âWhat rubbish are you talking about, Yvonne?â Nathan slammed his hand on the table and stood up. His anger finally boiled over at me for not relenting.
âI have my limits too, and I wonât be treated like a doormat anymore.â
I pointed at Crystal and Yvette before I bellowed, âLook at these two. One took my father away from me, and the other drove my mother away. Sometimes I do wonder why Iâm a Tanner. If I were an orphan who was picked up from the streets, I wouldnât be so heartbroken over the things youâve done to me. I donât think I can carry on eating anymore, Dad. Iâll be there at the wedding on time. Bye.â
âDonât be like this, Yvonne. Dad only wants the Tanner familyâs business to flourish. Thereâs no need for you to be angry. Weâll amend the contract if youâre not happy with the conditions listed. Besides, Christopher hasnât had a say in this yet.â
When I reached the door, Yvette and Crystal hurried over to me and tried their best to dissuade me.
âJust cut the crap. Letâs go, Chris!â I called out to Christopher.
âDonât be too cocky, Mr. Tanner. There are some things that you shouldnât interfere with,â Christopher said with a cold smile as he crossed his arms in front of him.
âYou canât possibly have a wedding with Eve if her side of the family doesnât turn up. How about you sign the contract in exchange for a perfect wedding? That way, you wonât be at any loss,â Nathan said with a glint in his eyes and a cunning smile on his face.
âAnd what if I donât agree?â Christopher shot him a glare and asked with a cold smile.
âEveâs reputation is at stake, and she needs someone to clear her name. In times like this, her family is her pillar of strength and support, donât you think?â Nathan countered as he ignored Christopherâs sharp gaze.
Christopher stood rooted at his spot, and his eyes fell on the woman in the corridor. There was a brief glint in his eyes before it disappeared quickly.
I took big strides towards the stairs as I couldnât bear to stay here a minute longer. Didnât we agree to talk about Lyle and Crystalâs wedding ceremony? So why are we talking about business? Moreover, a business worth two billion canât be taken lightly.
âWait a minute, Eve,â Sharon called out as she walked towards me with the help of her cane. âI canât stand the ruckus here. Iâm coming with you.â
âSlow down, Grandma!â I hurried over and supported Sharon. Just as we were about to head downstairs, Crystal suddenly came forward and grabbed my arm. âYou canât leave yet, Yvonne. I have something to tell you.â
I was taken aback, and I instinctively pushed her to the side. Consequently, Crystal lost her balance and began to sway at the top of the stairs. In horror, I quickly reached out to pull her hand to stop her from stumbling down the stairs.
But just as I stretched out my hand, someone from behind me gave me a shove. As a result, I stumbled forward, and my stretched-out hand pushed against Crystalâs shoulder. Crystal let out a piercing scream and went tumbling down the stairs.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. My mind went blank, and I watched in horror as Crystal tumbled down the flight of stairs. And when she landed at the bottom of the stairs, a pool of blood had formed between her legs. Within a few seconds, her long pastel yellow dress was blood-soaked.
A high-pitched scream pierced the air. I was so shocked that I remained motionless as I stared blankly at Crystal, who was convulsing at the bottom of the stairs. By the time I turned around to look behind me, the person who had been standing behind me was gone.
âCrystal!â Lyle shouted frantically. At the sight of Crystalâs devastating state, he whirled around and slapped me hard across the face. âHow could you be so vicious towards a pregnant woman, Yvonne? Have you no heart?â he roared.
My face was stinging from the slap, and there was a numbness in my heart. I looked past Lyle and stared at Sharon, who was standing behind him. I was hoping that she would say something, but to my disappointment, she just stood there and said nothing.
Why was I pushed?