Chapter 16 The Marvelous Mother–in–law
The voice of Grace Jenning, my mother–in–law, echoed from outside the room. “Henry and Ramona, are you asleep?” she inquired.
In a hurry, Henry concealed the divorce agreement within the quilt before opening the door. “Mom, why are you still awake?” he questioned.
“I was about to retire for the night, but I noticed your bedroom light was still on. I wanted to check if you two were still up.” Grace explained, standing at the doorway.
I removed my face mask, approached the door, and joined Henry in our pretense. “Mom! We were just about to turn in for the night, I declared, draping my arm around Henry’s shoulder and nestling against him affectionately.
Henry glanced at me but remained silent.
“It’s late. Your father has to attend the Amurica Summit in two days. We came here on short notice and decided against staying at a hotel. We’ll be staying with you for a few days, Grace informed me
with a
warm smile.
My in–laws usually lived in Charon City, a short distance from our city.
I responded cheerfully, “That’s wonderful! It’s been a while since we spent quality time together. I’ll take you to enjoy some delicious food and relax over the next few days.”
After encouraging us to rest, Grace finally departed, saying. That’s lovely. You two should retire early and get some rest.”
In my previous life, I mistakenly believed that Henry was a man who acted on his whims and rarely heeded his family. I devoted all my energy to him, thinking that as long as he loved me, his family’s opinions were irrelevant.
However, after witnessing his efforts to secure his family’s approval and blessings for Violet, I realized the significance of family to him. If I had maintained a good relationship with my in–laws or if I had been pregnant, perhaps I wouldn’t have lost in my previous life.
After closing the door, I exhaled a sigh of relief. We exchanged glances.
“Do you prefer to sleep on the bed while I take the sofa, or vice versa?” I asked anxiously.
Henry nonchalantly lay on the bed and responded coldly, “Don’t fuss. Do you really think something would happen if we share a bed?”
I had to concede that Henry had a knack for uttering hurtful words.
“Fine then.”
1 refrained from further discussion and simply lay down on the other side of the bed.
This was t the second time we chared
huer ein
ince cuir nocnerisme. The first time wat on nur wedding night
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Chapter 16 The Marvelous Mother–in–law
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We slept back to back, treating each other as if we were invisible.
After a while. I broke the silence. “Can you give me Noah’s WhatsApp or phone number?”
Henry didn’t respond. I turned to look at the back of his head, wondering if he had fallen asleep. I added, “I want to give him a piece of my mind.”
“Already did. Henry’s cold voice came from the other side, his response curt and direct.
Alright then. I closed my eyes and attempted to sleep again.
Just then, the sound of muffled thunder began to resonate outside. A thunderstorm was approaching.
The thunderclap frightened me so much that I grabbed the quilt and pulled it over my head. Despite the continuous rumbling of thunder, I could hear Henry grinding his teeth.
He called out my name sternly, “Ramonal”
I pecked out from the quilt and saw Henry’s annoyance. I explained in a low voice, “I’m sorry, but I have a fear of thunder.”
“How is that my problem?”
Henry was always harsh with me, and he even snatched the quilt away.
“Boom!”
Another deafening clap of thunder was heard, I swiftly threw myself into Henry’s arms. The most pressing concern was to get through the current situation; the divorce and other issues could wait.
Henry’s body stiffened noticeably. He was clearly taken aback.
Could anyone accept holding a skeleton on a stormy night? Also, given how thin I am, I would have found it uncomfortable too.
Henry pulled my arm off him. He wore a grim expression and warned me, “Don’t touch me, okay?”
“Then stop taking my quilt away from me.”
I suppressed the embarrassment and bitterness that welled up in my heart and feigned calmness.
Henry kicked the quilt over to me. He got off the bed, pulled out another quilt, and slept on the floor.
I wrapped myself in the quilt like a cocoon. My gaze landed on the man on the floor.
I imagined the scene he would share with Violet in the future. If Violet was scared of thunder, he would probably wish to protect her and make her feel safe.
That night, I dreamed of my previous life again. The desperation and unwillingness were etched deep into my soul.
12:15 Sat, Aug 17
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1 got dressed and went downstairs. Amber was preparing breakfast while the other servants were Tidying up the house. Grace was tending to the plants in the courtyard, which had been damaged by last night’s storm. Halbert Patterson, my father–in–law was practicing yoga.
“Dad and Mom, why are you up so early?” I strolled into the garden and greeted them politely.
“People our age can’t sleep for too long, so we wake up early to exercise,” Grace replied with a smile.
Naturally, I approached her and took her hand. Ignoring her slight surprise, I initiated a conversation. “Mom, I have a friend who owns a jewelry store. She recently acquired an amethyst and emerald bracelet. It’s stunning, and she urgently needs money I bought them from her because I knew you liked to collect emeralds. I’ll bring it to you in the next few days.”
Grace had a fondness for emeralds. She even had a room in her house dedicated solely to her collection. I made an effort to get closer to her by aligning myself with her preferences..
I wasn’t doing it to win over her son; instead, I was acting out of spite because I wanted to disrupt Violet and Henry’s love life a little more. It was my way of seeking a small measure of revenge.
“An amethyst and emerald bracelet?” Grace’s eyes immediately sparkled with excitement. She said, Okay, show it to me when you bring it back. If I like it, I’ll pay you for it. I’ll buy it!”
“A mother–in–law and daughter–in–law shouldn’t talk about money. I’ll bring it to you in a few days,” I responded sweetly.
Actually, I do have a pair of amethyst and emerald bracelets. It was a seven–figure gift from my mother a few years ago. If the bracelets can make Grace like me more as a daughter–in–law and be fussy with Violet, I think it would be worth it.
“I appreciate your filial piety, but I can’t let you pay for it. I need to give you what you deserve,” Grace patted my hand and said kindly.
I shook my head and said, “Mom, don’t say that. The younger generation can’t always be by your side to take care of you, so we can only make up for it with money. As long as you and Dad are happy and healthy, no amount of money is too much.”
My in–laws exchanged glances, probably a bit puzzled. In the five years that Henry and I were married, I’d never expressed such filial sentiments.
Halbert paused his yoga and dusted off his clothes. He said, “Ramona, we appreciate your kind thoughts. Your mom and I have no other wishes, we just want to have a grandchild soon. You and Henry need to hurry up!”
Upon hearing this, Grace seemed to remember something. She pulled me aside and asked somewhat hesitantly, “Ramona, have you and Henry had a medical check–up? Does Henry have a health issue that’s causing problems?”
My heart pounded fiercely. For the first time, I discovered that my mother–in–law was incredible. When it came to this matter, the first person she suspected was her own son instead of me.
12:15 Sat, Aug 17
