Chapter 9 A Confrontation With Coraline Enduring the pain, I propped myself up from the couch. No matter what, Iâm not going to allow him to do as he pleases. Even if we were still a loving couple, I wouldnât allow him to interfere in my work, much less when our relationship is now in tatters.
After washing my face, I changed. While I was still contemplating how I should conceal the scratches on my face and neck with makeup, loud pounding sounded at the door.
Through the peephole, I saw my mother-in-law, Coraline Zelinsky. All at once, trepidation surged within me. Ugh! Sheâs definitely not here for any good reason, considering the suddenness of her visit. Yet, I couldnât ignore her.
Having no other choice, I slowly opened the door. Before I could even greet her, she slapped me hard across the face. My ears buzzed at the strike as though a bee was flitting around me.
âGive my son his eye back, you b*tch!â
âCoraline, Iâ¦â
Before I had even finished speaking, she charged forward and grabbed my hair, cursing me out aggressively.
âJulius is still receiving treatment in the hospital, yet you came home to sleep! How nice! You donât care about him at all, huh? Youâre such an ungrateful b*tch!â
âCoraline, can you please be reasonable? Not only did your son fool around with another woman behind my back, but he even brought her home! I did nothing wrong!â
Irritation swamped me as she continued yanking at my hair. After breaking free from her grip, my scalp smarted so badly that I felt as though it was going to tear.
âFool around? Hah! You speak as though youâre oh-so-pure. What right do you have to condemn Julius when youâre not even a virgin on your wedding night? Itâs already merciful of him that he didnât divorce you after finding out that youâre such a sl*t. Now, he merely went out for some comfort, yet you dare to kick up such a fuss?â
I finally knew why the reason for Juliusâ questionable morals. Sure enough, the apple doesnât fall far from the tree! But that aside, I never thought that heâd actually tell his mother about our marital issues!
How abhorrent!
I was so livid that I didnât want to yak with her anymore. Just when I was planning to slam the door in her face, she clutched at my clothes while standing by the door fiercely as though having discerned my intention.
A moment later, she abruptly screeched.
âYouâre really something else, Liliana! Sure enough, youâre cheating on Julius with another man!â
As I looked down, I glimpsed the bruises from my scuffle with Julius last night, marring my skin under my clothes.
What a lunatic! I rolled my eyes at her. âThis isnât the evidence of me having an affair out there. Open your eyes and look carefully. This is the evidence of your son roughing me up after bringing his mistress home. So you want to kick up a fuss, huh? Iâll play along with you!â
Coraline had always been a shrew. As she single-handedly raised Julius, she pampered him greatly and would forever side with him regardless of whether he was in the right or otherwise.
Back then, my greatest worry about this marriage was the fact that I would have such a mother-in-law.
But later, I thought that everything would be fine as long as I didnât provoke her.
But from the look of things now, I was really too naive then!
Upon hearing that, Coraline was startled for a moment since that possibility probably never crossed her mind. In the next second, she hastily slipped her mask back in place and glowered at me in disdain.
âThis is nothing. Look at my sonâs eye! Iâve never seen such a ruthless woman like you whoâd poke out her own manâs eye! What exactly are you plotting? So, you were eager to bag my son when you saw that he came back from abroad, but youâre now disdaining him after having gotten yourself some rich man? Iâve seen brazen women, but never one as shameless as you! Youâre obviously a b*tch whose family never taught you any manners!â
âThatâs enough!â I snapped at long last. I donât care if she castigates me, but not my family! Thus, I snarled, âThe video of your son getting it on with another woman in the car is now in my hands, so youâd better not anger me!â