When Ava’s vision got restored, she saw Richard Lester by the doorway with a furious gaze, staring at his wife’s back view. But Anna didn’t know her husband was watching and listening.
“… they want you to share a part in our wealth and affluence and hence they forced their gold digger daughter on my son. But as expected of my handsome boy, he didn’t love you.
You dare to ask him a divorce to his face? My son was raised as a prince, birthed in wealth and soak in power all his life. And yet, a woman who has no value or reputation like you dare to ask him to divorce you?
You are the product of a mistake, who was pitied and adopted by those wretched childless couples and…” Anna was still saying when Ava threw caution to the air.
“Enough Anna Lester! I won’t accept you insult me like this or mount grievous words against my parents. Were you born with wealth and power or you found it on this earth?
That arrogant, spoiled brat of yours you called a son is who you pride yourself about, right? What makes him different from every normal child born in the hospital who came into this world the same way every other woman births their children?
Did you birth him through your mouth or did you cough him out like a spittle? Did he drop down from heaven or was he born in the same way I was born soaked in blood and naked?
I am a lowlife, a poor tramp, a child born by mistake, an adopted child or perhaps a biologically orphaned child, but one thing is clear, I was carried by a womb the same way you carried your son.
I stayed there for nine months like your golden born son was carried and the height of it was that, we were both born by our parents the same way. So Ava Leon is not inferior to your high class son Adrian Lester.
This would be the last time you used insultive words at my parents again! They’re the best humans I have ever known and I will not accept this tongue lashing next time.
You should look at yourself properly before uttering words, we all know your antecedent…”she snapped at her.
“How dare…” Anna raised her arm and it was intercepted from behind. She was fuming furious. How dare she recall her ugly upbringing?
She glanced at the hand that held her and knew it was her husband. Thank goodness is not her father in-law. She tried to calm herself as her eyes kept throwing daggers at Ava.
The latter refused to blink an eye but kept them staring at her supposed mother in-law in rage. This is the height of it. She cannot take it when someone tries to humiliate her parents.
Without another word, Richard dragged his wife and took her away. Until he got into their bedroom and shut the door, did he let her go violently.
“You’re crazy, Anna” Richard blurted and for the first time, she was dazed. She glared at her husband and saw his eyes red with pain in them.
“I’m saying it again, Anna, you are crazy and I think you need to be locked up in a mental asylum. You have completely lost your mind and your senses are long depreciated” Richard bellowed.
“You’re saying this to me because of that woman?” Anna was alarmed. Father in-law talked her down earlier and now, her husband thinks she’d lost her mind.
“That woman who left her parents to raise a family with your son, is that the one you are referring to? That woman who respected every member of this family but got trampled upon by you and Adrian?
That woman is my daughter in-law. She’s an ideal daughter in-law any father would desire. Her family background has got nothing to do with her personality and yet you intend to hurt her again?” Richard thundered.
“That woman insulted me, Richard,” Anna defended. She hopes he believes her for once.
“After you slapped her or before it? Everything you said is heard by me. From the moment you pushed the door to her room open and got in, I followed you. So tell me exactly how she’d insulted you?” Richard snapped at her.
Anna looked away. She didn’t know her husband was listening otherwise she wouldn’t have said anything or better still, sieve her words before uttering them. Now, she has no words to debunk his claim.
“What has Ava ever done to you and Adrian? It wasn’t her fault that she married into this family. It came suddenly to her exactly as it came to Adrian but she accepted it and moved in with us.
Do you know what it means for a woman to leave her family and choose to become a part of another family for the purpose of marriage? Weren’t you there too many years ago?
I know Mr Leon and his wife, they are a contented kind of people and I see that contentment in their daughter. Why drag them and trampled upon them with your words?
If a man treats your daughter like Adrian treats Ava, as a mother, how will you feel? This is too much, Anna. You know nothing about the help and sacrifices the Leon family has done for us…” Richard was saying when Anna got furious.
“Please spare me that crap. What exactly have they done that someone somewhere had not done before? That’s what you kept saying until you pushed our son to this point in his life.
Whatever they’ve done, that would make you watch your son lose his happiness because of this miserable marriage he found himself in, keep that help and favour to yourself. I don’t want to hear any of your ranting anymore ” Anna declared and hissed aloud before stepping out.
Richard gnashed his teeth. Adrian’s attitude is identical to Anna’s. He doesn’t want them to hurt Ava Leon anymore.
That night, Adrian Lester’s family didn’t have dinner and Ava Leon was in her room for the rest of the day and sobbed. Alice came over and brought her dinner but Ava was not interested in it.
Alice consoled her and told her she would be fine as soon as the divorce was over. To keep herself busy, she could get involved in other activities.
Close to midnight, Adrian Lester arrived home in the company of his mistress…