The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 28

"Enough!" Eleanor snapped. "Adrian, stop scaring your sister. I believe Claire. She wouldn't make something like this up."

"Jocelyn!" Eleanor's face was filled with disdain. "Ever since you married into our family, you've done nothing for us. Instead, you constantly antagonize Adrian and make him unhappy."

"You've lived off our wealth and enjoyed every luxury the Lowell name provides without contributing a single dime. We haven't asked you to go out and earn a single cent. You should be grateful to the Lowell family, grateful to Adrian."

"But what do you do? You can't even produce a child, but you're a master at spreading rumors! Are you trying to ruin our family's reputation?"

"It seems I have to punish you properly today!"

Eleanor's voice was full of authority. "You will go kneel in the courtyard and reflect on what you've done. You are not to get up without my permission."

"Grandma..." Adrian started, a hint of reluctance in his voice. "Jocelyn, she..."

Eleanor cut him off. "Adrian! Are you going to defy me for her? Don't you forget, I am still the head of this family!"

Adrian weighed his options and swallowed the words he was about to say.

He had no intention of angering Eleanor for Jocelyn's sake.

Jocelyn sat perfectly still.

Michelle snapped, "Jocelyn! Didn't you hear what Grandma said? Get out there and kneel!"

Jocelyn suddenly burst out laughing. The laugh was a mix of helplessness and scorn.

Michelle's eyes blazed. "What are you laughing at! Have you no respect for your elders?"

Jocelyn spoke slowly. "Today, I've finally seen what it means to twist right and wrong, to call black white. This isn't the Dark Ages, yet your family still acts like we're living in a godforsaken monarchy."

"Because you're biased against me from the start, you wouldn't believe me even if I explained myself."

Jocelyn let out a small, sharp laugh.

"You've been looking for a reason to get rid of me for a while now. You're just using this as an excuse to punish me. So, of course, you're not interested in what really happened."

Michelle started to speak, but Eleanor stopped her.

If she waited for Adrian to help her, she'd lose a layer of skin first.

In the past, whenever she was wronged or angry, she had always hoped her husband would stand up for her.

Now she knew that was like trying to find candy in a dumpster.

It was demeaning and disgusting.

Jocelyn said, "I'm actually very curious to know how Grandma plans to punish her."

Eleanor was so sure that Jocelyn had no proof that she answered with a resounding voice, "The same way I would have punished you is how I will punish her."

"Good."

Jocelyn's gaze swept over the crowd of eager onlookers, a mocking smile on her lips.

"Grandma, you'd better keep your word."