Chapter 21
Chapter 21: Three days later, the grand banquet hall at the Star Hotel was aglow, buzzing with lively excitement. Despite Anthony’s request for a modest birthday gathering this year, the turnout was even larger than before, no doubt due to his grandson now leading the Cox Group as CEO. Belinda, clutching a present, waited at a crosswalk when she noticed Kristopher. He emerged from one side of a sleek black Porsche, while Cathy appeared from the other. Dressed in a gown of royal blue velvet, Cathy was complemented by Kristopher’s matching, hand-tailored bespoke suit. Their striking attire made them the immediate focus of attention. Murmurs filled the air around her. “Isn’t that Cathy, the actress who just came back from overseas, with her boyfriend?”’ “Yes, that’s Kristopher, the CEO of Cox Group. Today’s his grandfather’s birthday, so he’s introduced his girlfriend to the family.”’ “They’ve already been introduced to each other’s families. Looks like they might even talk about getting married.”’ “And those matching outfits? They’re really flaunting their affection, aren’t they?”’ Amidst this, Belinda stood by, her ears catching every word from the onlookers, as she watched Cathy loop her arm through Kristopher’s and they walked into the venue together. A pang of bitterness surged through her. Despite being her husband for three years, Kristopher acted as if she were a stranger in public, let alone thinking about the public display of affection by wearing matching outfits with her. He unabashedly displayed his affection for Cathy while keeping his marriage to Belinda a secret. She was at a loss, unable to grasp why he wouldn’t just divorce her. Could he be punishing her for marrying him against his wishes? “Beep! Beep!”’ The distant sound of a car horn jerked Belinda out of her thoughts. Regaining her composure, she realized the traffic light had turned green. With a relieved exhale, she merged with the crowd and crossed the street. Upon arriving at the hotel, Belinda recognized the source of the earlier honks. It was a red BMW parked at the entrance. It was the same vehicle Kristopher had given to Maggie for her birthday two years prior. “Well, well, isn’t this my sister-in-law?”’ Maggie emerged from the car, slamming the door behind her and standing with her arms folded before Belinda. “I heard you had a miscarriage recently?”’ Belinda halted, her brow furrowing as she returned Maggie’s icy stare. “How did you find out?”’ She had kept the miscarriage a secret from the Cox family to spare Anthony the worry. Only Kristopher and Cathy, whom she had bumped into at the hospital, knew about it. Maggie’s gaze was chilling. “Your frail womb couldn’t sustain the child, costing our family its future heir. We stopped concerning ourselves with you long ago. Yet, you dared to ask our mother to send someone to care for you? Mom forgot amidst her busyness, and you went complaining to my brother, stirring trouble in our family. How could I possibly not know?”’ Only days earlier, Rosie had phoned Maggie, sobbing uncontrollably one early morning. She revealed that she and Kristopher had had a severe argument. Maggie spent quite some time consoling her mother before discovering that Belinda was at the heart of the issue. She couldn’t fathom why Kristopher was so invested in this woman, especially now that Cathy had returned. Why did Kristopher become so furious just because Mom neglected Belinda? Belinda couldn’t suppress a smirk. “Since when was that?”’ Was the quarrel between Kristopher and Rosie really because of her? That was indeed unusual. Throughout their three-year marriage, Maggie had consistently tormented her. Kristopher not only failed to protect her, but he also routinely dismissed Maggie as a spoiled brat who needed to grow up. He suggested that Belinda, being Maggie’s elder sister-in-law, should avoid squabbles. What a joke! Maggie was only a month younger than her. If Maggie was still considered an immature child, did that make Belinda the responsible adult? “How can you claim ignorance when you orchestrated this whole scenario?”’ Maggie scoffed. “You saw the closeness between my brother and Cathy just moments ago, didn’t you? If I were you, I’d end the marriage immediately, gather my belongings, and disappear. That’s surely better than being kicked out like an unwanted stray dog.”’…