Clara had hit me with full force, her face was dark and stormy, her eyes were brimming with contempt.
Her voice was cold as ice when she talked again, "Let me make something clear to you. Robert and his siblings are the future of the Jameson Family. They are the true masters of this house. As for you? You’re just a useless man who still needs me to support your parents. What right do you have to lay a finger on them?"
Her six-year-old daughter, Ann Jameson, waddled over, sniffing back her tears as she hugged Clara’s leg. "Mommy, don’t be mad. Ann will help you beat the bad man."
She raised her tiny fists as she put on a show of bravado.
Clara cooped her up and planted a kiss on her cheek. "My little princess, fighting is beneath you. A real princess doesn’t get her hands dirty.
With that, she gestured to Marvin to take the children away. Their family of eight walked out together. They were a perfect picture of unity.
My in-laws hurried after them, but not before spat at me. "You're disgusting! You don’t even deserve to be scolded, you worthless piece of trash!"
As soon as they left, my parents' faces darkened and they scolded, "You just had to ruin a perfectly good wedding! You should’ve rotted in prison for the rest of your life instead of coming out to bring us shame!"
My brother was even more furious as if I had personally destroyed his wedding. He rolled up his sleeves and started throwing punches and kicks at me as he growled, "You piece of trash! Why don’t you just go die?"
As he shouted, he grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the door.
Back in prison, I had suffered a serious injury that left my arm weak. So, the more I struggled, the worse the pain became.
Hearing the commotion, Clara and the others stopped in their tracks. The children clapped their hands in excitement.
"Daddy, look! The bad man got beaten up!"
"Uncle is amazing! He’s a hero!"
My in-laws chimed in and encouraged the children's sneer. "That’s right, babies! You’re so smart! You know the difference between heroes and villains!"
My head throbbed from the beating, my body ached all over and everyone around me watched as if it were some kind of entertainment.
Clara’s cold gaze was the sharpest knife, that stabbed deep into my already bleeding heart.
My brother showed no signs of stopping. As I curled up on the floor, I shut my eyes in despair while hatred surged inside of me like a tidal wave.