Five Years of Marriage to Mr. Bradford (by Koi Fish) novel Chapter 3

The exaggerated performance fueled even more laughter.

Catherine, seated beside Vance, collapsed onto his shoulder in hysterics. The man remained silent.

Aiden turned, still grinning. "Vance, is it like..."

His words died as he caught sight of Rebecca standing in the doorway. His smile faltered, and his tongue twisted. "R-Rebecca?"

The others followed him to look over, all freezing.

Catherine got up from Vance's shoulder, grinning. "Oh, this must be the legendary Mrs. Bradford. Come on in. I'm Catherine Welch, Vance's friend."

Rebecca scanned the room, her blood running cold.

Finally, Vance stood up and walked over to her. "Rebecca? What are you doing here? They were just joking. Don't take it to heart."

She stared at him, feeling utterly alienated. For the first time, he seemed a stranger. In the face of mockery toward his wife, he sided with them.

Aiden put down his glass, apologizing, "Y-Yeah, it was a joke. I'm sorry, Rebecca. Please don't be mad."

Vance moved closer, attempting to embrace her. "Rebecca."

But Rebecca recalled Catherine leaning on him earlier, his masturbation in the bathroom, and the name he uttered in the climax.

That hand, the one reaching for her now, felt utterly filthy. She quickly stepped back, avoiding him.

"Rebecca?" Vance stared at his empty hand in confusion, then sighed. "I apologize on their behalf. Don't be upset, okay? I'll get a gift to make up for you. Anything you want."

Catherine shot Aiden a playful glare. "This is your fault, Aiden. Apologize properly. Not everyone's like me, clumsy and thick-skinned, laughing off your jokes."

Rebecca sneered at her cheeky speech, but these men didn't even sense the manipulation.

Aiden grumbled, "I already did! Didn't know she'd show up. It was just a joke."

"A joke is only funny if the target laughs," Rebecca retorted, her voice shaking with newfound courage.

For five years, this curse of her unworthiness of Vance had confined her. Mocking glances made her shrink, retreating like a quail to lick her wounds alone.

Aiden winced, "But I already apologized."

"I-I don't accept it!" Rebecca trembled harder, defying mockery for the first time.

Aiden mumbled, "Then what do you want?"

Rebecca shook her head, having no answer. She just rejected their ridicule and Vance's alignment with them.

"Enough, everyone." Vance intervened, positioning himself between her and Aiden.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify