SHEN MANSION
Hilda Shen is on the verge of an explosion. Her head had been throbbing since yesterday when the gossip came out. All of her friends in High Society have been calling her and messaging her, inquiring about her son Vince and her daughter-in-law's sister, Zenaida Lan.
Everyone knows that Zenaida has a good relationship with her; they were asking her about the status of the two. And one of her friends asked if she would favor instead—for her son to make Zenaida the mistress.
Hilda could not take it. How can she allow that? His son married the younger sister, but his mistress was the older sister. That is a pure harem, isn't it?
She was in an outburst that her son had a mistress because it was an embarrassment for her! And she could not agree with such a thing! She still has family values!
Still, having an affair during a marriage is a no no… Not for her! She condemned his son because of it! And that girl! But when she tries to separate them, her son now stays away from her and has never come home since then!
He forgets he has a mother! Now she would hear this gossip!?
"Ah! I'm feeling my blood pressure rising… That son of mine has no care if I die in one of these days!" Hilda reaches for her head, massaging her temple.
Carl, who is holding a fan, tries to comfort his aunt. "You must calm down, Aunt Hilda. You should already use this kind of gossip."
"I know, Carl. Before they threw whatever issues at us, I was less concerned about it. But now, issues were thrown at your cousin. I can't sit still!"
"Well, Vince is already an adult, Auntie. If the issue affects him, he can easily shut down the media. But he only let the gossip and ignored them instead. Now calm down and let Vince handle his life."
"Ah! Why am I talking to you? You are more playboy than my son!" Hilda blurted out. Poor Carl baffles him when her aunt suddenly throws her frustration at him.
"Ouch. Why are you lashing me now, Auntie?" said Carl, frowning.
"Because I know that you have countless girlfriends!"
"Auntie, I'm single. I'm not tied to someone like Vince or living with a girlfriend, so I can do whatever I want to..." he couldn't finish his sentence when Hilda snapped at him.
"That is what I'm talking about! You are a bad influence on your cousin!"
Twitching his mouth, Carl reaches for his shoulder, where Hilda smacks him. "Ouch. Auntie, don't reproach me when I am in front of you."
"And what do you like? Behind your back? Ah! I'm going to lose my head! What am I going to do for Vince to dump his mistress?"
Fred shook his head. He remains silent and never attempts to join the conversation because he knows they will only argue over it again. Leisurely he sips on his tea when Hilda blabbers again, and his tongue almost burns.
"Fred! Aren't you going to do something?"
Twitching the corner of his mouth, Fred heaves a sigh. He pretended to hear nothing and remained reading on his iPad.
"Fred!"
"Would you shut up just for a day, Hilda!?" He couldn't take it anymore that every single day, his wife was talking about his son's life. He has no problem with it. However, the issue is just repeatedly brought up. And it's already so annoying to listen to.
"As I told you. A day will come when your son will get tired. By then, surely he will dump his mistress."
In a low voice, Hilda asked her husband. She's still afraid of Fred's fury once provoked. "Why can you say that?"
She's curious if her husband did such a thing she didn't know. Of course, even if she confirmed nothing that Fred had an affair, their marriage life is not peaceful and perfect. It also stormed many times.
Fred, who is controlling his anger, calms down and responds lazily. "You are aware that my friends and business partners were in an affair many times. Of course, I saw how they dump their girlfriends once they meet a new one."
"What? I could not allow Vince to have another girlfriend after he leaves his current mistress!"
Fred pressed his eyelids. He reminds himself to stay calm. "Hilda, why do you compare your son with those bastards? Did you see your son has girlfriends everywhere? None!"
At the moment, Carl is sipping his coffee; he choked on the hot liquid. He coughs roughly to clear his throat.
'I guess it's time for me to move out of this mansion.' Carl thought inwardly.
~~~~~~
Later in the evening, Hailey was working on her laptop in the living room when Vince arrived. She was thinking of greeting him, but she chose to ignore him.
Vince wanders his eyes around; the dining table is empty. The kitchen has no trace that Hailey was cooking. She even ignores him.
'So, what now? What she's thinking at this moment? After she sent me a wonderful lunch, she plans to starve me in the evening?' Vince mused.
He glanced at Hailey, who continued typing on her laptop. It looks like the girl has no plan to cook tonight.
He heaves a hopeless sigh. Vince didn't know what to do in this kind of situation. He didn't know how to persuade a woman. So he has no idea where to begin and talk to Hailey about yesterday. It seemed like she also misunderstood him.
As he could see, she looked sulking. Well, maybe he will just let her be.
In the end, Vince can't stay silent. Before he took the first step of the stairs, he muttered. "So, you want me to deliver some dinner?"
Hailey restrained herself from raising a brow. She replied timidly, "I thought you had dinner out. So I just fixed something for me."
'What? So she's the one who is mad now?' Vince rolled his eyes. 'Absolutely, it was so hard dealing with a woman... They are moody!'
Heaving a silent sigh, Vince took the stairs without another word.