Chapter 351
“If she had signed up for that yoga class and then lost her baby, she would’ve blamed me for sure, right?”
“Most likely.”
Audrey paused, then frowned slightly. “But why did she sign up again?”
“Who knows? Anyway, when I came to class, the instructor mentioned she insisted on enrolling. Now that Sharon’s lost the baby, there’s no need for prenatal yoga anymore. She’s probably here for a refund.”
The two were about to leave when Sharon’s mother suddenly caught sight of Celeste.
“Mrs. Langford!” Blair called out as she quickly stepped forward, pulling the younger woman along. “I’m Sharon’s mother.”
“Oh, hello.”
“You see, it was you who first introduced this place to my daughter, and now that she…”
“I never introduced her,” Celeste interrupted at once, her tone firm.
Instinctively, she glanced at Audrey.
The memory of Audrey pulling ice cream from Sharon’s mouth flashed through her mind.
Though the Langford family wasn’t afraid of the Hartwells, avoiding their entanglements was preferable.
“She asked to come check it out herself. She didn’t pay anything at the time, and I was in no way involved.”
The polite smile faded from Blair’s face.
“Celeste, my daughter always spoke highly of you, said you were beautiful and kind. If you hadn’t told her how yoga helped you stay in shape during pregnancy, she would never have come. You can’t just walk away now that something’s happened.”
Celeste had been handling the situation well, but now she faltered, unable to offer a response.
Blair then turned to Audrey, her eyes scanning her face and then her belly. “And you are…”
“She’s Yann’s wife,” Lucia suddenly appeared beside them, wearing her usual bright smile as she introduced Audrey’s identity with deliberate sweetness.
A flicker of disdain passed through Blair’s eyes. “So you’re the one who yanked food out of Sharon’s mouth?”
Audrey shot her a sidelong glance. “And you must be the mother of the pregnant woman who couldn’t even afford ice cream?”
Blair sucked in a sharp breath, staring at Audrey as though she were something vile. “Do you have no manners at all?”
“Do I really need manners when talking to someone like you?”
“You!”
A woman beside Blair stepped forward and confronted Audrey directly. “You scared Sharon when you snatched food from her mouth. That put her under a lot of stress, which probably triggered the miscarriage.”
Audrey only let out a cold snort.
“That day was just an accident.” Lucia, desperate to maintain harmony among the socialites, chimed in with a cheerful, practiced smile. “Audrey was only looking out for Ms. Hartwell’s health, She didn’t want her to eat something that might harm the baby.”
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Chapter 351
“If she was truly concerned, she could’ve said something nicely. What kind of person grabs food from someone’s mouth?” Mona Hartwell, Sharon’s sister- in–law, stared daggers at Audrey. “You owe us compensation.”
“Sharon lost the baby because she went to the hot spring. It had nothing to do with that day,” Celeste interjected quickly, trying her best to defend Audrey.
But the Hartwells weren’t interested in explanations.
Lucia tugged gently at Audrey’s hand and whispered, “Don’t let this get too ugly. Just say sorry and move on.”
Audrey pulled her hand away and said coolly, “If you can’t keep your mouth shut, then don’t come out with me anymore.”
“I’m just trying to help.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“I…” Lucia fell silent, glancing helplessly at Blair as though to say she had tried.
Blair folded her arms and laughed coldly. “Well, well. I’d heard that Mrs. Winifred is spoiled, arrogant, and impossible to deal with. I thought it was just gossip, but now I see it’s true. Disrespecting even your own mother. How impressive.”
Hugo made a move forward, but Sylvie stopped him with just a look.
Audrey had come out today simply out of boredom. Letting her blow off some steam wouldn’t hurt. After all, the odds were in her favor.
And if things truly got out of hand, Hugo could step in and take control.
He remained still for now, but his eyes never left Blair and Mona. If anyone dared lay a hand on Audrey, he’d intervene in an instant.
“What do you think I should’ve done?” Audrey asked, her tone calm and detached.
Blair, puffed up with arrogance, declared, “You should listen to your husband’s mother, of course. Show her respect at home, and support her in public!”
Audrey turned her eyes toward Mona standing beside Blair. “Did you get that? If not, maybe jot it down in your little notebook.
“She’s the one you serve. Better grovel at home and flatter her in public. Her pride comes before yours. Forget self–respect if it means protecting hers.”
Mona’s expression darkened, lips pressed tight.
At first, Blair looked pleased with herself. But as Audrey continued, the satisfaction on her face slowly faded into confusion.
“I’m talking about Sharon,” Blair snapped, “Don’t try to change the subject!”
“Oh, we’re back to Sharon?” Audrey raised an eyebrow, voice light with mockery. “Forgive me. I thought you were giving a masterclass on how to train your daughter–in–law.”
Then she turned, her gaze cutting. “If we’re following your logic, maybe your precious daughter just wasn’t good enough. Maybe that’s why her mother- in–law wouldn’t even buy her an ice cream.
“No decent family would be that stingy. What, did the Price family go bankrupt before Christmas? Couldn’t spare a few dollars, so your beloved daughter had to ask someone else for a bite?
“Yes, I did take that ice cream out of her mouth. Because it was urgent. If I hadn’t, she might’ve swallowed it, gotten sick, harmed the baby, and then what bargaining chip would you have left?
“You should be thanking me. Instead, you’ve come here twisting the truth, trying to play moral high ground. You stand there preaching about dignity. Have you even figured out what that means for yourself?”
Audrey delivered every word with deadly precision, not pausing for breath.
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Chapter 351
Blair stood frozen, her face a mix of disbelief and confusion. This wasn’t the story Irene had told her at all.
According to Irene, they’d all been eating together. Audrey was the one who got everyone excited about ice cream.
Sharon had refused at first. She was worried it might upset her stomach. But Lucia, ever enthusiastic, insisted. Sharon finally took a small bite,
The moment it touched her lips, Audrey snapped, shoved her hand in Sharon’s mouth, and clawed the ice cream out, terrifying her so much she nearly
cried.
It was in front of everyone. Sharon had been humiliated. She’d been depressed the entire day afterward, which was why she later agreed to take that short trip with Aaron.
But the way Audrey told it, it was an entirely different story.
The Price family claimed they treated Sharon like a daughter. But they wouldn’t even buy her dessert, letting her beg someone else for it instead.
Blair turned to Mona, whose eyes narrowed as she gave the faintest shake of her head.
It didn’t matter whether Audrey’s version was true. Compensation was still their goal.
“You’re just twisting everything!” Blair snapped, shoulders stiff. “If you truly cared about Sharon, you wouldn’t have tempted her with ice cream in the first place, then violently attacked her after she gave in!”
No one saw it coming. Audrey raised her hand and slapped Blair hard across the face.
Blair stood there, clutching her cheek, stunned. “You… you actually hit me?”
Audrey let out a cold laugh. “I was trying to reason with you. I thought I could appeal to whatever scraps of decency you might still have.
“That was my mistake. I should’ve skipped the speech and shut you up from the start. Saved us all the waste of breath.”
Mona stepped forward, her arm rising in outrage.
Audrey took a step toward her, belly prominent. “What now? You planning to hit a pregnant woman?”
Mona froze. She stepped back instinctively, unwilling to risk it. “Why did you slap Blair?”
“Because she clearly doesn’t understand human language,” Audrey/said, raising her hand.
Sylvie was already there, gently taking it, giving it a firm, reassuring squeeze.
“If you had half a brain between you,” Audrey went on icily, “you’d be confronting the Price family. Sharon knew pregnant women shouldn’t go near hot springs. If she didn’t want to go with Aaron, no one could’ve forced her.”
