Chapter 111: Unexpected meeting at the mall
Erica is five months pregnant.
Erica’s life has completely changed since Ansel’s accident. She not only shares small everyday joys with Ansel but also receives sincere support and love from Mrs. Hani, her adorable and devoted mother-in-law. Today, Erica and Mrs. Hani had an exciting shopping trip at the mall. Erica’s goal was to find essential items for the babies in her belly. They walked through several stores and finally arrived at a children’s clothing counter.
“Erica, Mom is going to the restroom for a moment. You go inside first.” Mrs. Hani announced
“Yes, Mom, go ahead.” Erica happily agreed.
After Mrs. Hani left, Erica was left alone. She decided to enter the store and browse through some items while waiting for Mrs. Hani to return.
While searching for the items she needed to buy, Erica found some adorable and affordable items at the grand sale. Thinking about the children at the orphanage, Erica decided to purchase some gifts for them. As she carefully chose clothes, suddenly she heard a familiar voice speak up.
“Well, isn’t this Erica Watson, our beloved?”
Erica lifted her head and immediately spotted Kora and Kora’s mother, Mrs. Lani, looking at her. Their smiles seemed mocking and disdainful toward Erica.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? What are you doing here? Shopping?” Mrs. Lani curiously asked, not forgetting to show a hint of mockery when she saw Erica standing by the discounted clothing.
“Oh, Erica,” Kora chimed in with a taunting tone. “I didn’t expect to find you here picking out cheap clothes. Aren’t you someone who loves designer brands? Or maybe you just can’t afford to buy luxury items?”
Momentarily taken aback by encountering the person she disliked, Erica quickly regained control of her emotions. Erica, not wanting Kora and Mrs. Lani to continue their boastful behavior, calmly retorted, “Unlike some others, money or designer labels don’t determine my worth. I am not that kind of person.”
Erica locked eyes with Kora, exuding unwavering confidence.
“And don’t forget, these discounted items can be just as cute as designer brands. If you’d like, I can introduce you to some styles that can help you save a little. Money isn’t easy to come by these days, so it’s important to learn how to spend wisely rather than indulging in extravagant and wasteful habits. Otherwise, at some point, your wallet might mysteriously and surprisingly run dry or even disappear.”
Despite Erica’s sermon, both Kora and Mrs. Lani remained indifferent. On the contrary, they openly laughed and mocked Erica even more.
“Only the poor and lowly have to learn how to save. Life is so difficult, don’t you agree, Erica?” Mrs. Lani’s voice reeked of sarcasm. “Unlike you, we have the money to live luxuriously.”
“The money you have is stolen, taken from others,” Erica intended to say, but she held her tongue.
Realizing that engaging in conversation with individuals lacking integrity like Kora and Mrs. Lani would only be a waste of her valuable time, Erica chose to ignore their presence and resume her focus on selecting clothes. She was well aware that Kora and Kora’s mother frequently employed mocking words to assert their superiority over others.
Seeing Erica intentionally disregard her, Kora became angry and spoke sarcastically.
“Erica, your bad manners haven’t changed one bit,” Kora exclaimed loudly enough for those around to hear. “You don’t pay attention to the person in front of you. That behavior shows a lack of respect for others.”
It can be seen that Kora deliberately sought the attention of many people, aiming to belittle Erica and make her feel ashamed and embarrassed. Despite Kora’s actions, Erica remained focused on her own tasks.
Suddenly, Kora unintentionally glanced down at Erica’s stomach. The newfound discovery surprised Kora, but she quickly used it as an excuse to mock Erica.
“Oh my, Erica!” exclaimed Kora. “It’s been several months since we last saw each other, and you’re already married?”
When Kora asked, Mrs. Lani finally noticed Erica’s rounded belly. A look of astonishment flashed in Mrs. Lani’s eyes. She couldn’t believe that despite the difficulties and losses, Erica was still living well, married, and expecting a child. It seemed unbelievable that such a fortunate turn of events could happen to Erica. However, Mrs. Lani’s narrow-mindedness and tendency to think negatively about others resurfaced, leading her to believe that Erica must not have found happiness in her marriage.
Mrs. Lani and Kora had no knowledge of who Erica’s husband was because the Brown family maintained a secretive private life. Their personal events were limited in terms of media involvement and the number of guests invited. Naturally, the Browns had never extended any invitations to events to Kora and Kora’s mother. In fact, they didn’t hold any interest in who Erica married. They shared the belief that Erica would never be capable of marrying a remarkable man.
“That’s right, so what?” Feeling that Kora was being too noisy, Erica paused her actions, glanced at her, and calmly replied.
Erica’s response immediately prompted Kora to continue with her sarcastic remarks: “I thought you were a girl with big dreams. Wasn’t it your aspiration to become a doctor? Yet, in no time, you’re married and expecting a child. It’s hard to believe. You’ve surprised me, Erica. I never expected you to give up so easily. Your parents, on the other hand, would be saddened if they knew how useless you’ve become.”
Kora pretended to show sympathy while feeling disappointed in Erica. Knowing that Kora wanted to provoke and taunt her, Erica chose not to engage in an argument. She simply smirked, forming a contemptuous smile directed at Kora. Observing Erica’s silence and concession, Mrs. Lani assumed that Erica was too ashamed and embarrassed to speak up. According to Mrs. Lani, what Kora said was true.
“Giving up is all you can do,” Mrs. Lani unexpectedly interjected, launching an attack on Erica. “Erica was expelled from school. With such a heinous offense, it’s impossible for Erica to continue her education at any university. She will undoubtedly face many difficulties. Furthermore, as a woman without qualifications and without a family to rely on, the only option left is to find a husband and be done with it, without worrying about the future. If she finds a good husband, then there won’t be any issues. But if she encounters a bad husband, then it’s just her unfortunate fate.”
“Mother is absolutely right,” Kora agreed, feigning sympathy for Erica. “You are truly pitiful, Erica.”
The levels of insincerity and contempt displayed by Kora and Mrs. Lani nauseated Erica. She had a strong desire to refute their arrogant words, but she made the decision to restrain herself. It is not advisable for a pregnant woman to get angry and engage in negative actions, as it could easily affect unborn children.
“And where is your husband?” Mrs. Lani asked, scanning around as if searching. “Is he with you? Or did you come alone?”
Before Erica could say anything, Kora rudely interjected, making her own assumptions.
“Don’t tell me you’re not married, okay?” Kora exclaimed, feigning surprise. “Oh my god, since when did you become such a foolish and despicable woman, Erica? No husband, but children.”
“Poor child. Will it ever know who its father is? What will happen if people start calling it a bastard?” Kora continued, as Erica intended to respond.
“Listen carefully, both of you,” Erica said. “My marriage and pregnancy have nothing to do with any of you. Don’t spread false rumors here.”
“We just want to know who the father of your unborn child is,” Kora reasoned.
“I don’t have to tell you anything,” Erica replied indifferently.
“If you don’t say anything, it means you’re admitting that this child is a bastard,” Kora confidently asserted.
“Based on what grounds do you dare insult and offend me like that?” Erica angrily questioned
“Not seeing anyone with you proves that you’re not married,” Kora offered in her personal analysis. “Furthermore, no one wants to hide their husband’s identity unless they don’t have one.”
“This child is truly a bastard,” Mrs. Lani said loudly. “I dare say even you don’t know who the father is. Because you’ve been involved with so many men. Who knows what happened, right, Erica?”Material © NôvelDrama.Org.
After Mrs. Lani finished speaking, she and Kora immediately burst into mocking laughter at Erica’s fiery and angry expression.
“Admit it, Erica,” Kora taunted, adding fuel to the fire. “The child in your womb is illegitimate.”
“Kora Watson, I warn you: if you don’t retract your words, I will make Erica’s voice trail off as a fourth person’s voice chimed in.