CHAPTER 29

"Is she okay?"
       "It looks like she saw a ghost." One of Liam's relatives teased. My hand rested on the rail as I glared severely at her. She didn't know when she got up and moved to the other sofa where I couldn't see her. "Mannerless. Where did you get such a bride from? I knew my brother made a dreadful and irreversible mistake when he married you. How could you have made the right choice for your son when you are the worst 30 years of my brother's life."
       Tearing down her brother's wife to look like a loving sister. Nauseous. I shook my head in dismay. To think Mr. Smith didn't react to that nasty statement about his wife irked me more.
       I tapped my feet on the tiled floor precipitously, when I was sure everyone had their concentration on me, I waved like a first lady.
       "Hannah!"
       That was the bomb about to detonate. Before it could explode, my Usain Bolt legs climbed down the stairs rapidly. When a food is burning, you don't immediately open the pot to look after turning off the cooker, you give it at least five to ten minutes to cool then take a confident look into your burned food. That was exactly what I was doing. I wasn't sprinting away from my husband neither was I fleeing accountability for my actions. You got it false if those were what you were thinking. In times like this one needed to think clearly before acting brashly.
       Increasing my pace till I got to where Mrs. Smith stood, I crossed my legs and relaxed the side of my body on her sofa.
       "Didn't you even try to teach her any manners? I'm ashamed of you, Mrs. Smith. I thought for once you'll make me proud but I guess you'll always be a chagrin." The lady from earlier said sternly.
       I gazed anxiously at Mrs. Smith. I hadn't seen the helplessness I saw in her eyes before. The look in her eyes was the same I had when I was compelled to wear Lisa's wedding gown. I recalled how much I wanted to commit suicide but just couldn't do it.
       Mrs. Smith was in the same situation. She pierced her fingernails in her smooth and soft skin, teeth clenched.
       "You must enjoy picking on helpless people because you're afraid to pick on someone your size. I've seen people like you in movies but I just didn't expect they existed in reality." I retorted, not minding the knife-stabbing glare Mr. Smith was giving me. He didn't like that I was replying to his sister rudely but found it humorous when his sister belittled his wife in the presence of almost more than twenty family members including children. If only he figured out the minds of little kids were like the internet. No matter how hard you teach them, that didn't leave their heads.
       "How dare you!" At first, I thought there was no greater tornado than the one coming from my bedroom but this lady proved me wrong. Her voice was loud enough to wake a dead man. She got up, hand akimbo and index finger pointing directly at me then said, "How dare you speak to me in that condescending tone?"
       "You mean the same tone you're using to mortify my aunt in public?"
       "Do you know who I am!?
       That was the problem with successful people. They instantly presumed people would know who they were because of the little or maybe surplus money they had made. "No. I guess you're not that famous." When I said that, it wasn't to frazzle her. I truly didn't know who she was aside from the fact she was my father-in-law's sister. I usually didn't take any kind of interest in celebrities and their affairs. Marrying one just happened to be a coincidence created by Lisa and my parents. "You should try working harder so your name would be on the front cover of the magazine."
       "Hannah Smith!"
       So she did know my name after all. "I might be more popular than I thought. This is why my mum used to tell me not to take gossip about me to heart. I can't believe how many people might know who I am from the lies they've heard about me. Mesmerizing!"
       "You think this is funny?" She paused her lips and clenched her fist into tight balls. Her eyes flashed heat waves at me. "Hannah, you've crossed the line." her jaw compressed.
       I twirled around, eyes examining the tiled floor carefully, "No, aunt. I don't see any line." then stopped and continued, "I'm guessing the maids must have washed it off when cleaning this place. I'll have them draw another one by tomorrow. You do not have to worry about a thing. Hannah's got you."
       "So this is how you want to play the game, huh?"
       "Forgive me!" Mrs. Smith jumped up and grabbed my hand. Something she never did before. I couldn't recollect a day this my aunt came too close to me. "You were right. I failed to teach her about our family and also how to respect elders. It's my fault. Please just keep her out of all of this drama, Patricia."
       "She must think she's something because she got married to Liam." Another of Mr. Smith's sisters said.
       The guy sitting next to her spat then added, "It's funny. Just look at this trench looking down on us because she married the President. Irritating." He didn't look anything like her husband. I narrowed my eyes in his direction and then gasped. He was definitely Mr. Smith's brother. They had the same nose and eyes and the obvious sitting posture.
      "This is why you shouldn't have anything to do with destitute. She needs to be reminded of her place." A tall blonde lady, wearing an Italian gown and her long calabash hat, said. She appeared younger than them and beautiful.
       Everyone in his family was an asshole. I started to apprehend why Liam behaved the way he did. There was primarily no one to teach him good manners.
       "Diana would have been a better wife for Liam." And that hit the spot. Mrs. Patricia had a gold medal for destroying someone emotionally.
       No. I wouldn't let that happen. The intention of doing that was to weaken the target emotionally, mentally, and physically. I couldn't give her the satisfaction she needed. Even if the urge to do that was stronger than the fake mask I was putting on. "But she isn't. That's the nicest thing you've said to me since 10 minutes ago. I couldn't be more appreciative. If it weren't for that, you and I wouldn't have crossed paths."
       "Nobody is indispensable. Everything and everyone in this world can be replaced. Even a wife, Sweetheart."
      It was the sincerest threat I had heard in my life. I felt a rising tide of fear run down my spine. The sobriety in her eyes told the story. She wasn't just making a meaningless threat. What power did I have to remain in that house if she decided to pull that trigger? I remained relaxed even when I had a lot to say.
       Mrs. Smith could read my mind. She rushed in just as Patricia was about to involve her brother which was her only bullet in weakening Mrs. Smith and I. "I'm sorry again. I'll talk to her."
       "Talk to her?" She cut in. "You're going to talk to her?"
       Why is she reiterating it? Does she expect me to be whipped or what? It's not like I committed a crime punishable by hanging. I reasoned then said, "Aunt,"
       "Keep quiet! Haven't you said enough?" If I hadn't witnessed everything that played out, I would have thought Mrs. Smith was the evil person. But I could find the hidden pain in her strident tone. She yelled only to keep me out of Patricia's black book. That was my mother-in-law. Our security guard was right. She wasn't a horrible person but was most definitely bad at new relationships. "Apologize to her now!"
       Why now? I had just started to play along to the facade and she had to do that? What exactly was I sorry for? I didn't do anything that demanded my apology. I picked up a brownie and threw it into my watering mouth. That might have been the worst move to make when trying to win someone's heart; It immediately closed all doors and gates to their heart.
       "Spoiled child. She has no good home training at all. Her parents flunked miserably in raising her."
       "Hannah!"
       "That's my apology, Aunt. She's said all she has to say. Why should I apologize then?"
       "You're Liam's wife." Mrs. Smith breathed. "Should I remind you again that this is your family?"
       "They don't see me as a part of their family neither do I."
       "Ronald, tell your daughter-in-law to apologize right now or I would leave this house and never return."
       And she finally used the bullet. Seriously? Was that actually a threat? Leaving the house would have been the greatest gift she would have given my family. Apologize? If Liam was the one in question then I wouldn't have thought twice. Why should I say sorry when I was the victim?
       "Hannah,"
       "Hannah, come quickly." Max ran out of the kitchen along with Nanny Mai.
       Saved by the Bell. I inhaled deeply and exhaled.