“I am an illustrator,” I replied quietly, trying to stay calm.
“Right, unemployed,” she laughed loudly. “My brother works hard, and his wife just sits around drawing while he carries everything.”
Harold nodded in agreement and said, “Dylan deserves someone more ambitious because she seems too small town for the life he is building.”
The words cut deeper than I expected, but I stayed silent while Brooke picked up her glass again. “This wine tastes wrong, and I want something better because this is not acceptable.”
“It is perfectly fine,” I said softly, knowing exactly what kind of rare bottle it was.
“Oh listen to her acting like an expert,” Brooke snapped while slamming the glass onto the table. “Go get another one if you want to be useful for once.”
I looked at Dylan for support, but he only frowned and said, “Just go fix it, Megan, because you are making this awkward for everyone here.”
I walked away feeling humiliated, and Peter met me in the hallway with concern visible in his eyes. “We can remove them immediately if you give the word,” he said quietly.
“Not yet,” I replied, even though my voice felt heavy. “I need to see everything clearly before I act.”
When I returned to the table, Brooke poured the wine onto the floor so it splashed onto my feet. “Clean it,” she said with a smirk, watching me as if I were beneath her.
The next morning, everything changed.
Evan was playing near the pool with floaties, laughing softly while staying close to the edge. Harold stood nearby watching him with a critical expression that made me uneasy.
“Take those off because you look weak,” Harold said sharply while stepping closer.
“I cannot swim in the deep water,” Evan replied in a small voice, clearly nervous.
“Nonsense, men in this family should not be afraid of water,” Harold said before suddenly pulling off the floaties and pushing Evan into the deep end.
Time seemed to freeze as Evan struggled, screamed, and disappeared under the surface for a moment that felt endless. Harold laughed while Dylan watched with a careless smirk, and Brooke held up her phone to record everything.
I jumped into the water without thinking, pulled Evan out, and held him tightly as he coughed and cried. “You could have killed him,” I shouted, my voice shaking with anger.
“You are overreacting again,” Dylan replied coldly. “You always turn everything into a scene and embarrass us in front of others.”
Something inside me finally broke, and it did not hurt anymore because it turned into something colder and stronger. I pulled out my phone and made a call with steady hands.
“Peter, come to the main pool with security immediately,” I said calmly, even though my heart was racing.
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