Chapter 119 Protecting Her Husband
With pleading eyes, Ava begged, "Please don't make him drink anymore, for my sake, please, Grandma."
Before Scarlett could respond, Ava's distress escalated. Scarlett, touched by the scene, sighed, "You're fretting over three glasses. It's fine, Uncle Mike, take away what's left."
"Of course." The butler nodded, reaching for the glass and bottle. Alexander held onto the wine bottle, “No need, Uncle Mike. There's not much left. I'll finish it."
"Alex, what are you doing?" Ava attempted to protest, but Alexander squeezed her hand, "It's just a little bit more, no problem."
Ava began to object again, but Scarlett interjected, "Fine, if he wants to drink, let him. Ava, eat your meal and leave him be.”
"But..." Ava had more to say but paused as she saw Alexander refilling his glass.
She sighed inwardly, feeling a wave of nausea from the stress, a sudden urge to vomit.
Quickly rising from her chair, she excused herself, "Grandma, I need to use the restroom, I'll be right back."
With that, she hurried off in the direction of the bathroom.
Alexander took a couple of bites, his vision blurring slightly as he noticed the spiciness of the food, furrowing his brow. Yet, knowing Ava enjoyed it, he said nothing.
"Alex, look how much your wife cares for you. Think more about her from now on and don't give her a hard time, you hear me?"
Alexander took a few bites of his meal, set down his fork, and gave a small chuckle. "Grandma, you're that pleased with your granddaughter-in-law? Just like you were pleased with mom back in the day?"
Grandma's eyebrows knitted together at his words, hinting that she may have suspected something. "Did you overhear my conversation with Ava?"
Leaning back in his chair, Alexander didn't bother to hide the truth. "Yes, I did."
"Well, since you heard, take it as a lesson. Look at what's become of your father. Don't follow in his footsteps."
"Grandma, but don't you think you share some of the blame for how my father turned out?" His voice turned a shade darker as he reclined, resting his head against the chair back. "He's an adult. He made his choices, and he's got to live with the consequences. Why did you need to correct him? Why did you insist on telling him what was right and wrong, making him marry my mom?"
Scarlett's brows furrowed deeper, a stern expression fleeting across her weathered face. "Alex, what are you suggesting? Are you siding with your dad? Where does that leave your mom? She went through the pain of childbirth and raised you by herself. Your dad was hardly around, do you know how much suffering she endured?"
"I'm aware of my mom's hardships," Alex gripped the chair's armrest, his tone firm, "but everyone makes mistakes, Grandma. Haven't you considered that by not allowing people to make them, they might end up making even bigger ones? Like Dad—that might have been different if you hadn't forced him to marry Mom."
"Had I not insisted your father marry your mother, would you even be here to talk back to me?" Scarlett slammed her hand on the table, visibly upset. "Alex, please don't tell me you're still hung up on Isabella!"
The mention of Isabella visibly altered Scarlett's complexion.
Alexander, who'd had a little too much to drink and felt his head spinning, realized he'd been too abrasive and staying would only lead to more quarrels with his grandmother.
"I need to use the restroom."
He stumbled out of the room.
Behind him, Scarlett sighed heavily.
Alexander had barely made his way toward the bathroom when a voice tempted him to eavesdrop at the door.
"Don't tell Grandma or Alex about me throwing up, please."
"Mrs. Mitchell, could you be…pregnant?"
