I’m Not His White Rose Anymore Chapter 09
“Vivian, do you want me to come home?”
His call came right after I got back.
I held the receiver, finding the question almost funny. Was that really my decision to make?
“Never mind.”
Before I could answer, he hung up.
I shook my head, wondering what had gotten into him.
I didn’t see him for several days after that.
In my past life, I had grown used to this.
I never asked where he was going.
I pulled out the study materials the professor had given me and started reviewing.
My first internship had been helping in the professor’s lab. He taught me so much during that time and encouraged me to apply to MIT to be his graduate student.
It was a shame I let him down.
Now, picking it all back up again, I quickly became engrossed.
After marking several ‘X’s on the calendar, Lorenzo came back.
He brought Lina with him.
“Vivian, I’m home.”
He stood at the kitchen entrance, speaking to me.
There was a strange light in his eyes, as if he was hoping for something.
I pretended not to see it. I glanced at Lina, who had kicked off her shoes and made herself at home on my sofa. “I’ll make a couple of extra dishes,” I said.
Lorenzo’s gentle expression faded, replaced by a low, heavy atmosphere that spread through the room.
I continued to ignore it.
“I’m hungry! I want steak!” Lina yelled from the living room.
I didn’t have any steak.
“Should I go buy some?”
Lorenzo asked, but he didn’t move right away. I didn’t look at him.
He let out a frustrated sigh, put on his jacket, and went out.
Lina was in the living room, watching TV.
I was in the kitchen, cooking.
After a while, I realized I hadn’t heard Lina making a fuss. A bad feeling crept over me. I rushed out of the kitchen, and my fears were confirmed.
The scene in the living room almost made my head explode.
Lina had somehow found my mother’s belongings in the bedroom. Now, she was standing on the sofa, a pair of scissors in her hand, cutting the only photograph I had of my mother into tiny pieces.
When she saw me, she gave me a defiant look. Her hand opened, and the shredded photo fell into the trash can.
I was shaking with rage.
I lifted her off the sofa. “Pick it up!”
I had never been so furious in my life.
Lina flinched in fear, then immediately started throwing a tantrum on the floor.
“You mean woman, you yelled at me again! I’ll have my godfather kick you out! You’re nothing but a maid! Who do you think you are, yelling at me? Waaah, Mommy, Godfather, the mean woman is bullying me…”
As if on cue, Isabella arrived.
She burst through the door and shielded Lina.
“Why are you taking it out on a child? You didn’t put your things away properly, and now you’re blaming the child for touching them!”
“No wonder you’re an orphan with no parents to teach you any manners! You have no class at all!”
A fire ignited in my gut.
You can provoke me, you can humiliate me, but you will not insult my mother.
I raised my hand…
“What do you think you’re doing?”
A strong hand clamped down on my wrist.
It was Lorenzo.
Rage washed over me.
Just then, slap!
Isabella seized the opportunity and slapped me hard across the face.
The red handprint was clearly visible.
Lorenzo froze.
I looked at him and laughed. “Lorenzo, is this what you wanted?”
I never expected him to protect me the way he protected Isabella, but I never thought he would help them bully me.
This was good.
The last tiny shred of hope I had vanished into thin air.
Lorenzo saw the coldness in my eyes, and his face went pale.
“Vivian, I…”
Isabella was triumphant. She hugged Lina and scolded me, “Vivian, how could you be so cruel? Lina is just a child! It’s just a stupid photo. I can pay you back for it. Was it really worth all this…?”
SLAP—
I hit her back twice.
One slap landed on Isabella’s face, the other on Lina’s.
Lina immediately started wailing.
Lorenzo was stunned. He grabbed my hand again. “Vivian!”
This time, he was truly angry. For a split second, I even saw murder in his eyes.
In that instant, I smiled. I really couldn’t help it.
“That was my mother’s,” I said, my voice flat.
I looked at him, enunciating each word. “That was my mother’s only possession.”
Lorenzo’s face went rigid. He saw the pile of shredded paper that Lina had made, and for a moment, he was speechless.
I didn’t look at him again. I turned to the mother and daughter.
“You can insult me all you want. But what right do you have to insult my mother? Is it because Lorenzo will blindly take your side, no matter what?”
I said the last part with force.
The room fell silent.
Lorenzo’s face grew even paler. Guilt flickered in his eyes, but he couldn’t say a word.
Isabella wasn’t about to let this go. She was a Ricci. Who in all of Chicago would dare to humiliate her like this?
She was about to argue with me.
I pointed to the door and spat out a single word. “Get out.”
Isabella’s face turned red with anger. She looked straight at Lorenzo.
Usually, at times like this, no matter what she and her daughter had done, Lorenzo would unconditionally stand by them.
But today…
For some reason, Lorenzo felt a sense of panic.
He stared at me, his gaze fixed, as if afraid to look away. But I didn’t spare him another glance.
“You two… should go home for now.”
“Lorenzo?”
Isabella couldn’t believe her ears. For the first time ever, Lorenzo was telling her to leave?
Even Lina stopped her fake crying. She tugged at Lorenzo’s sleeve, her voice pitiful. “Godfather, the mean woman hit me. Why don’t you hit her back for me?”
Hit me back?
Lorenzo’s heart sank. Had he really spoiled Lina so much that she had become this cruel?
He closed his eyes. “Go home.”
Isabella knew when to cut her losses. She realized she couldn’t win this round. She shot me a hateful glare and reluctantly left with Lina in her arms.
When we were the only two left in the room, I started to gather my mother’s ruined belongings. Lorenzo knelt to help me, but finally, he couldn’t hold back anymore.
“Lina is just a child. Why do you have to take it so seriously?”
Yes, I shouldn’t take it so seriously.
Just like in my last life. Don’t take it seriously, just live out my miserable life.
A faint smile touched my lips.
“Lorenzo, let’s get a divorce.”
