The loud thud of the um hitting the table startled everyone.
They stared at me with wide eyes, as if I were some kind of monster
For two full seconds, the room was dead silent.
Beatrice was the first to react. She pretended to be shocked and looked at me with exaggerated fear. “Simone, Dom told you to bring Alexander, and you bring an urn? What’s that supposed to mean? Even if you’re mad, you shouldn’t curse your own son and ruin the Carter Group’s celebration!”
At her words, the crowd turned on me with disgust.
“How could a mother be like this? Cursing her own son? How disgusting!”
“People like her have nothing going for them, so they cling to pride. Pathetic.”
“Poor Alexander. Saddled with a crazy, deranged mother.”
“Letting someone like her marry into a powerful family is a disgrace.”
They backed away as if I were some kind of filth.
Alice clutched her chest and gasped for breath, then pointed at me, furious: “Simone, you’ve gone too far! Tell me now–where is my grandson?!”
pain
I pointed at the um and said coldly, “I told you. He’s right here.”
“Simone, have you lost your mind?!”
Dominic glared at me, livid. “I’ve been too lenient with you all these years, and now you think you can say whatever insane lie pops into your head!”
I met his gaze and said firmly, “If you think I’m lying, investigate it yourself.”
son and bring him back!”
Dominic immediately called the butler and ordered, his voice tight, “No matter what it takes, find my son
After hanging up, he barked at me, “Don’t think I’ll believe any of this nonsense. Once I find him, you’ll pay for all of this and you’ll never see him again.”
His eyes were full of rage, his voice laced with threats.
But I wasn’t afraid.
“Dominic, the one who needs to pay–is you.”
The business elites around us started to laugh mockingly.
“She’s lost her mind. A powerless housewife, threatening Mr. Carter?”
“Ridiculous, Without Mr. Carter, she wouldn’t even be allowed in this room. Instead of being grateful, she’s making a scene?”
“Bringing out an um to curse her own child, now making empty threats–the classic tantrums of the powerless poor.”
They all looked at me like I was some circus act, a clown trying to be noticed.
Dominic’s face twisted with disgust. “Marrying you was the greatest shame of my life.”
Just then, his phone rang
Seeing it was the butler, Dominic answered and turned on speakerphone so everyone could hear.
In the silent hall, the butler’s trembling voice came through:
“Mr. Carter, I’ve just finished a thorough investigation. It turns out your son passed away the day you sent him to take the SAT.”
