Seeing how Alex spoke for Jewel and even put the blame on her, Stefanie could hardly suppress her anger. “I didn’t do her any injustice! And besides, she didn’t leave empty- handed. She left after getting 150,000 from me! Why did you sound like I had something to do with her life or death?”
Alex frowned. “I don’t mean to blame you. I’m just saying that we’re to blame for her becoming what she is today. Had she been in Summer City, she wouldn’t have ended up the way she is right now.”
Stefanie retorted meanly, “Ended up how? Isn’t she still alive and well?” The creases between Alex’s eyebrows deepened. He wanted to tell the truth regardless, but he feared that it would frighten Stefanie. If she learned that Jewel was an assassin, she might object even more to him going out with her. After falling silent for a while, he replied angrily, “Had she not left Summer City back then, she wouldn’t have been plotted against. She wouldn’t have almost been burned to death in that fire, nor would she have been struggling to speak even now!”
Stefanie replied furiously, “What does she being almost burned to death have to do with me? She had only her own stupidity to blame for it! Even if she got burned to death, she deserved it, not to mention that she only lost her ability to speak!”
Upon hearing this, Alex stared at her in shock. All of a sudden, he felt an unbearable pain, as if his heart had been ripped apart. This is my mother! We’ve lived together for over 20 years, yet I never knew one could be so vicious. It’d pain anyone to see a lady like Jewel. Even now, she still has faint scars on her hands, which are the result of her undergoing countless skin grafts. How could Mom say that she deserved to get burned to death? How could she be so cruel?
Instinctively, he took a step back, as though he suddenly didn’t know her anymore. His eyes were bloodshot and full of heartache. This is my mother. If it were someone else who said that, I’d probably have beaten them to death. Making an effort to control his temper, he clenched his fists tightly. Then, he asked, pronouncing each word clearly, “Just what kind of unforgivable thing did Jewel do that made you wish death upon her?! We’re talking about the woman your son loves the most! How could you say something so vicious?”
A hint of regret flickered across Stefanie’s eyes; in reality, she didn’t mean to say that either. Hurriedly, she went over and grabbed Alex’s hand. “No, Alex, that’s not what I mean-”
Alex flung her hand away as if avoiding some poisonous beast; his eyes were so red as though they were about to bleed. He clutched his chest, asking, “Do you know how much it pained me to see her like that, especially after knowing the many things that happened to her after you threw her out? I was heartbroken and guilt-ridden at the same time, and I wish I could spend my whole life making it up to her. How could you say she deserved it?”
Stefanie made another attempt to grab him. She explained, “I just wanted to say that this had nothing to do with me! Why are you blaming me for what happened to her?”
Alex gave a sad laugh. “No, I’m not blaming you. I’m blaming myself. I shouldn’t have messed with her in the first place, or she would’ve led a happy life with a husband and kids. She’d never have had to go to a faraway place and depend on the hospitality of others, nor would she have been accused of being shameless. It’s me who deserved to spend almost ten years being unable to forget this woman. I deserve to die alone; I deserve to have a mother like you!” he said angrily before turning to leave.
Stefanie had never seen such a disappointed look in his eyes before. Frightened, she quickly caught up to him and tugged at him. “What do you mean? Are you disappointed to have a mother like me?”
