Chapter 5 : Inherited Being A Mistress
After George dried his hair and changed into his blue pajamas, he came out from the bathroom.
He took his glasses off and climbed up the spacious bed. He looked at his mother and asked, “Which side do you want to sleep on?”
George was a gift from the heavens. He was only six years old but he was independent. Not only did he take care of himself but he also took good care of his mother.
Jeanne stared at George’s eyes without the glasses. His big googly eyes were glimmering in the dim environment.
“Mom?” Jeanne’s stare made George uncomfortable.
Jeanne regained her composure and said, “Never take off your glasses in front of other people.”
“You’ve said that like 10 times already.”
“I’m just reminding you.”
“Please believe in your son’s photographic memory.”
“Fine. You can sleep inside. I want to take a bath first,” Jeanne said as she stood up from the bed.
“Sure.”
Jeanne went into the bathroom with her pajamas.
The Lawrence family wanted to look generous, so they arranged a huge room for her that had a grand bathroom equipped with a full-length mirror.
She took off her clothes in front of the mirror and saw her fair body. There was an ugly scar at the lower part of her belly.
Due to abnormal positioning and presentation of the fetus, Jeanne had to give birth to George through cesarean delivery.
She caressed her scar and grinned.
“It’s okay. I’ll take back what was owed, 10-fold!”
A quick bath later, she went to bed with her son.
When she woke up, the sky was already dark.
Jeanne opened her eyes and saw George playing with his tablet.
It might look like he was playing with it but only he himself knew what he was doing.
She stretched her body and asked, “What time is it?”
George had a glance at the time. “Seven o’clock in the evening.”
“No one came knocking?”
“No.”
Jeanne frowned.
She quickly cleaned herself up and she and George changed into fresh clothes before they headed down.
Jenifer, Jasmine, and Eden were downstairs and those lady friends of Jenifer that she saw earlier in the day were already gone.
It was then she saw Alexander, her father that beat her up and threw her out of the house seven years ago, and her stepbrother, Joshua, who was the golden boy of the family.
Alexander also noticed Jeanne’s presence. He said with a heavy tone, “Do you know what time it is now? Where are your manners? You went abroad for so many years and this is what you’ve learned?”
Jeanne was traumatized by what Alexander did to her seven years ago and the trauma haunted her for a long period. She had no idea how far a man would go when rage was behind the wheel but her father told her the answer, physically, seven years ago.
“Did you call?”
“Jenifer called.”
Jeanne was not surprised at Jenifer’s usual tactic. She was not bothered and unable to uncover the woman’s lies at the moment.
She simply said, “When I was abroad, did you give me anything at all? No, not even a penny. I don’t know anyone, I have no certs, I don’t have any connections or contacts. When I was sleeping on the streets, where were you? I think I did great for getting back in one piece.”
“Enough! You weren’t summoned back to question me! If you’re half as obedient as your sister, this relationship wouldn’t be like this.”
Jeanne no longer cared about the so-called fatherly love. She said plainly, “If you want me back here and marry some guy, you better be kinder to me, or else outsiders might think that you’re selling your daughter off for money. We wouldn’t want such rumors to tarnish your reputation, wouldn’t we?”
“JEANNE!” Alexander was furious. Jeanne talked back to him in front of the others and even picked on his weak spot. There was no respect for the man.
Jeanne said, “Don’t worry. I will marry.”
The words got stuck in Alexander’s throat when he heard the reply.
He knew Jeanne’s feisty attitude and her plain acceptance of the wedding surprised him. He even thought about ways to force her if she disagreed.
Things got awkward fast. Alexander did not know how to react or reply to Jeanne’s words.
Jenifer noticed the awkwardness in the air and she swiftly said, “Look at you and your temper. Jeanne just came back and you’re getting all riled up. What do you think it’ll do to her? Keep your temper and it’s time for dinner.”
Alexander grunted and headed to the dining table.
The family got together for dinner.
Since Master Lawrence was wheelchair-bound, he usually had meals in his room. Without Master Lawrence’s presence, Alexander became the most powerful figure in the family. He acted up to his position fully.
No one dared to speak a word at the table without his permission.
Alexander had a cold glance at George who was eating quietly beside Jeanne. He said, “Where’s your manners, boy?”
“He’s a little shy,” Jeanne said.
“Poorly educated. He must be some b*stard that you have with some random man.” Alexander’s words were extremely harsh.
Jeanne slightly tightened her lips and put her fork down.
There was an unspoken rule in the Lawrence family. At dinner, if the father of the family did not start, no one could start eating. If the father of the family did not stop, no one was allowed to stop either.
Jeanne’s action challenged Alexander’s pride and position in the family.
Before Alexander could lash out at her, Jeanne said, “If we’re talking about b*stards, there are many at the table.”
Alexander reacted bitterly to her remarks.
“Look at Jasmine and Joshua, they are the b*stards you have with some woman,” Jeanne said out loud at the table.
“What did you say?” Joshua was furious. He bolted up and glared at Jeanne.
As the golden child of the family, Joshua was never mocked or insulted before.
Jeanne upheld her nonchalance and said, “If you can shout at your older sister, it proves that the Lawrence family didn’t educate the younger ones as well. Poorly educated.”
She was mocking Joshua because Alexander had mocked George earlier.
“You!” Joshua was furious.
Jasmine held his brother back and said softly, “Sis, are you still angry at me and Eden? Is that why you come back to do this to us?”
Jeanne turned to Jasmine.
Jasmine really inherited her mother’s fact-bending capabilities. She also mastered the ability to look innocent at any given moment.
“If you’re mad at me, I’ll apologize. I shouldn’t have gotten together with Eden back then, when he was still with you. But Eden told me he has no more feelings for you so I did the unforgivable with him. It’s all my fault,” Jasmine said meekly. She wore an apologetic look and the sincerity on her face was authentic, so much so it could easily move people’s hearts.
Jeanne scoffed out loud. “This is the first time I heard someone calling herself a mistress in such a pure and innocent way.”
Jasmine was silenced by Jeanne’s remarks.
Jeanne added, “I wonder if being a mistress can be inherited? I guess you inherited that from your mother.”
“JEANNE! WHAT NONSENSE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!” Alexander slammed the table.
Jasmine shook.
Jeanne, unbothered, looked at Alexander and said, “I had enough. You people continue.”
She held George’s hand and walked away even without Alexander’s permission.
Alexander could not tolerate such disrespect, especially from his daughter. He shouted, “JEANNE! STAND RIGHT THERE!”
Jeanne stood. She turned around and said, “It’s up to me to decide whether I want to marry Thedus or not. If I said no, it won’t happen even if you beat me to death, like what you did to me seven years ago.”
She then walked away without wasting time on them.