He Gave Me a Pull-Tab Ring and Bought His Ex a Yacht

Chapter 3

The lights in the villa garden blazed brightly.

David's mother moved among the guests with a glass of champagne in hand, dressed in an expensive couture velvet gown.

She walked over to Elena and affectionately wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Elena, you look absolutely beautiful tonight. That ruby necklace suits you perfectly."

David's mother smiled so broadly that her face creased with wrinkles.

Then she turned and saw me sitting in the corner in my pilled secondhand dress.

Her smile vanished instantly.

Her eyes filled with obvious disdain.

"Chloe, couldn't you dress a little more appropriately for an upscale occasion like this? Looking so shabby will only embarrass David."

David's mother berated me loudly, drawing the attention of all the surrounding guests.

I looked at the pearl necklace around her neck.

David had paid for that as well.

Hearing the commotion, David put down the shellfish cracker in his hand and walked over.

The moment he saw that I had not touched the plate of leftovers in front of me, his expression darkened.

"Chloe, why aren't you eating?"

David sternly lectured me with unmistakable superiority.

"How many times have I told you to respect food? Your obsession with material things and your complete lack of gratitude are disgusting. Why can't you learn from Elena? She has a rich inner life and never cares about indulging in food!"

Elena sat in her chair, eating the Atlantic blue lobster that had been flown in for her, and agreed in a coy voice.

"That's right, Chloe. I may not eat leftovers, but I donate to environmental organizations every year. You really should raise your moral standards."

David looked at Elena with admiration.

"Elena's soul is pure. You could never compare to her."

I watched David and Elena work together to belittle me.

A wave of nausea swept over me.

I said nothing and let David continue his self-righteous lecture about environmentalism.

The guests formally took their seats.

David's mother had deliberately seated me at the very end of the long table, right beside the trash can.

Standing beside the head seat, she raised her glass and boasted loudly to all the guests.

"Thank you all for attending Elena's charity gala. Elena will always be the pride of our family."

She paused and cast me a contemptuous glance.

"Unlike certain people who are broke and can't sell a single painting. She keeps clinging to David because she wants his money, doesn't she?"

The guests all burst into mocking laughter.

David sat beside Elena and did nothing to stop Maria Whitmore from humiliating me in public.

He picked up a bottle of expired, cheap fruit juice and walked over to me.

"Drink this. It was discounted at the supermarket, so it can't go to waste."

He poured the cloudy juice into my glass.

David turned around and snapped his fingers at the bartender.

"Open a bottle of 1982 Château Valmont for Elena. That's the only vintage she drinks."

David knew Elena's tastes perfectly.

But he remembered nothing about my health.

I was allergic to the preservatives in low-quality fruit juice.

If I drank it, my throat would swell within minutes, leaving me unable to breathe.

I stared at the sediment floating in the glass and suddenly felt like laughing.

Just then, the phone in my pocket vibrated.

I took it out and checked the screen.

It was an electronic ticket confirmation from Valenza Airlines.

My flight was scheduled to depart at eight the next morning.

The moment I saw the departure time on the screen, I became completely calm.

An overwhelming sense of relief washed over me.

The entire gala was absurd.

I did not eat a single bite of food or drink a single drop of water.

I leaned back in my chair, feeling completely detached from the event.

I quietly watched David, his mother, and Elena.

They clinked glasses and chatted intimately, as naturally as could be.

They were the real family.

I was no longer angry.

I simply found the whole thing ridiculous.