"Ditch your shitty nostalgia, Vincent. Where is Mackenzie?" Chloe asked while glaring at Vincent.
But the man's eyes were full of arrogance. In fact, it seemed that Vincent saw everything as nothing but a joke. He didn't laugh, but a small smile was there.
"Mackie is with my Mom right now," Vincent replied smoothly. "She's been waiting for you in her room."
Chloe looked at the cake in the middle of the hall that had been sliced. Dorothea had returned to her room, allowing the rest of the guests to enjoy the party.
She clicked her tongue and left without saying a word. Vincent watched her back. Chloe was wearing a dress that revealed her back. Chloe had a voluptuous figure when she was young. Sadly, it changed after she gave birth.
But the continuous depression and eating disorder gave her that original bombshell beauty body that all men like.
"See? I'm doing her a favor," Vincent chuckled lightly before emptying the wine glass in his hand.
**
Chloe stormed along a long corridor whose marble tiles were covered with red carpet, quickly approaching the huge door at the end of the corridor. The security guards who guarded the door recognized Chloe immediately.
They opened the door for Chloe, and she entered without hesitation.
She saw her mother-in-law smiling happily as she ate snacks with her daughter. She stopped smiling when she saw Chloe though.
"Happy birthday, Dorothea," Chloe said with a thin smile.
Dorothea didn't say a word. She scanned Chloe from head to toe and patted Mackenzie's head, "Dear, would you mind leaving for a moment? You can return to your dad in the main hall or just ask the security outside to carry you everywhere."
"Okay, Granny! I'll take the cookies!" Mackenzie snatched a bag of cookies and ran toward her Mom. "Mommy! Where have you been?"
Chloe crouched and cleaned the chocolate stain around Mackenzie's lips with her palm, "Mommy had some things to do. I need to talk with your Grandma first, okay?"
"Okay!"
After Mackenzie left, there were only two women in the room. They observed each other. Honestly, Chloe already knew how sophisticated Dorothea was compared to her. Dorothea was wearing an elegant blue dress, paired with dangling diamond earrings and a fur shawl draped over her shoulders. Her outfit was definitely ridiculously expensive, despite not being outwardly branded.
Dorothea's skin was also flawless, she only had a few wrinkles despite celebrating her 56th birthday. It was a far cry from Chloe's eye bags and dull skin.
Dorothea looked at Chloe from head to toe before speaking, her lips twisting in disgust.
"Today is a special day for me, so out with it. Did you come here just to shame my son?"
"Huh?"
"Don't play dumb with me. He bought you a lot of good dresses, but you're choosing to wear this ugly thing from years ago! That's so old-fashioned, ugh!" Dorothea fretted.
Chloe turned around for a moment. After ensuring that Mackenzie had already left, she boldly claimed, "I won't take anything from him, Dorothea."
"Him? You mean your husband, Vincent?"
"He's not my husband, not anymore," Chloe claimed. Since there was nobody around them, she didn't need to hold back. "I've decided to file for divorce. You heard me right! I'm waiting for him to give his signature on the divorce papers, so I can leave that bastard as soon as possible!"
Chloe expected Dorothea to look surprised, to yell and curse at her like she was the trashiest bitch ever existed. Because Dorothea loved her sons so much, and Chloe was ready for that.
But Dorothea only chuckled, as if she just heard a joke.
"I—I'm not lying, Dorothea. I'm here to take Mackenzie with me and leave!" Chloe threatened, and yet, Dorothea only replied with another louder chuckle.
"Oh, Chloe Gray, you're so funny," Dorothea said. She looked straight at Chloe with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Your problems aren't my problems. You think I cared who my son would marry? That I cared about how he runs his life?"
Chloe listened with increasing shock. She never expected this!
"I don't give a damn if Vincent married you or a hooker off the streets. I just needed him to continue his late father's legacy and give me a grandchild."
"Well, obviously, Vincent is a great son and man. He didn't disappoint me. He did a marvelous job managing all of his late father's businesses, and he gave me a beautiful, smart granddaughter," Dorothea sneered at Chloe. "Thus, your job here as a woman is done. You're not needed anymore."
"But—"
"Chloe, let me tell you something since we're both women." Dorothea said with mock sympathy, lighting up a cigarette. She let out a puff of smoke straight into Chloe's face, causing her eyes to water.
"You aren't like those rich, educated young ladies that my friends have for their daughters-in-law, nor are you a movie star that makes everyone drool. You're just another poor woman from a poor family with a useless degree. You can't be called educated."
"The only thing you have of worth is between your thighs."