Regina raised her head calmly, but the fading clean blood on her face revealed the ups and downs in her heart at the time.
“Don’t stop me, Mrs. Martin. She has the audacity to be arrogant in front of me. I thought two years in prison would teach you a lesson, but you’ve learned nothing from that girl boss. You haven’t changed one bit!”
Warden Jones made no attempt to hide the voice, even raising the volume in case no one could hear it. Regina was surrounded by contemptuous, inquisitive, and disdainful eyes, making her feel as embarrassed as being naked in public.
Her little face was flushed, and she was desperate for something to strike back, but the rumors had rendered her speechless.
“Shut up!”
Regina’s face flushed, and it took her a while to say a few words, but it was in exchange for the ruthless verbal attack of the so-called Warden Jones.
Regina shifted her gaze to the center of the hall almost subconsciously. Mandel stood there like a star, his eyebrows down and smiling as he spoke with the person next to him. Cecily was smiling next to him, and her frantic gaze never left this dazzling man.
Mandel didn’t even look her in the eyes. Regina couldn’t take it anymore. She wanted to flee as soon as she pushed Hannah away from her side.
Her steps were already shaky, and when she stumbled on something unknown beneath her feet, Regina screamed and collapsed.
Regina’s fingers clutched the tablecloth hanging down beside her like a life-saving straw as she leaned down.
The tablecloth was torn down in an instant, and the beautifully formed champagne towers poured down onto Regina’s shoulders.
For a moment, the entire hall was silent.
Everyone’s attention was drawn to Regina, who sat lightly on the ground, as though witnessing a tremendous joke. Nobody reached out to grab her.
Her hair was dripping with pale golden champagne. She was drenched in the wreckage of the champagne wine and goblet, and the fractured glass injured her body. Regina bit her lower lip tightly, stopping the fog from escaping her eyes.
“What are you doing, Regina?” Hannah pointed fiercely at Regina’s nose, her hatred in her eyes savagely slamming on Regina’s face: “This is Martin’s residence. You will not be allowed to be haughty, Regina.”
“What’s going on?”
Regina raised her head in shame as a glorious voice fell from the top of her head. Mr. Martin stood in front of her, staring at her as if she were a piece of rubbish, as if staring at her would make his eyes dirty.
Regina moved her body to rise up from the ground, but her wet clothes became entangled with the trash on the ground, and she was humiliated.
“Regina, are you okay?”
Cecily reached out a fair hand, concerned, and excitedly approached Regina, who was still sitting on the ground.
Regina could see a delighted smile on the corner of her mouth despite her frightened expression.
That smile pierced Regina’s eyes like a needle.
“You don’t have to feel sorry for me.” Regina extended out Cecily’s hand and struggled to stand along the table. There were whispers everywhere, and Regina noticed Mr. Martin’s demeanor becoming more serious.
She looked to Mandel for assistance. Even if it was only once, as long as he could get her out of here, away from these humiliating gazes.
Mandel ran his chilly eyes over Regina and replied coldly: “Cecily is a good person. Regina, you are so naive.” He didn’t look at Regina again after speaking, and coldly dropped a sentence: “Come up here and wash. How long will you be embarrassed here?”
His every phrase cut like a razor, hurting him more than the shards of glass.
Regina bore the rage in the bottom of her eyes, pushed away the mob, and rushed upstairs in mockery.
She wanted to leave immediately, but now she couldn’t.
At night.
Mr. Martin’s outraged voice could be heard clearly from a distance, tearing through the serenity of the past.
“Is this the woman you brought back, Mandel?” With trembling rage, Mr. Martin pointed at Regina’s nose. His contempt and loathing were unmistakable: “What did you bring back with you? We had lost our entire family’s honor! I heard she was incarcerated. Is this person deserving of our invitation? Get out, get her out of here right now!”
Mr. Martin was so enraged that even Bess remained silent and did not dare to speak for her.
The man on the sofa sat deafeningly silent. His arms were on his knees, and his lips were firmly pursed, making it difficult to discern what he was thinking.
Regina stepped back, silently expressing his rage.
Her eyes were practically numb from the tempest of humiliation.
Just when Regina was about to drown in spittle, an uninterested voice said, “How did the woman claiming to be Warden Jones come into this family gathering?”
Mandel raised his brow and stroked it. “I remember that this degree of identity is not enough to attend Martin’s feast,” his piercing eyes seized Hannah’s face.
“Snapped!”
The sound of the glass breaking suddenly sounded.
Mr. Martin yelled fiercely, tossed out a cup of hot tea, wiped Mandel’s ear, and flew over. He was not hit, but a lot of hot tea was thrown at him.
“Do you keep making excuses for her?” He yelled violently at Regina’s nose: “Leave now. Quick! Allow security to drag this woman out.”
Hannah backed him up. Her brows were furrowed in distaste, and she smiled triumphantly.
“I don’t need to dragged. I’ll go by myself.”
Regina stepped quietly towards the door after dropping these words. She’s had more than enough of it. She had not wanted to come here from the start. Her inability to refuse was due to Mandel’s overbearing nature. He also used her mother to blackmail her. She was obliged to stay here, even though she did not want to.
Lost the honor of the Martin family? Ah! When did she get involved with the Martins?
Regina strode out of the old house and vanished into the darkness, unable to stand this unrelenting insult any longer.
Mandel, who had been silent for a long time, rose up rapidly on the sofa. He leaned out and slid the coat over the back of the sofa, ready to chase her down.