Chapter 133 The Awkwardness of the Family Home
Magnus's biological parents? Ophelia was somewhat surprised. When had the old couple arrived? She hadn't heard Magnus mention it, and she thought they hadn't come yet.
"Hello, uncle and auntie, I'm Ophelia, a friend of Magnus," Ophelia introduced herself. It wasn't appropriate to say much more; she wasn't sure what the situation was.
The older couple just glanced at Ophelia without a word, ignoring her.
Seraphina grabbed a mop and cleaned up the spit the man had left on the floor. "Uncle, could you please spit into a trash can next time? Wrap it in a tissue. It's very unsanitary this way," she said.
The man was displeased. "What's unsanitary about it? Back home, everyone does it. It's just you city folks who are too precious," he retorted.
Seraphina, fuming but not daring to speak out, finished cleaning and headed to the restroom.
Ophelia stood in place, feeling awkward. Collecting herself, she carried the groceries into the kitchen. She wanted to ask Seraphina for clarification when she heard a man's voice from Magnus's bedroom. "Mom, mom."
The woman from the living room immediately went into the bedroom. Shortly after, Ophelia heard, "How did you mess your pants again? Why didn't you say something sooner? Seraphina, come and help. Bring over a basin of water and some clean clothes."
Seraphina, hearing the call, initially ignored it, pretending not to hear.
The woman called out again: "Seraphina, stop pretending to be deaf and give me a hand."
Reluctantly, Seraphina went over to help.
The scenes unfolding before Ophelia were shocking. What kind of people were Magnus's family?
Soon after, Seraphina emerged holding a bedpan. She went to the restroom to clean it, washing it several times with soap, worried it would retain the smell.
Ophelia glanced around the two-bedroom apartment that once felt spacious. Now, with the addition of a sleeping area on the floor next to the living room, it felt cramped.
Seraphina walked up to Ophelia with a complaint on her lips. "Those two are Magnus's parents. The one inside is Magnus's brother; he's paralyzed, has no feeling in his lower body. His parents are tagging along, seeking shelter with Magnus. With parents like that, it'd be better if they hadn't been found at all. Having them back is just a burden. Magnus and I have been sleeping in the living room for days now, and no matter how much we clean, the place still reeks."
These past few days, Seraphina had been the one taking care of everything, cleaning up after the family, and she was near her breaking point. The elderly couple wasn't tidy, and the presence of someone with paralysis who couldn't care for himself overwhelmed her. She had considered leaving multiple times, but her mountain of debt kept her anchored, hoping Magnus would help her pay it off.
Seraphina had resisted the idea of getting a job before, but now she was eager to find employment. Only by working could she find a valid excuse not to stay and care for these people.
Ophelia hadn't expected Magnus's family situation to be so dire.
Picking up on some details from Seraphina's rant, Ophelia asked, "Have you been living with Magnus this entire time?"
"After my investment disaster, I lost all my money and had nowhere else to go, so of course I'm staying here," Seraphina said mockingly, with a hint of venom in her voice. "You must be feeling so pleased with yourself, Ophelia, seeing me in such a pathetic state. While Magnus and I endure this hell, where are you? Probably cozying up in Finnegan's bed."
Ophelia didn't respond to Seraphina's sarcasm, because some of it was undeniably true. She had been enjoying a sweet time with Finnegan, blissfully unaware of the turmoil at Magnus's place.
As Seraphina stewed in envy and resentment, she blurted out impulsively, "Ophelia, you could just ask Finnegan for a few million..."
However, before she could finish, the door opened, and Magnus returned home.
Seraphina held her tongue, sensing the awkward tension as Magnus encountered the unexpected presence of Ophelia. He was embarrassed because he did not want to reveal his currently disheveled state to her.
Dropping his bag, Magnus immediately took Ophelia by the arm and urged her outside. "Ophelia, let's talk outside."
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