"Fine—I’ll treat it as you wanting to play the dutiful son. But Cherry died so miserably, and Vanessa still dares to mock me, bringing this money to provoke me. Don’t tell me you don’t know that 666 sounds like go to hell. Are you going to keep pretending you’re blind?”
A flicker of hesitation crossed Anthony’s face—he seemed to realize how inappropriate this was.
But before he could speak, Cooper, who had been standing between us, suddenly burst into loud sobs.
Rolling up his sleeve, he revealed bruises on his arm and pointed at me in accusation.
“Daddy, this bad woman pinched me on purpose! She must be taking revenge on Mommy. Cooper hurts so much...”
At once, Vanessa’s eyes shimmered with tears.
“Ms. Brooks, you’ve misunderstood me. I left the house in a rush today, so I only had this money with me. I sincerely wanted to compensate you. I’m a simple person—unlike you, I don’t have so many schemes."
"I know you dislike me, but if you have a problem, take it out on me. Why bully a child?”
My mother-in-law looked ready to faint from distress. She slapped the table and shouted at me to get out.
“Anthony, I didn’t—”
Anthony cut me off impatiently, his face dark as iron.
“Diana, Cooper is only five. You think a child that age can lie? He didn’t hurt Cherry on purpose—what would a kid know? Must you blow everything out of proportion?"
"Mom said Cooper is her grandson now—so that makes him my son. I have to stand up for him and Vanessa.”
He shoved Cooper toward me.
“Cooper, Daddy will teach you something today: if someone bullies you, you bully them back. Whatever this auntie did to you, you do it back to her.”
A sly smile flashed in Cooper’s eyes before he put on an innocent act.
“But Daddy, I’m just a kid. My strength isn’t as big as an adult’s. She definitely won’t hurt as much as I do. That wouldn’t be fair!”
“Then bite her! Bite until you think she’s in enough pain.”
The next second, Cooper lunged at me, sinking his teeth viciously into my arm.
He didn’t stop until he’d torn out a chunk of flesh, spitting it onto the floor with disgust.
My mother-in-law praised him as if he’d done something commendable, glaring at me.
“You heartless wretch! How dare you bully my eldest grandson? Taking a bite of your flesh is already letting you off lightly. Get out of here—you’re an eyesore!”
Anthony didn’t even glance my way.