Chapter 1294 Regret
Even though Cecilia seemed unbothered by Azalea's schemes, only she knew how much it hurt inside. She realized then that no matter what she did, she couldn't change Azalea's opinion of her.
So, Cecilia started to lose hope. She didn't want Daryl to worry, so she decided to face it alone. Honestly, she wasn't sure how long she could keep it up.
Azalea, noticing that her previous attempts hadn't fazed Cecilia, decided to come up with a new plan.
That morning, Azalea suddenly said to Cecilia, "Cecilia, have the kitchen prepare a few extra dishes for lunch today. Use the best ingredients. I have guests coming over."
Cecilia nodded and replied, "Sure, Mom. How many guests are you expecting? I'll make sure we have enough food and table settings."
Azalea paused and answered, "Four ladies. Make sure the food is light, not spicy, and preferably a bit tangy."
"Got it." Cecilia nodded and headed to the kitchen to inform the chef.
Knowing Azalea's guests were likely to be high-status, Cecilia brought out the finest tableware and selected the best ingredients. She personally discussed the menu with the chef.
Around noon, the four guests arrived.
At the villa's entrance, Cecilia stood beside Azalea, politely welcoming the guests.
But when the four guests stepped out of the car, Cecilia was stunned!
Two of the guests were women around Azalea's age, while the other two were younger women, around Cecilia's age or slightly older, and both were heavily pregnant.
Seeing the two pregnant women, Cecilia felt a bit dazed.
At that moment, Cecilia glanced at Azalea, who was chatting and laughing with the guests as if Cecilia didn't exist.
Cecilia understood immediately. Azalea had invited the two pregnant women specifically to upset her.
Standing there, Cecilia felt a deep sense of discomfort.
But Cecilia also knew she couldn't be rude. The guests were unaware of Azalea's scheme, and if she didn't treat them well, it would reflect poorly on Daryl and make the guests think poorly of her.
Azalea and the four guests sat on the living room sofa, while Cecilia and the servants continuously served coffee, water, fruit, and snacks.
Despite her inner turmoil, Cecilia forced herself to smile and remain courteous.
After some small talk, Cecilia learned that the four guests were two pairs of mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, and both daughters-in-law were 24 to 28 weeks pregnant.
The two mothers-in-law treated their daughters-in-law like precious treasures, inspecting the fruit and snacks Cecilia served before allowing them to eat.
Azalea glanced at Cecilia and then smiled at the two mothers-in-law, "They look like they're about 24 to 28 weeks pregnant, right?"
One of the mothers-in-law smiled and said, "Ours is 26 weeks."
The other mother-in-law, gently cradling her daughter-in-law's belly, said, "Ours is 30 weeks."
"Oh, their bellies are such a joy to see," Azalea said, her eyes filled with envy as she looked at their bellies.
The mother-in-law with the 26-weeks belly beamed, "We've already had it checked—it's a boy!"
The other mother-in-law, with the 30 weeks belly, smiled warmly, "This is our second child. The first was a boy, and I'll be happy with whatever this one is."
Azalea immediately expressed her envy, "You both are so lucky, with heirs on the way."
"Mrs. Azalea Fields, don't worry. You'll have grandchildren too," the mother-in-law with the 26-weeks belly said with a reassuring smile.
"Yes, absolutely," the other mother-in-law quickly agreed.
Cecilia felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. She knew what was coming next.
She stood up and forced a smile, "I'll go check on the food."
As she walked away, she heard Azalea's voice.
"You don't know how lucky you are. I have to rely on my younger son for grandchildren. My older son's wife may be beautiful, but her belly just won't cooperate. She can't get pregnant..."
Cecilia quickened her pace and left the living room.
At the corner between the living room and the kitchen, Cecilia couldn't hold back her tears.
She knew Azalea had changed her tactics. She wouldn't confront her directly but would find ways to mentally torment her.
Cecilia thought she was prepared and immune to Azalea's words, but she had overestimated herself. The inability to have children was too significant a flaw for a woman, and she couldn't control her emotions.
Cecilia knew this wasn't the place to cry, as the servants were coming and going, so she quickly hid in the bathroom.
She looked at her tear-streaked face in the mirror for a moment, then quickly washed her face and composed herself before stepping out with a smile.
Entering the kitchen, she discussed the dishes with the chef, maintaining a cheerful demeanor. She knew she couldn't show any displeasure and couldn't embarrass Daryl.
At lunchtime, everyone gathered at the table, which was filled with various dishes.
Cecilia then understood why Azalea had asked for light, non-spicy, and tangy food—it was for the two pregnant women.
Sitting at the table, Cecilia saw the two pregnant women beaming with happiness and pride. Their swollen bellies made Cecilia feel suffocated, as if a heavy stone was pressing on her chest. She picked up a glass of ice water and drank it down.
It was only mid-spring, and the weather wasn't very warm yet. The ice water made Cecilia's stomach uncomfortable, but with guests present, she had to endure it.
At the table, the five ones discussed pregnancy and child-rearing, leaving Cecilia feeling like an outsider.
Fortunately, she could go in and out of the kitchen, directing the servants to serve soup, dessert, and fruit, so she didn't feel completely out of place. But the discomfort in her heart was something only she knew.
In the afternoon, after seeing the guests off, Cecilia was exhausted and deeply saddened. Azalea casually told her to go rest upstairs. Cecilia said nothing, went upstairs, and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
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