Chapter 3

"What?” Mark hurled the flute glass of wine in his grasp to the floor, startling everyone apart from Feran.

"What did you say?!" Mark growled.

"You're damn atrocious and impudent to utter that, Feran," Tasha said.

"This vase is actually fake. You all need to believe me. Even though my gift was humble, it was still far better than Mark's fake vase." Feran said, staring straight at Mark’s eyes. A chattering sound began to spread through the room. Mark maintain a  calm face but he started to sweat.

"This vase is not only fake but its coating is composed of a toxic substance. If grandmother places this in her room, in a couple of days she might get ill because of it."

"Nonsense! You can actually expect us to believe that? Who are you to tell the real or fake of such treasure that you won’t even be able to see it if it won’t for Mark? Just shut your trash hole." Mark’s girlfriend said condescendingly.

"Pathetic." Feran looked at the pair of them and spat.

Mark's heart raced like he was chased by a tiger.  How did Feran know? He’s just a worthless son-in-law, a poor loser like him couldn’t be able to tell the difference! He must just be bluffing! Mark had thought since his grandmother would receive tons of presents and the house would have no space for such a huge vase, it would be put into a storage room right away. No one would know the difference from a quick look at the vase, not even grandma.

So he thought he could buy a fake one with a low price and pocketed the rest of the money his absent father had given him to buy a new car for his new girlfriend.

But he couldn't admit this. Afterall everyone must be on his side right now. So Mark sneered.

"He's just blabbing around, everyone. What a fool, trying to steal some attention, aren’t you, haha."

"I support, Feran can't tell. Everything he sees, he takes them as worthless as he is," Phoenix said with pleasure.

"Exactly. I guess he's probably jealous because he couldn't offer something worthwhile as a gift to grandmother," Damon said.

Ma'am Miguel, who was now the head of the Miguel family since her husband passed away, held up a hand and everyone went mute.

"How dare you make such an accusation so disrespectfully in my presence?!" Ma'am Miguel growled. 

"Grandmother, I've told no lie…"

"Shut up!" Ma'am Miguel ordered, stopping Feran from defending himself.

"Grandmother, why don't you just hear him out?" Laura inquired. She didn’t know what happened but she just couldn’t take everyone insulting her husband anymore, especially Mark's new girlfriend who isn't even part of the family yet.

"Why should I hear him out? He couldn't even offer a nice present for my birthday. Do you know how greatly ashamed I am of you both?" Ma'am Miguel said.

Laura's eyes furrowed in surprise. 

"Why 'both'? What have I done for you to be ashamed of?" Laura asked.

"I've been telling you for years now ti divorce this wretched man you called a husband but you've just been ignoring my advice. Now, you're here, as the eldest granddaughter of the Miguel family, what did you offer as a gift to me? Tell me?"

"Grandmother, you know I would gladly get you a gift if I had the money," Laura stated.

"Quiet! You're as poor as a church rat because you married the worthless being on earth, being Feran. Your own father would have said the same thing if he was present. Can't you take a good look at Clara?"

Clara giggled as her husband held her hand and spun her for Laura to check her out.

"She's married into one of the reputable and wealthy families not just in Violet City but the country as a whole. She's honoured by all. And also Phoenix. Both girls uphold your father's image and this family's name but you've only ruined this family's dignity by still marrying a worthless live-in man. Why don't you just divorce him already?" Ma'am Miguel asked with discontempt written all over her white face. 

Laura stared at Feran and swallowed hard. She had actually promised her late grandfather that she would never divorce Feran.

"Please, grandma, just check if the vase was fake or not. We can talk about this on another day" Laura said pleadingly.

"Mark has bought an expensive vase and please just do us the honour and clear your favourite grandchild's name by…" Laura paused and glanced back at Mark.

"Checking if it's real," Laura said.

Mark's eyes widened and beads of sweat started showing up on his forehead.