Chapter 91

Alice frowned. Joshua, accustomed to Shelia's sharp tongue and aware of her disapproval of Alicia, pretended not to hear and left the kitchen.

Shelia's frustration mounted. Pointing at Alicia, she yelled, “All you do is waste money! You contribute nothing to this family, and you have no manners! Can't you see Joshua is exhausted? He can barely catch his breath!”

Alicia, having heard enough, turned to Shelia, then to Joshua, who ate calmly. He had been insistent before, practically throwing himself at her, but now pretended nothing had happened. He never cared about her feelings or her experiences; nothing had changed. Days earlier, unaware of her period, he'd argued with Shelia for intimacy; now, knowing there was no chance, he didn't intervene. Alicia didn't expect his intervention, but wouldn't let Shelia walk all over her.

“What are you looking at?” Shelia growled. “You live here, you depend on us, and I can't even tell you what I think?”

Alicia struggled to control her emotions. Joshua was ill-equipped to confront Shelia directly. Maintaining a calm tone, he asked, “Mrs. Yates, do we have any herbal supplements for the soup? The best, most nutritious ones?”

Shelia eyed him suspiciously. “What do you need them for?”

“For Joshua’s soup, of course,” Alicia replied with a pleasant smile. “After all, you said he was weak after hugging me. We should take that seriously, shouldn’t we?”

Shelia recognized the sarcasm. Her eyes widened. “What nonsense are you spouting? Joshua is only twenty; he's not weak.”

Alicia looked forlorn. “But Mrs. Yates, you said he could barely catch his breath.”

Shelia was speechless. Joshua sensed something was amiss. While Alicia's demeanor seemed harmless, her words unsettled him.

“Enough, both of you,” Joshua said firmly. “I just want to eat in peace.”

Alice grimaced internally. “Fuck you,” she muttered to herself. She'd endured much, even preparing a meal to stay calm, but now the thought of cooking disgusted her. Shelia, sitting beside Joshua, immediately resumed her criticism. “I told you not to bring her, but you wouldn't listen. She's nothing but trouble.”

Shelia's tone sharpened. “How much did she spend on that beauty treatment today? She wasted so much money! Can you afford to keep her?”

Alicia ignored Shelia. She opened the refrigerator, selected the most expensive herbs, and placed them in the finest container. It appeared she was diligently preparing a meal.

After Joshua finished eating, he and Shelia visited Jerald. Knowing Georgia would soon arrive to take over the kitchen, Alicia turned to the living room fish tank. She removed a prized, rare, and expensive fish Shelia adored, a delicate creature requiring constant care, and dropped it into a pot of cold water. It swam happily, unaware of its fate.

Georgia arrived. Seeing untouched vegetables, she rolled her eyes. “You guys are so slow. When are we supposed to eat?”

Alicia calmly replied, “I was waiting for you to cook.”

“Me?” Georgia’s tone sharpened, now that they were alone. “Get real. I didn’t respect you even when you were Mrs. Yates. Now you’re just a lady, so get your act together and avoid being told off.”

Alicia smiled faintly. Georgia lifted the pot’s lid. The fish jumped out, splashing water on Georgia’s face. Startled, she knocked over the pot, shattering it. While Georgia stood frozen, Alicia retrieved the fish and returned it to the tank.

Shelia, hearing the commotion, rushed down. “What's going on?”

Georgia saw Alicia calmly collecting the broken pieces. Before Georgia could explain, Alicia said, “Mrs. Yates, please don't be angry with Georgia. She's older, and her eyesight isn't what it used to be. That’s why she accidentally broke it.”

Georgia’s eyes widened. “No, Mrs. Yates, that’s not…”

Shelia, seeing the shattered pot—a tens-of-thousands-dollar piece—looked like she might faint.

Georgia screamed, "Alice, how could you accuse me like that? You scared me."

Alice acted oblivious. "Did I scare you? How? Weren't you the one who knocked over the pot?"

Georgia knew Alicia was right; guilt silenced her. Shelia noticed Georgia's hesitation. “So, was it really you?” she asked sternly.

"Mrs. Yates, it's not what you think..." Georgia began, but Shelia slapped her. "Fantastic! The cost will come directly from your salary."

Georgia clutched her cheek, her gaze filled with hatred for Alicia. Alicia showed no emotion. After cleaning up, she left the kitchen silently.

In the hallway, Joshua approached her, noticing a small cut on her finger bleeding slowly. Alicia applied a handkerchief. “I'm hurt, so I guess I can't cook.”

Joshua watched intently. "You've changed a lot since the divorce."