“Look at you, idiot! You insisted on marrying that useless girl who can’t even eat, drink, or relieve herself without an artificial heart! Five years! She’s still not as useful as a damn hen that can lay eggs!
“If you hadn’t threatened to die, that lowly woman would never have stepped foot into my family!
“But Ava is different. She comes over every few days just to make me happy. I just wish it had been her that you married!”
The old lady kept going, spewing every cruel word she could think of, hurling them all at Sue.
Finally, Ava played peacemaker. “Grandma, don’t mention her on such a happy occasion. She’s bad luck.”
Lucia reluctantly let it go but still turned to Irwin, unwilling to drop the topic.
“Tell me the truth, Irwin. Who do you like more—Ava or Sue?”
In that moment, it felt like an invisible hand was squeezing Sue’s heart, suffocating her.
Holding her breath, she waited.
Irwin smiled.
“I only feel guilty toward Sue.”
That fragile hope inside her instantly shattered.
For some reason, she found it funny.
After a long pause, she gathered herself and slowly walked downstairs.
The party hall was filled with relatives and guests draped in jewels and luxury. These were high-society elites.
And then there was Ava, standing out in her globally limited-edition dress.
Sue had seen the dress before on Irwin’s computer.
Back then, she naïvely thought it was a gift for her—but clearly, she had mistaken it.
Dressed simply and casually, she moved through the crowd, drawing sneers and sarcastic remarks.
It wasn’t until Irwin stood beside her that people finally recognized her identity.
“So she’s his wife… I thought she was a maid or something.”
“I also thought the dress President Bondi bid on at last month’s auction was for his wife. Who knew it would end up on Ava instead? Tsk, tsk.”
Irwin looked uneasy. He quickly took Sue’s hand and explained, “Sue, that dress was meant for you, but… you’re too thin. You wouldn’t have been able to pull it off, so I gave it to Ava instead.”
Sue’s heart sank. Forcing a stiff smile, she muttered, “It’s fine. I understand.”
But before she could even process her disappointment, Ava spoke up, ruining the moment.
“Oh, Irwin, I love the dress you gave me! Thank you for getting it just for me!”
She turned to Sue, smiling sweetly. Next to her, Sue looked dull and worn-out like a dusty shadow of a person.
“Sue, did you know? This was Irwin’s birthday gift to me.”