3
Mrs. Rhodes didn’t notice her daughter’s unusual reaction. She only saw my expression and immediately became smug. “Remem-
ber him now, don’t you?”
Before I could speak, Fiona quickly grabbed her mother’s hand and pulled her towards the exit. “Mom, you’re really going too far!
Today is Chloe’s wedding. Chloe and I are friends. How are we supposed to face each other after this?”
Mrs. Rhodes huffed, “What are you afraid of? I already gave that little girl a chance. It’s her own fault for blowing things up. A friend
like that isn’t worth having anyway.”
Mrs. Rhodes wouldn’t know. Fiona wasn’t afraid of our friendship breaking apart. She was afraid of the truth being exposed. In my
last life, I had always wondered how Mrs. Rhodes could remember such vivid details about a completely unfounded event. Listeni-
ng to her speak just now, coupled with Fiona’s reaction, I had a bold idea. Once she uttered the man’s name, I was virtually certain.
Someone had indeed been a mistress in college and had had an abortion. But that person wasn’t me; it was her own daughter,
Fiona. I had seen Fiona getting into Nathan Miles’s car multiple times outside the university. I knew they had been involved for a
while, but I didn’t know Nathan was married. There was also a period when Fiona was incredibly weak. I asked her what was wrong,
and she said she was having her period. At the time, I didn’t understand how a period could cause such pain.
Seeing the two of them about to walk out of the hall, I blocked Mrs. Rhodes again. “You can’t leave. You need to testify for me.”
I insisted that I had no memory of this incident and no recollection of ever interacting with Nathan. Since she remembered it so
clearly, she should go to the police station and tell them the whole story. If she refused, it meant she was fabricating the story.
Mrs. Rhodes, however, thought I was deliberately playing dumb, trying to cover it up. She stopped moving and instead yelled at me,
“Even if you don’t believe it, it’s true! I’m telling you, Nathan Miles is getting engaged here today! I’ll call him right now. Things won’t
end well then!”
I bristled. “Go on, call him over for a confrontation if you dare!”
Mrs. Rhodes, spurred on, directly flung Fiona’s hand away, pulled out her phone, and made a call. Nathan Miles was indeed getting
engaged right here. Within minutes, Nathan’s mother arrived. The moment she stepped in, Mrs. Rhodes grabbed her hand. “Your
son, during his first marriage, did he get a college girl pregnant? Look, is it this girl?”
I had expected Nathan’s mother to deny it in such a public setting. After all, it wasn’t exactly a proud moment. But to my surprise, she said quite proudly, “Oh, that was years ago! Who remembers those things? But yes, there was a young girl who kept chasing my Nathan around.” After speaking, she finally realized the setting, covering her mouth and chuckling. “Why did you call me here i talk about this?”
Mrs Rhodes beamed at me. “Chloe Bellwether, you heard that, didn’t you? Let’s just leave it at that. It’s your wedding today, so I’m giving you some face. I won’t spill all the details of your past. With that, the two of them nonchalantly began discussing Nathan second fiancée, saying she was the daughter of Nathan’s boss, and that he was highly regarded
poke up. “This auntie only said there was a young girl. Is this young girl me??
Everyone in the hall stretched their necks, craning to see us. The emcee urged several times that the fumičiaus time
I spoke up, “This auntie only said there was ‘a young girl.‘ Is this young girl me?”
15.09
Everyone in the hall stretched their necks, craning to see us. The emcee urged several times that the auspicious time was about to begin. My parents, feeling utterly humiliated, came over and pulled me. “Chloe, what kind of occasion is this? You’re causing such a scene! Can’t you just sort this out after the wedding?”
I shook my head vigorously. “I want to resolve this now! Otherwise, my reputation will be ruined!”
My father, seething with anger, swore, “She’s already giving you face! Didn’t you hear her? Don’t press the issue! Do you even want
to get married?”
I looked up and saw my future husband and mother–in–law’s faces were as black as soot. The disgust in their eyes was overflowing. My mother–in–law said scornfully, “This is the ‘good‘ daughter–in–law you picked for me? I said she was a slutty fox from the start,
but you wouldn’t believe me.”
My fiancé walked over, his tone deeply displeased. “Chloe, are these things true? If they are, then I’m afraid this wedding can’t go forward.” My mother–in–law added from behind him, “How utterly shameful. Doing so many filthy things, and then making such a huge scene about it.”
Listening to their words, I felt even more wronged. My parents were only concerned with their own reputation, wanting to get the wedding over with. My fiancé thought my actions were humiliating. Yet, he and I had met in our freshman year of college, spending every day together for years. He knew better than anyone whether I had been pregnant. But in the end, he still believed those peop-
- le.
The three of them, who were supposed to be the closest to me, chose not to defend me when I was slandered. They wanted me to
just endure it. Even though I had experienced all this in my previous life, my heart still ached uncontrollably.
No one was standing up for me. So I would stand up for myself. I declared, “Even if I don’t get married, I will get to the bottom of
this.”
“Fine,” Mrs. Rhodes chuckled. “It’s not like we’re the ones being humiliated.”
My mother quickly moved over, slipping a red envelope into Mrs. Rhodes’s hand. “Sister Rhodes, please be kind. Don’t quarrel with a
child.”
Mrs. Rhodes snorted coldly. “Out of consideration for our past friendship, I’ll let you off the hook. Everyone, just assume I was joking
earlier, okay?” With that, the three of them began to walk out. I tried desperately to stop them. “You can’t leave!” But my parents
held me in a death grip.
Just as I couldn’t break free, two police officers entered the door, blocking Mrs. Rhodes and her companions. “Hello, we received a
report that someone was assaulted while unconscious. Could the victim please identify themselves?”
