Stuart's biggest regret was getting divorced.
He usually had a high position and authority, and no one dared to joke or mock him.
He never expected to be berated by these two today.
Even though he looked down on them, Stuart snapped, "Who do you think you are to comment on my affairs?"
The younger guy next to Josephine had tears in his eyes. "Josephine, did you hear him? People my age are still in college. I want to go too, but we had no choice. We're earning money with our skills. Why are we looked down upon?"
Stuart was about to explode. "Shut up! Why are you talking to her?"
Josephine was speechless. She didn't want to comfort the waiter or deal with angry Stuart.
She got up to leave, and Stuart quickly followed, then turned back. "Even if I'm nothing, what do you have over me? Looks? Body? Find a mirror and take a good look at yourself!"
The younger guy shouted, "And yet you got dumped! Ever wonder why Josephine left you? Maybe you're all show and no substance! We have plenty of skills, you..."
Stuart retorted, "You're the one who's all show and no substance!"
Fearing he might strangle the guy, Stuart slammed the door shut.
Josephine hailed a cab as soon as she left the bar, and Stuart blocked the door. "Josephine, let me say a few words."
Josephine said, "Haven't we talked enough? Mr. Haustia, this is pointless."
Stuart said, "What we talked about before was our relationship. Now I want to talk about moral values."
"That's even more ridiculous," Josephine said, "Do I need you to discuss my values with me?"
Stuart wanted to say more, but the driver asked, "Are we going or not?"
Josephine pushed him away and slammed the door. "Go!"
She got in the car and immediately called Laura.
It rang several times before someone picked up.
Josephine quickly asked, "Laura, are you okay?"
Laura was breathing heavily. "I'm fine, what about you? Stuart didn't do anything to you, did he?"
Josephine said, "No, I got out."
"It's all Stuart's fault, wasting my money!" Laura spat. "Bad man!"
Josephine laughed. "It's okay. I already learned something. What's going on with you and Steven?"
"What else could it be?" Laura gritted her teeth. "It's just about that stuff in bed. Steven can't handle it. It's boring!"
"You..." Before Josephine could finish, she heard a scream from the other end. She quickly asked, "Laura? What's wrong?"
Laura was breathing heavily. "I'm fine. I'll call you later."
After hanging up, she kicked. "What are you doing?"
Steven grabbed her ankle. "Did you hear what you just said?"
"What did I say? The truth!" Laura pointed at him. "Did I say anything wrong? You just like my body! You and Stuart are the same kind of people!"
Steven gritted his teeth. "Me and him? How am I the same as him?"
Josephine didn't know Laura and Steven were about to fight. But she knew something was off with those two.
She found another hotel to stay in and called Otis. Just after hanging up, her phone rang.
She picked up and saw it was Todd calling.
He must've known she was back, so he called.
Josephine answered, "Dad."
Todd's tone was harsh. "You still remember I'm your dad? No news from you for years. Your mom and I raised you for nothing!"
Josephine didn't want to explain. "Is there anything else?"
Her attitude made Todd angrier. "You came back and didn't see me? How can you be so inconsiderate!"
Josephine checked the time. "I'll come home now."
Todd shouted, "You think you can come home whenever you want? Do you think everyone has as much free time as you?"
Josephine sighed. "I have to go to Celestia Springs tomorrow."
Todd said, "You don't even have a job now. You can go to Celestia Springs whenever you want. Come home tomorrow, I have something to tell you!"
"I've already scheduled it. I can't change it," Josephine said. "If there's something, just tell me over the phone."
Todd fumed, "You're really..."
Josephine cut him off, "If you don't say it, I'm hanging up."
Todd almost choked, quickly saying, "Wait! Your mom must have told you, Saturday is Emily's birthday. You have to come."
Josephine had been away for five years, not fulfilling her duties as a daughter. Emily had been with them, doing what she hadn't done. Josephine should have been grateful to her.
However, the first time she saw Emily, she didn't like her because of a woman's intuition. Emily definitely didn't like Josephine either.
She hadn't had a chance to tell Laura about it. If she did, Laura would curse badly.
Josephine laughed at herself and then said, "Sorry, I can't come back on Saturday. How about I buy a gift instead?"
"You have to come!" Todd said angrily. "Emily has been taking care of us all these years. We don't expect you to repay her, but you must come to her birthday!"
Josephine couldn't take it anymore. "She helped Mom, I acknowledge that. But I don't think she took care of you. There's a housekeeper at home. Did she do your laundry and cook for you? I'm your daughter, and she took my room. Did I say anything?"
Todd snapped, "She saved your mom, that's a huge favor! So what if she took your room? You're such an ungrateful daughter. I might as well give everything to Emily; you have no right to say anything!"
Josephine was exhausted. "Fine, give it to her. I don't care."
Todd asked, "You don't care about the inheritance; do you not care about me as your father either?"
Josephine was tired. "What do you want?"
"Come to Emily's birthday party on Saturday!" Todd raised his voice. "Not just you, Stuart has to come too!"
Josephine was stunned. "Who did you say?"
Todd repeated, "Stuart!"
Josephine was really angry now. "Stuart and I are divorced; we have nothing to do with each other! If you want to invite him, you go tell him yourself!"
Todd said, "So what if you're divorced? People get remarried! Just because you're divorced, does that make you enemies?"
Josephine finally understood. "Your true intention is to have me bring Stuart, right? Did you ask him and he refused?"
Todd felt a bit embarrassed. "I'm your father! If I lose face, how does that benefit you? I'm telling you, no matter what, you have to get Stuart to come! Otherwise, don't blame me for disowning you!"