Chapter 3

003

I remained rooted in place, letting the room plunge into an awkward silence.

Jocelyn was the first to snap, her brow furrowing deeply. "What is your problem? Can't you see everyone is having a good time?"

"You always walk in with that miserable look on your face! If you don't want to eat here, get the hell out! Don't ruin our mood!"

Her mother chimed in with irritation. "Exactly! We invited Hudson for dinner, not you."

"You should be grateful we let you join us! My daughter ruined her entire life by marrying a man like you!"

I cleared my throat and let out a cold laugh.

"Am I your family's personal servant? Did I come here just to do your chores and wait on you hand and foot?"

Both of her parents froze in shock. Jocelyn bolted to her feet. "Garrett, what the hell are you saying? Watch your mouth!"

Sitting nearby, Chloe rolled her eyes and smirked.

"I bet my brother-in-law is still throwing a tantrum over last night's video!"

"Honestly, who cares what strangers online think? Why are you being so petty? Deep down, you know you don't deserve my sister! But honestly, even I think Hudson and my sister look like a match made in heaven!"

Seeing his cue, Hudson stepped up to play the chivalrous gentleman.

He moved beside Jocelyn, placing a comforting hand on her arm, and turned to look at me with righteous concern.

"Mr. Wood, Jocelyn is your wife. You can be angry with me or misunderstand my intentions, but you shouldn't demean her."

"A real man knows how to cherish and protect his partner. The person who needs to reflect here is you, not Jocelyn."

He had always been an expert at playing the saint.

Years ago, when my mother-in-law needed an urgent heart bypass surgery abroad, I drained my entire life savings to cover the astronomical hospital bills.

What did Hudson do? He merely looked up the contact information for a few foreign hospitals.

When Jocelyn flew overseas to accompany her mother, she deliberately left me behind, claiming someone needed to stay home to take care of her father and sister.

During those months abroad, she and Hudson rekindled their old flame behind my back.

Afterward, the Foster family treated Hudson like a savior, praising his kindness and connections.

Meanwhile, I―the son-in-law who went broke paying for the surgery―was treated like a useless nobody who had simply stayed behind.

My mother-in-law rolled her eyes dramatically and scoffed at me. "Take a good look in the mirror! Hudson is ten times the man you'll ever be! If our family hadn't faced financial ruin back then, forcing Hudson and Jocelyn apart, you wouldn't have stood a chance with my daughter!"