Everyone who had been waiting for Joel to put me in my place and stand up for Haley was left stunned by his words. Confusion spread across their faces.
Haley, especially, was in utter disbelief. She stormed forward and demanded, “What are you talking about, Joel? Who’s ‘Mrs. Siegel‘? What do you mean by that?”
Joel’s face had turned pale, and the hand that had been yanking my hair immediately shifted to a supportive grip. In a trembling voice, he stammered, “Mrs. Siegel… I—I didn’t know…”
While pulling his coat tightly to cover myself, I looked up at him. My eyes were icy and my voice was hoarse. “I never expected my husband’s driver to act so audaciously!”
Joel froze. His body went stiff. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Haley, who pushed him aside and screeched, “Emma Larkin, you bitch! Haven’t you had enough? How dare you talk to my husband like that? I’m warning you, if you spout any more nonsense,
I’ll
Before Haley could finish, Joel slapped her hard across the face. “Shut up, you wretched woman!”
www
Haley, who was still in her wedding dress, stumbled and fell onto the nearby lawn in an ungraceful fall. She struggled to get up, and she stared at Joel in shock.
“Joel, how could you hit me? It’s that bitch who’s causing trouble. She’s ruining our wedding and claiming this villa as hers!”
Haley’s minions immediately rushed to back her up. One of them chimed in, “Exactly, Mr. Baumer! You don’t even know how arrogant this woman was when she walked in. She told us to get out!”
ク
Another added, “If we hadn’t taught her a lesson–shoved her head into the toilet and trashed her car–she’d probably still be strutting around like she owns the place!”
“And Haley handled it so well! She made Emma’s face swell with a few slaps. That’s what it takes to be Mrs. Baumer!”
Joel, who had been clinging to the faint hope of salvaging the situation, lost all composure at their words. His face turned ghostly white as he began profusely apologizing to me. His voice was trembling.
“Mrs. Siegel, please… let me take you to the hospital. Your injuries-
“What?” Haley screamed, her voice shrill and unhinged.
