Chapter 15 : The Spicy Food
Everyone was stunned. Sherrie hurried to act concerned. “Allison, don’t eat that. It’s dirty…”
Nigel was shocked as well. He hadn’t expected Allison to pick up food from the floor and eat it.
Just then, a voice sounded from the doorway, full of disbelief. “What is going on here?”
Violet Grant, Ronan’s mother, was so shocked she didn’t even bother with formalities and walked straight to the dining table.
When she saw Allison actually eating food from the floor, she turned to Nigel and Ruth with a look she couldn’t put into words.
Ruth turned her head away, ashamed.
Nigel walked over to greet her. “Madam Violet, what brings you here?”
Violet lifted her hand, brushing off his greeting. She originally came to talk to Nigel, but the moment she saw Allison squatting and blankly eating the drumstick, she hurried over and snatched it away from her.
In a trembling and worried voice, she said, “Don’t eat that! It’s too spicy. Your stomach isn’t strong enough for spicy food. How could you eat something like this?”
Nigel had thought Violet was upset because Allison ate off the floor, but when he heard her mention a stomach condition, he was stunned.
When did Allison develop a gastric disease?
Supported by Violet, Allison looked at Nigel and said, “I finished eating. Are you satisfied now?”
Nigel had no response.
That wasn’t what I meant. I had assumed she just didn’t want to eat anything but plain rice.
“If your stomach was in bad shape, why didn’t you say something?”
Allison answered, “I did. But you told me Mom worked hard to cook and that I shouldn’t be picky. You said one bite wouldn’t kill me.”
In the mountains, food was scarce, and everyone preferred spicy dishes. Ruth and Sherrie had already gotten used to eating spicy food during the fifteen years they lived there.
After they came back home, Ruth wanted to make it up to her children, so she often cooked large, spicy meals.
Sherrie naturally liked spicy food, and both my brothers weren’t picky. But I couldn’t handle spicy food at all.
When I was young, Dad had to be both mother and father. He couldn’t always take care of me himself, so he hired a nanny to look after me. But the nanny neglected me, and I went hungry so often that I developed a chronic stomach problem.
After that, no matter where Dad went, whether for business trips or meetings, he always brought me along so he could make sure I was eating properly.
But during the three years I spent in the psychiatric hospital, I wasn’t given proper meals, and my stomach became even more sensitive to spicy food.
“If she can’t eat it, she can’t eat it. How is that being picky?” Violet looked at the table full of spicy dishes and turned her anger toward Ruth. “You’re her mother. How hard is it to ask your daughter what she wants to eat?”
"I..." Ruth's eyes turned red. She lowered her head and wiped her tears.
Nigel couldn't stand seeing his mother upset. He frowned and said, "Madam Violet, Allison never said anything. How were we supposed to know?"
Violet held Allison protectively in her arms.
“I knew about her condition, too. So shouldn't you be reflecting on yourselves?"
Nigel fell silent.
Allison felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She pressed her hand against it and tried to endure it.
Noticing her reaction, Violet moved quickly to support Allison and glanced at them.
"I'm taking Ally with me."
Nigel moved as if to stop her.
However, Allison looked straight at him and said calmly, "From now on, I'll do everything you ask. But I won't explain myself to you ever again."
Nigel watched Allison walk away wobbly beside Violet. His eyes then fell on the scattered rice and chili flakes on the floor, and his heart churned.
I didn't expect things to turn out like this...
Earlier, Allison asked if I was pleased.
How could I be pleased? For what? She's my own sister. Seeing her in pain only makes my heart ache.
But she did exactly what I told her. When I told her to hold the burning charcoal, she did. When I told her to stand straight, she did. When I told her to eat, she ate.
Yet I wasn't happy. This wasn't the outcome I wanted. I only wanted Allison to be obedient, to get along with the family without resentment.
But instead, I had only made things worse...
Nigel turned to Ruth. "Mom, did you really not know Ally can't eat spicy food?"
"Huh?" Ruth flinched. Her eyes shifted nervously before she finally said, "She never told me."
Ruth had endured a lot in her life, so Nigel and Toby had always respected her. They had never talked to her in a harsh tone.
But today, Nigel broke that rule. Even though Ruth looked uncomfortable, he continued, "Then did you ever ask her what she likes to eat?"
Ruth hesitated. She stammered, "Maybe because I didn't raise her when she was young, she doesn't feel close to me. She doesn't talk to me much..."
Nigel's expression darkened. I could tell she was lying.
I watched Allison grow up. When she was a child, every birthday wish she made was for our mother to come back and hold her.
The first night Mom was rescued and brought home, Allison had wanted to share a room with her. She said she had a lifetime of things to talk about.
But what had our mother said?
She said Sherrie was scared and needed her. She said the bed wasn't big enough for three people. She told Allison to sleep alone.
For the first time, Nigel realized that maybe their mother had never really cared about Allison.
And at the door, Ronan had seen everything. He had come with Violet.
Violet was Ronan's mother, and she had watched Allison grow up. The two of them had always gotten along well.
Ronan had come to the Rogers mansion today because his father wanted both families to have a meal together and formally discuss the dissolution of the engagement.
Violet was worried that the dissolution would be another blow to Allison. So she came herself to take Allison away, wanting to prepare her first.
Inside the car, Violet twisted open a bottle of water and handed it to Allison. "Be good, drink some water. You'll feel better."
"Thank you, Madam Violet."
Seeing how weak Allison looked, Violet's eyes filled with tears.
She wiped them away with a tissue, then started the car and drove to a pharmacy to buy stomach medicine for Allison.