The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 119

"What did you just say?" Michelle shrieked, practically jumping out of her skin. "Have you lost your damn mind?! Are you sleepwalking? You want all of us to apologize to you?!"

"Yes."

"You—"

Eleanor raised a hand, cutting Michelle off. She couldn't mask the deep revulsion in her eyes, but she had no choice but to swallow her pride.

"Jocelyn, you are a smart girl. You know what it means to quit while you're ahead."

"This entire mess is your fault. We punished you, and you deserved it."

Jocelyn asked evenly, "And what, exactly, is my fault?"

Eleanor opened her mouth to speak, but Jocelyn completely shut her down.

"Is it my fault that when your precious golden child bullied me, I dared to stand up for myself instead of rolling over and taking it?"

"Or is it my fault that when all of you slandered and humiliated me, I didn't just swallow the abuse and fall to my knees begging for your forgiveness?"

"Or is my biggest fault simply marrying into this family?"

Her words hit them like a tidal wave, leaving everyone completely speechless.

Adrian stared blankly at Jocelyn.

This was the woman he had lived with for three years. Yet, in this moment, she felt like a complete stranger.

She was no longer the meek, submissive daughter-in-law of the Lowell family.

Right now, she looked like a battle-hardened general—unafraid of authority, unbothered by intimidation, and fiercely defending her ground and her dignity.

For a split second, Adrian's heart skipped a beat.

Jocelyn spoke again, her voice steady and deliberate.

"I will give you time to investigate what really happened. If the truth proves that I wasn't the one who attacked Claire, then every single one of you must apologize to me."

"If you don't, I won't attend the awards ceremony tomorrow."

"And if Commissioner Davis asks why I'm not there, I will tell him exactly what happened."

Under Eleanor's sharp glare, Michelle clamped her mouth shut.

The priority right now was making sure this woman showed up to the awards ceremony tomorrow. They simply could not afford to offend Commissioner Davis.

Eleanor finally conceded.

"Fine. I agree. We will investigate the truth."

"And if you can't find out who did it, you still have to apologize. Because you punished me with zero proof," Jocelyn countered.

Eleanor suddenly laughed.

But the smile didn't reach her eyes; it was freezing cold.

"Jocelyn, you truly have no respect for me as an elder."

"If I didn't respect you, I wouldn't have deferred to you for the last three years. I wouldn't have bitten my tongue and swallowed every grievance you forced down my throat."

"Grandma, it's been three years. Don't you think it's time you showed a little compassion for me?"