-day cooling-off period is needed, and if both parties still insist on divorce after that period, they can get the divorce certificate.
I was dejected and irritated, taking out my phone to make an appointment on the spot, but the earliest available was an afternoon half a month later.
So, when Adrian Gordon and Sophie Miller hold their wedding, I would still be legally Adrian Gordon's wife.
What the hell is this damn situation!
Seeing my temper flare to the extreme, Adrian Gordon lowered his voice gently, "It's not urgent, Sophie hasn't pushed me."
I swiftly raised my eyes to look at him, startling him.
I stared at him angrily for a while, then suddenly smiled, asking, "She hasn't pressured you? Isn't she afraid of never seeing that day come?"
"..." Adrian Gordon's face froze.
Considering the hassle of divorce, as long as I don't cooperate, it could take a year or more.
Even if Sophie becomes a bride, legally, she's not a wife, at most she's a mistress.
Adrian Gordon did not answer this question, taking a step forward, he still spoke gently, "Then we won't divorce, saves us from having to remarry later."
My face showed extreme surprise, staring at him, unable to understand those words.
Even now, he still confidently believes — after Sophie dies, I would get back together with him?