"… That'd be painful, and we will have to go to the hospital. Medical expenses are not cheap, you know…."
"Again, with that bullshit, do you think I can't pay?!" Vernon snarled again. By this time, Chloe should know that he was annoyed with her constantly playing down his achievement.
He might not be as rich as his big brother yet, but why did she need to keep bringing him down?! What was her intention other than hurting him?!
'So it's justified for me to fight back. You and your scorn towards me, Chloe Gray!'
…
Chloe sighed. Vernon didn't seem to understand what she meant.
It was actually her method to calm Mackie down when she started to retaliate when she accidentally injured herself.
Chloe would try to treat Mackie by herself, so they didn't need to go to the hospital.
Because if Vincent got notified, Chloe would be his target for being a bad, stupid, and uncaring mother who let her daughter get injured, even if it was accidental.
So, whenever Mackie got small injuries, she'd treat her daughter by herself, and told Mackie that they couldn't afford hospital bills, so she shouldn't be a bad kid.
Which worked well…
'Maybe it's my fault for using that kind of reason towards an adult like Vernon…' Chloe thought.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThus, Chloe turned toward Vernon and said, "Well, I'm sorry then. I was just worried about you."
'Now you're worried about me, huh? Are you worried because I can't afford anything? Worried that a fucking hospital bill will make me go broke?! You're so fucking narrow-minded!'
"Leave now! I SAID LEAVE!"
Chloe jolted slightly, and she quietly retreated and returned downstairs.
Vernon waited until Chloe left and lay on the long sofa, just like he did last night.
He stared at the ceiling with an empty gaze, trying to process what he had just said.
Honestly, he regretted many of the things he yelled at Chloe.
But he just couldn't hold it. The anger in his heart was like tons of dynamites exploding consecutively.
She was also the firestarter that made everything worse, making Vernon unable to think straight.
Vernon raised his bandaged hand and stared at it for a while. Her warm touch still lingered in his hand.
…
Vernon wanted to clench his fist again, but he stopped halfway, remembering that his wound was still recovering. If his wound opened again, his sister-in-law would have to treat his wounds again.
He didn't want that because his heart burned in rage whenever Chloe acted as if she cared for him.
"You acted kindly and gently to me, but you still scorned me for being lesser than my big brother. Sister-in-law, I fucking hate you… and I will make sure to use you when the time comes."
"Stop acting like you care for me. It's not going to work. Not for the second time."
**
Meanwhile, Chloe returned to her room and washed her hand. She lay on her bed in a daze. Her tears had dried for so long. She cried too much today, after all.
But her heart continued to ache…
She was still sad about many things that Vernon said to her. But at the same time, she knew that she expected too much from him.
"I know that I shouldn't have overstepped my boundary. After all, he made it clear that I'm nothing but a working employee. Despite using my body for his pleasure and making me act like a housewife again, in the end… I'm nothing but a maid and sex toy for him…."
Chloe was well aware of everything, but maybe it was just her wishful thinking.
Thought that Vernon would at least treat her more humanely, so she would feel comfortable working for him.
"Ah, I wished too much," Chloe mumbled. "I hope he can find the woman that's in his heart. So he would feel better and treat his sister-in-law more humanely, at least…."
Chloe patted her cheek, trying to give herself a morale boost;
p
**
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmVernon woke up a bit late than usual today. Luckily, he had already moved to his bedroom last night, so he didn't need to have that embarrassing moment of getting tucked with a blanket by Chloe again.
He rubbed his eyes and stretched on the bed before walking out of his bedroom.
"UNCLE, YOU WOKE UP LATE!"
He was surprised by the voice of his niece, Mackie, who ran around his living room while waiting for her Mommy to finish making breakfast.
Mackie ran around Vernon, standing in a daze, and then grabbed Vernon's hand with her two small hands, "Uncle, let's sit at the table! Mommy is almost finished making our breakfast!"
"Huh…"
Vernon sat beside Mackie at the dining table as usual. He was still trying to process what was happening right now.
'It's… another mundane day with her and her daughter…' Vernon thought.
He stared at Chloe's back— she was still busy cooking healthy breakfast for them, and that made him wonder;
'Why does she always act like there's nothing wrong between us? Even after our fight last night, she still cooks and acts like a diligent housewife….'
'Even if this is her job, she could just cook and leave the food on the table before returning to her apartment downstairs, right? What is she thinking?'
"Vernon, do you want to drink your banana-apple smoothie first? I already made two for both of you in the fridge," Chloe said as she continued chopping a few veggies.
"Me! I want mine, Mommy!" Mackie said. She grabbed her Uncle Vernon's arm and shook it, "Uncle, Mackie can't reach the fridge. Please help!"
"…"
Chloe stopped chopping veggies and said, "It's okay, Mackie. Don't ask something your uncle like that. Mommy will bring it for you."