The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 27

Jocelyn didn't even flinch as the milk splashed all over her face.

It dripped down her cheeks onto her black sweater.

She looked utterly pathetic.

Maria came running out, shouting, "Oh, my! Miss Claire, what are you doing? Jocelyn is your brother's wife! You must show her respect!"

Maria's shout quickly drew the rest of the Lowell family out.

Audrey was feeding the baby and wished she could bring him out to see the drama unfold.

But Adrian stopped her.

When Adrian saw Jocelyn's disheveled state, he felt a sudden pang of discomfort.

"What's going on! Claire, you have no manners!"

Claire, still defiant, tilted her chin up. "Brother! This woman was saying horrible things! I had to teach her a lesson!"

Adrian was about to reprimand her.

But Eleanor stopped him. "Adrian, Claire has always been well-behaved. She wouldn't do something like this without a reason. You need to find out what happened."

"Claire, well-behaved?"

Jocelyn thought that was the funniest joke she had heard all day.

Michelle, of course, also sided with her daughter.

"That's right, Adrian. You can't just blame Claire."

Eleanor said, "Claire, don't be afraid. Tell me what happened. I will stand up for you."

With her support system in place, Claire became even more brazen, clinging to Eleanor's arm and whining.

"Grandma, you have to help me. I've never been so humiliated in my life!"

Eleanor patted her head soothingly, while shooting a disapproving look at Jocelyn.

Jocelyn took the towel from Maria and slowly wiped her face.

Adrian said, "I want to hear you say it."

Jocelyn said, "If you think it's true, then it's true. It doesn't matter."

Adrian's frown deepened.

She wasn't arguing, wasn't fighting back at all. She had a face full of milk and yet she was as calm as if nothing had happened.

"What is this woman thinking?"

Adrian's chest felt tight.

"Claire, I'm asking you one more time!" He looked at Claire with a deep, penetrating gaze. "Did you lie?"

Claire was a little scared by his look.

"Brother! You'd rather believe an outsider than your own sister!"

"I..."