Chapter 18
“Alejandro, how could you?” Concetta’s eyes flashed with cold fury, her fist clenching tightly.
Her grandfather, a master painter, had poured ten years of his heart into that painting as her wedding gift.
It was too large to take when she moved out, so it stayed behind.
Sharon had hinted to Alejandro about borrowing it for a shoot, citing its relevance to her project’s theme.
Even at her most lovesick, Concetta had never agreed to let it go.
Now, Alejandro was using this as an excuse to force her to give it away.
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Sharon’s heart leapt with joy, though she masked it with a conciliatory tone.”Concy, if you really love that painting, I’ll just borrow it for the
shoot and return it after.”
Alejandro shrugged dismissively. “It’s just a painting. I’ll have it sent to the set tomorrow.”
Concetta’s teeth chattered with rage.”Alejandro, what gives you the right to give away what’s mine?”
He fixed her with a hard stare, his voice low and menacing.”Concetta, don’t be unreasonable.”
“Mom, Sharon said if someone makes a mistake, they have to make it right!” Hyman said earnestly. “Even if they were your clothes, you’re still responsible!”
Concetta let out a bitter laugh. “If I set out rat poison and a stray dog eats it and dies, am I responsible for that?”
Hyman fell silent, his cheeks flushed with guilt.
He remembered-it was he and Lynne who’d begged Mom to make their clothes smell like that.
“Does that make us the rats?” he thought, mortified.
Lynne, like a furious little cub, shoved Concetta hard.”You’re so cruel, Mom! Stay away from Auntie Sharon! Stay away from us!”
Weak from her illness, Concetta stumbled back, caught off guard.
A small, warm hand steadied her just in time.
Bethany peeked out from behind her, gasping.”Pretty lady, are you the other woman?”
She continued, wide-eyed, “My daddy says only the other woman gets hated by the real wife’s kids! Kids love their moms the most. We have to protect our moms! If someone’s daddy ever had another woman, he’d be no better than toxic trash!”
The air froze, all four faces shifting with shock.
Concetta gave a wry smile.”I’m the real wife.”
“No way!” Bethany pointed at Hyman and Lynne, incredulous. “Then they’re… illegitimate?”
“Shut up! How dare you!” Lynne snapped, lunging to push her.
Concetta, ready this time, grabbed Lynne’s arm.”Lynne, how could you be so rude?”
Lynne burst into tears.”Mom, you’re siding with a stranger over me! You don’t love me anymore!”
Bethany blinked.”But you just sided with that lady over your mom. So you don’t love her either, right?”
Lynne faltered, then glared.”Mind your own business! She’s my mom!”
Hyman chimed in.”Sharon got sick because of my mom’s clothes. It’s her fault. We’re just doing what’s right!”
“Oh! Bethany nodded sagely.”So the pretty lady forced that woman to wear the clothes, or else?”
Hyman and Lynne exchanged glances.
It wasn’t like that.
Hyman mumbled, “Sharon wanted to wear them.”
Sharon’s face flickered with displeasure.
Bethany crossed her arms, mimicking an adult’s tone.”Oh, so she’s the kind of shameless woman who steals others’ husbands, kids, and clothes!”
