Chapter 3

Caleb called me within ten minutes after the picture was posted, saying, "Ophelia, please don't misunderstand me. Mom arranged the gathering. She's my mother, so I couldn't possibly disrespect her. I—"

I cut him off, replying blandly, "Alright, I understand. Is there anything else?"

He started hesitantly, "You're not… mad?"

I huffed in amusement and asked, "Why should I be mad?"

Caleb fell silent.

After a while, he said, "It's my mother's birthday this Saturday. I'll pick you up then."

He immediately ended the call right after he said that. It was as if he was worried I would reject him.

Caleb arrived at Blair's place on Saturday. He had come early.

When his car pulled over, Emma popped out from the passenger seat and called out, "Ophelia, come on! We've been waiting for you for ages."

She was behaving as though she were Caleb's wife.

If she had done this in the past, I would have most probably dragged her out of the car and forced Caleb to choose between us. I would've been hysterical over a seat.

However, this was no longer the case now. I only gave Emma a slight nod in greeting before getting in the back seat.

Caleb's hands tightened around the steering wheel as he shot a glance at me through the rearview mirror.

I tugged my lips into a polite smile before returning to my conversation with Blair.

When we arrived at the Thorne residence, I promptly took out the gift I prepared for Pauline and said courteously, "Happy birthday, Pauline."

Then, I sat down and quietly enjoyed my meal.

Caleb and Emma were sitting next to me. They were both craning their necks as they happily chatted over my head.

Eventually, I rose to my feet and suggested, "Let's switch seats. You two would be able to chat better this way."

Everyone at the table froze.

After all, I had thrown a huge fuss when Emma had insisted on sitting next to Caleb a few months ago. I had even called her a homewrecker.

So, none of them expected me to say those words so calmly.

Emma was overjoyed and wasted no time switching seats with me. On the other hand, Caleb kept staring at me, his gaze darkening with every passing second.

I left to use the restroom.

When I returned, the atmosphere at the table had returned to its previous harmonious state.

I heard Emma say, "Mrs. Thorne, it's your birthday today. How could you give me a gift?"

I followed her voice and saw Pauline placing an emerald bracelet on Emma's wrist.

Caleb didn't stop her.

Everyone else around them had mixed expressions.

They all knew that the bracelet was an heirloom that was traditionally passed down to the next mistress of the Thornes.

Pauline hadn't been pleased when Caleb and I had gotten married. She thought I wasn't good enough for their family.

As years passed with me remaining childless, her dissatisfaction with me grew. So, it was only natural that she had never bothered giving me the bracelet.

She had wanted to give Emma the bracelet on her birthday last year.

I refused to allow such a thing to happen. So, when Emma reached for it, I immediately fought Emma for it.

Both of us fell into the lake during our struggle. Caleb didn't even hesitate to rescue Emma before lashing out at me viciously.

He had barked, "It's just a bracelet! Haven't I gotten you enough gifts? Why do you have to fight Emma for this bracelet? I've spoiled you rotten, haven't I? Fine, I'll just get you another one!"

I came down with a cold after that incident. My fever had lasted for two whole days.

Caleb only continued to berate me, saying, "It serves you right for being so immature and reckless."

I would no longer lose myself over something like this now.

Instead, I calmly took my purse, excused myself politely, and left.

I made no detours and returned home.

Caleb was right on my tail. He had a thunderous look on his face when he returned home.

"Ophelia, do you even have any common courtesy left in you? It's one thing for you not to come home for days, but how could you be so rude to our elders?"

When he noticed my silence, he yanked at his tie and sneered. "What's this? Are you giving me attitude right now? Fine, let's get a divorce."

This was the third time Caleb had brought up divorce.

He threatened divorce the first time because I had refused a drink offered by his boss, embarrassing him.

To make up for it, we invited his boss to a meal, and I ended up drinking so much that I was hospitalized. I had begged for Caleb's forgiveness whilst on IV drip.

Then, he threatened it again because I accidentally broke the jigsaw puzzle Emma had gifted him.

He was furious. I groveled and cried as I swore it would never happen again.

This time, I only looked at him calmly and said, "Alright."