Chapter 5: Like a Servant

As soon as Madeline heard the word “sister-in-law”, her face went dark deeply, and she gave Ellena a stern and cold look.

If looks could kill, Ellena would have already been buried six feet under the ground with no way out. This time not even the richest man in the city could help draw her out from the mess “Nicklaus” had created for her.

Was this man trying to get her killed?

Madeline held Ellena’s hand and pulled her into the hall of the villa, then coldly let go.

She looked at Ellena with a cold face, “Did the man just call you “sister-in-law? Is he Edward’s cousin?”

“Yes.” It wasn’t that she could lie at this time.

Slap!

Madeline slapped Ellena in the face with all her strength.

Ellena’s face swung to the side and her ears began to buzz. If she hadn’t balanced herself, she would’ve already collapsed to the ground from the force.

“You have no shame, do you? What were you thinking about getting involved with your husband’s cousin on the first day of your marriage!” Madeline clenched her jaw, “If you want to die, just go and kill yourself! I’ll even hand you the knife! But don’t you dare take us with you!”

When Madeline turned away, Ellena reached out to touch her face which was still in pain, she coldly looked up to Madeline, “Really? Do you think I was the one who kissed him first? You can’t even ask what happened?”

It had always been like this. Every time something goes wrong no matter what happened or who was at fault, Ellena was always the first to be blamed. Her mother wouldn’t even bother asking her for a reason. Instead, she’d use insults and hands to do the talking.

‘Worthless’, ‘good-for-nothing’, ‘wrench’ –all of them already came out of her lips. At this time, if Ellena got a dime for every time her mother had used them, she’d be a billionaire by now.

“One is an impotent and disfigured piece of garbage, the other, a normal and healthy man. I have eyes and you have eyes. It would be clear to everyone who to choose. You haven’t already spent the night with this “cousin”, have you?”

A soft feminine voice came from the stairway, gently and softly, but full of malice.

Seeing Naomi came down, Madeline rushed over to greet her. “Naomi, do you feel better? Do you need me to fetch you a cup of tea? Or do you want to turn down the AC?”

Madeline addressed her so carefully as if she was a fine porcelain cup that she had just picked up from an auction.

“Thanks Mom. I feel much better.” Naomi smiled gently with great innocence, but there was a certain glint in her eyes like one that held all the maliciousness in her heart.

She went to Ellena. “Ellena, I can totally understand how you feel. But you should think about our family and show a little restraint. Do it for us.”

From an upstairs window, she saw Ellena and a man kissing in the car. That was the reason why she rushed down. What didn’t surprise her was that Ellena was kissing a man who couldn’t have been her husband, but that her ugly sister was actually kissing someone!

Naomi then turned to look at Madeline and asked innocently, “Mom, am I right?”

Madeline showed a smile, “Of course my Naomi, you are right.”

Ellena tightly clenched her hands and pursed her lips, not bothering to say a word.  

It was hard to remember which one of the two girls was Madeline’s biological daughter. After all, who would even think about treating their own blood like trash?

Over the years, Madeline had always wanted to gain a firm foothold in Smith’s house, she tried to please everyone in this house with everything she could. But her daughter was simply a burden that she had cursed upon them, and she’d do everything to put her last, even if it meant sacrificing her own blood.

At the sight of Ellena, Madeline’s smile vanished and she looked at the former with a severe face. “Ellena since you have married into the Arnoult family, you must fulfill your duty. Don’t you give our family a bad name. We’re only doing this because we care for you.”

Care of her? Had she ever?

Ellena lowered her eyes, hiding her disdain inside. She still looked blank as a doormat. With a calm voice, she said, “You have reminded me that if you do something that pisses me off, I might do something stupid in front of the Arnoults. Now, I am not sure if that would provoke them to do something to our family, but I wouldn’t tempt me. Got it?”

Naomi did not expect Ellena who had always been silly and rebellious, would say such words. She frowned and said, “What do you mean  by that?”

“Just exactly what you heard.” Ellena looked up, with her eyes slightly closed, as dull as usual.

Did they really think she would still be insulted as a servant like before?

It used to be like that. Ellena had pretended to act humble in an attempt to please and win favor of Madeline. After all, wasn’t blood supposed to trump anything aside? However, after Madeline had forced Ellena to marry into the Arnoult family on her sister’s behalf, the fear of displeasing her mother was gone as well.

“What?”

Naomi gritted her teeth. She was already used to bossing Ellena around, and this was the first time she saw that woman actually fight back.

She was so angry that she glared at Ellena before she turned to look at Madeline, “Mom, how could she even say that?”

Of course, Madeline could hear the treat in Ellena’s words. But assuming that Ellena would compromise with her no matter what like the past, she still put on a mother’s airs and said sternly, “Ellena, apologize to your sister!”