The Girl They Ignored Got Married, Then They Regretted Everything Chapter 03

The Girl They Ignored Got Married, Then They Regretted Everything Chapter 03

The next day, the house filled with relatives.

They had all heard that Chloe had a boyfriend and had come over specifically to help Mom and Dad figure out how to handle the situation. Grant sat with them in the living room, chatting away.

I was the only one in the kitchen.

Even though the house was only seventy-seven degrees, I was drenched in sweat.

After carrying out the final dish, I stood beside the table without moving.

Mom frowned and turned toward me.

“Sit down and eat. Why are you just standing there?”

I looked over the table and asked flatly, “Eat what?”

“There are still plenty of dinner rolls. Just use one to sop up the gravy.”

Dad picked up the last shrimp and placed it on Chloe’s plate. Then he casually criticized me.

“Chloe’s prone to low blood sugar. Next time, get the food out faster.”

My hand trembled as I clutched my apron.

I had made twelve dishes for ten people in a single hour.

How much faster was I supposed to be?

And what had they left for me?

All that remained was a table littered with dirty plates and picked-over scraps.

Why?

Why had none of them thought of me?

I took off my apron and said quietly, “I’m not eating.”

Chloe immediately spoke up.

“Evelyn, I want some watermelon.”

Mom chimed in from beside her.

“Since you’re not eating, go slice up the watermelon.”

Then she turned back to the relatives and continued discussing what they should do when Chloe’s boyfriend came over.

No one looked at me.

No one cared whether I was hungry.

I returned to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Cold air washed over me, and my eyes immediately filled with tears.

I cut up the watermelon, took out a spoon, and scooped out a bite from the very center.

It was sweet and icy cold.

Mom’s voice drifted in from the living room.

“Evelyn, remember to clear the table. And don’t forget Chloe’s watermelon.”

As soon as she finished speaking, I swallowed the last piece.

I washed my hands, wiped the corner of my mouth, and slowly walked into the living room.

I looked directly at Mom and said, one word at a time, “There isn’t any watermelon left.”

Grant looked confused.

“How can it be gone? I bought it specifically for Chloe.”

My voice was soft.

“I ate it.”

The entire room went silent.

Everyone stared at me in disbelief.

Chloe’s wounded voice suddenly broke the silence.

“It’s the one thing I always crave after dinner. Evelyn, why couldn’t you save me even one bite?”

I looked at her without expression.

“What about me? Which one of you saved even one bite for me?”

The relatives immediately began making excuses to leave.

“Richard, something came up at home. I should get going.”

“Right. I have somewhere to be too.”

“We’ll leave you all to it.”

Within moments, they had scattered.

Mom’s face flushed with rage.

“Evelyn!”

“You think you’re grown now, so you can do whatever you want? We only asked you to make dinner, and now you’re acting like some kind of victim?”

“What about me? I’ve spent more than thirty years shopping and cooking for this family. Have you ever heard me complain?”

There it was again.

It was always the same.

Whenever I expressed the slightest dissatisfaction or did anything that upset Mom, she used everything she had done as a mother to shame me.

And I had no way to argue back.

But I didn’t want to live like that anymore.

“Yes, I’m hurt.”

I raised my voice, each word ringing clearly through the room.

“Mom, when you bought groceries and cooked, was it only for me? Did Dad not eat? Did Grant and Chloe not eat?”

“But I didn’t learn to cook for anyone else. I learned to cook for you, so you wouldn’t have to work so hard.”

“So why, after everything I did today, did none of you think I deserved even one bite of watermelon?”

I shook my head and backed away from them.

“I wish I weren’t your daughter.”