Chapter 27
“You’re a cripple. We can’t depend on you. The only thing you’re good for is holding on to Cedrick. Think about us. What will happen to me and your father when we’re old? What about your brother?”
Monica kept talking.
Lucille had heard enough.
Every time her family asked Cedrick for something, she wanted to disappear.
Her pride and dignity in this marriage were trampled each time.
Cedrick’s generosity only made them greedier. But only she knew how much he secretly looked down on their petty, calculating ways. “Did they really think he respected them?” she sneered in her heart.
“Enough. If you ask him for one more thing. I’ll divorce him,” she snapped.
Monica laughed mockingly. “You? Divorce him? You’d end up begging on the streets. How would you even survive? By selling yourself? Or is there already another man? Be realistic! What decent man would want you? What would anyone want a lame, useless, aging woman?”
This was her mother. This was the kind of “welcome” she could expect at home. It was no wonder she never wanted to come back. Every visit was pure agony.
“Fine. I’m leaving. I’ll go beg on the streets right now.” She stood up to go.
Monica sneered. “Where can you go with that leg? Aren’t you ashamed? What should I tell Cedrick when he comes back? That you went out selling yourself?”
Lucille stood with her back to her mother, biting her lip so hard it bled. She refused to let herself ery.
“Selling herself” was probably the highest expectation she ever had for Lucille, one way or another.
When she was young and wanted to take dance lessons, Monica would say, “What’s a proper girl doing learning to dance? It’s not like you’re going into that kind of work.” But later,
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somehow, she changed her tune and started thinking dance was classy. She thought it would help Lucille marry rich someday and help her fetch a good price.
In the end, she’d fulfilled her mother’s dream. She fetched a good price with one leg.
Every minute in this house was suffocating. But she couldn’t leave yet.
If she left, who knew what her parents would ask Cedrick for next?
Seeing her hesitate, Monica scoffed, “I thought you had some pride.”
Cedrick and Jaxon returned around evening, along with her brother, Tristen Radford, just in time for dinner.
Cedrick had quite the catch that day. The moment Jaxon walked in, he praised Cedrick for being naturally lucky even when fishing. Cedrick came back full–handed, unlike Jaxon, who’d come up empty.
Monica joined in with flattery
Watching their performance still turned Lucille’s stomach.
As they sat down to eat, her father brought out a bottle of expensive liquor. “Thanks to Cedrick, I can drink like a rich man. Otherwise, I’d never afford this.” He pointed to the bottle.
Cedrick played along politely Lucille cringed with secondhand embarrassment.
Then she noticed her brother exchanging looks with her mother. He even nudged her.
She knew trouble was coming.
“Here, Cedrick, have some roast chicken.” Monica said eagerly, using a serving fork to place a chicken leg on Cedrick’s plate.
“No, thank you. Please give it to Jaxon. It’s his special day,” Cedrick said politely, moving his plate slightly away.
Lucille almost smirked. Cedrick didn’t like her family’s food at all.
He preferred spicy dishes and hated oily ones, and this fatty chicken was hitting every one of his pet peeves.
But her mother’s enthusiasm wasn’t easily refused.
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She kept piling food onto his plate, emphasizing how clean the serving fork was. Soon, Cedrick’s plate was overflowing.
Watching his uncomfortable but polite expression. Lucille thought, “Serves you right.”
In the past, she would have quietly taken some food from his plate to help him out. But not today.
“Deal with it yourself,” she thought.
Cedrick winked at her several times, but she pretended not to notice. He began eating slowly, struggling with each bite.
Then Monica began, “Luci, dear…”
Here it came.
Whenever her mother called her “Luci“, it meant she wanted something from Cedrick through her. Lucille knew the routine.
Monica would complain to her, not directly to Cedrick, knowing he would listen. She was just the messenger in this family
“Luci, dear…” Her mother smiled sweetly. “We have some happy news!”
Lucille didn’t respond.
Good news in this family never included her, unless it involved asking for money. When no one took the bait, she continued, “Tristen has a girlfriend.”
Lucille stayed silent, but Cedrick politely said, “That’s wonderful. Congratulations.”
Lucille almost laughed. “Congratulations? How much is that going to cost?” she wondered.
Monica beamed. “Yes, we’re so happy! But…” She sighed dramatically. “The girl has high expectations. She wants a new apartment before she marries him.”
“Another apartment?” Lucille frowned. “Wasn’t this one bought for Tristen to get married?”
They had already used that excuse to ask Cedrick for money.
Monica looked troubled. “Young women these days are so picky. She doesn’t want this one. She wants a new one, with her name on the deed.”
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“So? What does that have to do with me?” Lucille cut in. “I don’t have any money. Not a
dime.”
Cedrick started to speak, but Lucille stepped hard on his foot under the table.
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Chapter 28
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