Chapter 2

“And, Willow, take my advice.

“Young people like us shouldn't be eating processed foods packed with sodium and preservatives. It’s terrible for your health and can even cause sudden death.

“Your parents already have one foot in the grave, so eating more of it won't matter as much.

“You just got engaged to Frank. If you eat too much of this stuff, you might not even be able to get pregnant. Even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about Frank. You can't let your parents end up without any grandkids.”

I stood to the side with a cold expression, just about to lose my temper.

But Rachel suddenly picked up a paper bag and walked over to me with a bright smile.

“Willow, this is my engagement gift for you. See if you like it.”

Inside the paper bag were two boxes of folic acid.

“Willow, you're not that young anymore. If you get pregnant, you'll be an older expectant mother. While you still have time, you should take more folic acid. Then your baby will be healthy when you get pregnant later.

“I can't wait to be the godmother.”

I pushed her hand away.

“No need.”

The paper bag in Rachel's hand suddenly fell to the floor, and the two bottles of folic acid tumbled out.

Seeing this, Frank’s expression immediately turned cold.

He took Rachel's hand and stood beside her, naturally taking her side without hesitation, as if he'd completely forgotten that I was the one he was supposed to protect.

“Willow Newton, what kind of spoiled rich-girl attitude are you pulling?

“Rachel meant well. She put thought into choosing this gift, and this is how you treat her?”

I looked at the two bottles of folic acid on the floor and gave a soft laugh.

I opened the neighbourhood group chat on my phone, pulled up the conversation, and held it out in front of Frank.

“A thoughtfully chosen gift? Isn't this just the health supplement from the pharmacy downstairs that's being sold at a discount because it's nearing its expiration date?”

I looked at the price list the pharmacy employee had posted in the group chat and laughed in disbelief.

“Sixty-eight dollars for two boxes. Rachel, you really went all out.”

Rachel's face went pale, and she instinctively grabbed Frank's hand.

“Frank, I didn't know…”

Frank looked somewhat embarrassed.

“Enough, Willow. Do you really have to make such a fuss?

“Rachel's gift may not be expensive, but she put her thought into it. She only bought you something because she was thinking about you.”

“So what if the folic acid cost sixty-eight dollars? Didn't you buy one of those nine-ninety snack sampler packs online for Pipi yourself?

“You've always treated Pipi like your own son, haven't you? If he can eat a nine-ninety sampler pack, why can't you take sixty-eight dollars worth of folic acid?”

I stood there in stunned disbelief.

I couldn't believe that the man who had once cherished me in the palm of his hand, who wouldn't even let me sip on a hot drink until he'd blown on it to cool it down, could say something so hurtful to me.

I took a deep breath, utterly exhausted.

“Frank, do you also think all I'm worth is some discounted health supplements that are about to expire and cost sixty-eight dollars?”

Frank froze. When he saw the hurt in my eyes, his first instinct was to explain himself.

“Willow, that's not what I meant.”

The air between us was tense. Pipi jumped out of the cat house, stopped beside my feet, and worriedly rubbed against my pant leg.

Frank took out a gift box, opened it, and held it out to me.

“Willow, let's not argue anymore, okay?

“There are so many things to deal with before the wedding. I know you're under a lot of pressure, so I specifically picked out a gift for you while I was away on my business trip.”

I looked at the delicate gold four-leaf clover necklace lying inside the box and was just about to feel touched.

Then I lowered my eyes and noticed a matching bracelet in a different color on Rachel's wrist.

“Frank, you really put a lot of thought into your gifts. You made sure neither your fiancée nor your female friend was left out.”