He Priced Me At A Penny So I Married Another Chapter 12
They’d added words like *gentle* and *family-oriented*. Underneath, they had listed that after marriage I would take care of Derek’s parents, quit any job that required travel, and have children as soon as possible.
As I looked at the photo, I heard the megaphone in the park all over again.
In the past, every time I had dinner with Derek’s family, I asked him what I should wear, afraid they’d think I was disrespectful.
And yet they could take my photo whenever they wanted and decide how I would live the rest of my life.
I picked up the display board and ripped it down the middle.
Mrs. Lawson lunged to stop me. Carol blocked her hand.
“That’s my picture,” I said. “You don’t get to post it anywhere, ever again.”
I tore the heavy paper into pieces and stuffed them into the shopping bag they had brought.
“Save your family’s wedding conditions for Tori.”
Derek’s face finally darkened. He turned and took hold of his mother’s arm, trying to lead her out.
“Mom, go downstairs first. Stop talking.”
Mrs. Lawson refused to leave. She turned and pointed at the quilt on the floor.
“If all her things were moved here, then wasn’t she waiting to see who would take her? Derek, you can’t keep indulging her.”
Everett walked to the door and handed her the shopping bag she had left behind.
“Please take these with you.”
Mrs. Lawson accepted it. Her lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing.
She knew Everett’s parents. She also knew the Hale family carried weight in Boston.
Derek turned and blocked Tori, who was trying to step inside.
“You wait outside, too.”
Tori tightened her grip on her bag strap and stayed planted on the threshold.
“I stayed with you all night yesterday, and I came today to apologize. The least you can do is let me explain things to Lydia. You can’t pin everything on me.”
Derek whipped his head around to glare at her.
I lowered my eyes and rolled up the quilt Tori had cut.
Tori kept going.
“The second you two broke up, she ran off with another man. I stayed by your side. Is that my fault, too?”
“The key card was you. You’re the one who gave it to me. You also said Lydia wouldn’t be coming back that night, and that I could stay as long as I wanted.”