Chapter 2

Shane grinned. "Lydia, see? I told you I'm popular. You'd better keep a close eye on me, or someone might actually steal me away. Then you'll regret it."

He wasn't only incapable of reading the room, but he was also insufferably narcissistic. Faced with someone this shameless, I was truly at a loss for what to do.

I picked up the plate of garlic butter shrimp and moved to dump it in the trash. "You two really are perfect for each other. You're both equally unreasonable and irrational. Since you don't know how to respect the work I put in, then don't bother eating it."

Sarah chased after me into the kitchen and hurriedly grabbed my hand, pleading in a low voice, "Jo, don't be upset. Lydia's young and doesn't know any better. We should be the bigger people here and not stoop to her level. I'll have Shane talk to her later.

"This is Lydia's first time visiting, and Shane finally has a girlfriend. Please, just bear with it for my sake. The shrimp you made is delicious. Don't throw it away, alright? I'm begging you."

The older woman was being so humble that I couldn't bring myself to refuse. I set the shrimp back on the dining table.

After all, she'd lost her husband before she even turned 30 and raised Shane on her own. That couldn't have been easy.

But Lydia wasn't having any of it. "Oh, so you wanted to throw a tantrum but chickened out halfway? What an act.

"You're deliberately putting on this magnanimous show for Shane so he'll compare us in his head and think you're so much more mature than me. Look how thoughtfully you take care of his mother. How virtuous!

"Take a good look in the mirror. You're old and ugly. Shane would never be interested in you."

Sarah didn't want the misunderstanding to escalate and quickly explained, "Lydia, Jo has a boyfriend."

But Lydia refused to believe it and continued her mockery. "Don't think I can't see through this act you two are putting on together to fool me. Just look at that worthless face of hers. Any man who'd be interested must be blind."

I'd thought if I just put up with this, the whole thing would blow over. I never expected Lydia to push her luck and keep going relentlessly.

She was like a persistent fly I couldn't swat away, absolutely revolting.

I laughed bitterly. "I'm not as worthless as you, not as ugly as you, and I actually have some class. Any man who'd date you must be blind too."

After saying that, I stood up and bid Sarah farewell. "Sarah, I have other things to take care of. You all enjoy your meal. Consider this my parting gift."

I'd only taken a few steps when Sarah grabbed my wrist to make me stay.

Shane probably felt like I'd embarrassed him. He looked at me with a cold laugh. "Joanna, you've always been the queen bee since we were kids. The moment you meet someone who can match you, you can't take it and start being passive-aggressive. How tacky."

Once he finished scolding me, Lydia rewarded him with a kiss. "Babe, that was perfect. You can't stand fake bitches like her either, right?"

She shot me a contemptuous glance and continued in that mocking tone. "Listen, wake up. No matter how understanding or generous you pretend to be, Shane will never like you.

"The more you act like this, the more fake you look. There's nothing genuine about you. Plus, the way you're fuming right now just aged you another ten years. You look like a middle-aged housewife."

The fury that'd been building in my chest kept churning. I clenched my fists, about to explode.

But Shane beat me to it. "Lydia, you really hit a nerve with Joanna. Watch out, when she loses it, she'll hit you. I've been bullied by her every single day for years.

He turned to me and winked, his tone smug and satisfied. "Joanna, karma finally caught up with you. Someone can finally put you in your place. Let's see if you still dare to bully me from now on."

I used to feel sorry for him. He grew up without a father, so I'd always protected him like a little brother. Whenever someone bullied him, I was the first to step up and defend him.

So around him, my personality was a bit domineering. And yet, he'd never once said he hated it.

I never imagined that now, for the sake of his girlfriend, he'd turn around and throw me under the bus. I couldn't take it anymore. I flipped the entire table over, sending food crashing to the floor.

I walked over and slapped Shane across the face. "Then stay the hell away from me. You and your girlfriend don't deserve to be in the same room as me!"

Amid their shocked cries, I turned and left.