Chapter 318 The Show Begins
Arya had long anticipated Ashley's arrival.
Seeing Ashley's furious face, Arya feigned a look of terror, glanced at Mark, and said, "It was Mark who brought me here. He bought a house for Maggie, and we are buying furnishings for it."
Arya's words successfully diverted the anger.
Ashley immediately started berating Mark, "You really want to have another home outside? That house was supposed to be for Melissa, and now you're giving it to Maggie? And buying furniture and million-dollar jewelry? Mark, how can you do this to me?"
In her anger, Ashley said whatever came to her mind. Mark's face turned particularly grim, but he still couldn't stop Ashley's words with just a look.
With Ashley's outburst, the salespeople and customers in the furniture store all turned their eyes to watch the spectacle.
Mark could only try to stop her. "You go home first. Don't make a scene here."
Arya feigned ignorance and asked, "Mark, what did Ashley mean just now? Isn't the house for Maggie?"
"Of course, it's for Maggie. Don't listen to her nonsense." Mark, now desperate to keep Arya and Maggie, could only lie, "Pick any furniture you like here."
"Mark," Ashley said, pulling his aside angrily. "I am your wife. If you spend any money on Arya, I'll divorce you immediately."
Arya said with great grievance, "When I met Mark, you weren't even in the picture. You separated us, leaving me and my daughter behind. Now that Mark is compensating me a little, you won't let it go. For the past twenty years, I've raised my daughter alone. Who should I seek justice from?"
Arya, not to be outdone, appeared aggrieved but had plans in her heart. She also included Mark into the conversation.
Ashley's words had initially made the onlookers think Arya was the mistress. With one sentence, the situation reversed, making Ashley seem like the mistress and livening up the drama.
Mark was also surprised that Arya was so clear-headed and even started arguing with Ashley.
Not only Mark but even Maggie outside the store was surprised.
Maggie was worried that Arya went out with Mark alone, so she followed them with Holden and Brian after seeing them leave.
At this moment, the three of them were holding cups of coffee outside the furniture store, watching the farce through the glass door.
Holden asked, "Maggie, your mother is being bullied. Aren't you going to step in?"
Maggie calmly replied, "It's inappropriate. If I step in, it changes the nature of the situation and affects my mom's performance. She has pent-up anger. Let her vent for a while."
Brian took a sip of his coffee and said, "Mrs. Flores, this is pretty good."
Maggie said, "When you take someone's advantage, you should do something to repay. You two go and blend into the crowd to support my mom."
Holden immediately understood. "To guide public opinion."
They couldn't let Arya be scorned. At a critical moment, Brian's skills could also come in handy.
The two of them now followed Maggie's orders completely. As soon as Maggie spoke, they walked in with coffee in hand, blending into the crowd as if they were just there to watch the show.
Ashley, provoked by Arya, retorted, "You shameless woman, look at yourself in the mirror. Why do you have the nerve to spend Mark's money? You were the one who approached him first. You were after the Jackson family's money. You deserve to suffer."
"When I met Mark, I had no idea he was wealthy," Arya said, looking at Mark and addressing Ashley. "If you don't believe me, ask him. He said he wanted to marry me. It was you who forced him to marry you, and that's why he abandoned us. I never married and raised my daughter alone without contacting you. Now it's you who have come to us, claiming to compensate us."
Mark was terrified that the past would be brought up again. If so, everybody would know he was an irresponsible man.
Mark quickly said, "Ashley, go home. Stop making a scene. It's only right that I buy some things for Arya and her daughter."
Holden, blending into the crowd, said to Ashley, "Ma'am, your own husband admitted he had mistreated this lady. She raised her daughter alone, which wasn't easy. She never sought you out, and now your husband wants to compensate them. You're being too stingy as a mistress."
Then Holden turned to Mark and praised, "Sir, it seems you were quite the charmer in your youth. This lady had it rough. You shouldn't shortchange her."
Brian, from another part of the crowd, chimed in, "Women shouldn't make things hard for other women. Ma'am, you look like you've lived a life of luxury while this lady has had it rough. A man can abandon many things, but never the woman who stood by him through hardship."
With these comments, the onlookers began to criticize Ashley for being too harsh.
Arya noticed Holden in the crowd and was momentarily stunned. Although she didn't know when Holden had arrived, she had to pretend not to recognize him.
Ashley couldn't stand the public opinion. Red-faced with anger, she shouted at Mark, "Mark, you've been lying to me all along. You said Maggie would donate bone marrow to Melissa, but actually, you just used that as an excuse to bring them here so you could be reunited. You've planned this well."
In her rage, Ashley's imagination ran wild.
Mark was deeply frustrated. "What nonsense are you spouting now?"
Ashley was extremely foolish, saying everything out loud.
Arya understood Mark's intention but couldn't show it. Following Ashley's words, she appeared to trust Mark completely and said, "Mark wouldn't use Maggie's bone marrow to save Melissa. He said he'd think of another solution for Melissa's illness. Maggie has no obligation to save her. Besides, Maggie and Melissa might not even be a match. He just brought us here to compensate us."
Arya wasn't lying. Mark had indeed used those words to deceive her. This way, Mark wouldn't suspect her of doing it on purpose.
With these words, Ashley was convinced that Mark had deceived her. She grabbed Mark and cursed, "Mark, you're ungrateful. I should never have trusted you. I knew it. You praise Maggie in front of me and want to leave all the family assets to her."
"Stop making a scene," Mark said, now at a loss for what to do.
Before he could finish, Holden spoke up from the crowd again, "Sir, I think this lady is much better—gentle and kind. Look at that ma'am. Her temper is so bad no man could stand it."
Brian echoed, "A wife should be virtuous. This ma'am is so hot-tempered and cuts her husband no slack. Such a woman is not worth it."
Men valued their reputation above all else.
Arya, from start to finish, didn't make a scene. She spoke gently, reasoning with Ashley and showing great understanding towards Mark.
In contrast, Ashley was hot-tempered and rude. She showed no respect for Mark at all.
Facing the pointing fingers of the crowd, Mark felt utterly humiliated.
In a fit of rage, Mark raised his hand and slapped Ashley to show his authority as a man. "Look at yourself. If it weren't for your shameless persistence, Arya would have been my wife. She never competed with you and never asked for a penny of child support,. But you are so sharp-tongued and mean. Get out of here and stop embarrassing me."
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