My Wife Believed in Me One Day Too Late

Chapter 002

"That's nonsense, Grandma stopped drinking wine years ago. How could I ever harm her?" Thomas Easton said with a panic-stricken face, his eagerness to defend himself making him seem all the more guilty.

"Oh, I see," Isaiah Lowell said, nodding his head in a sudden realization. "You knew Grandma stopped drinking wine, so you decided to deceive her with inferior quality, pocketing the $100,000 for yourself."

Thomas's gaze shifted uneasily, betraying his guilt.

Isaiah's accusation had hit the mark. Thomas had indeed passed off a substandard product to gain some prestige for his family.

And since Grandma had stopped drinking wine, he thought she would never find out.

But his plan to outshine Isaiah in front of the family and make a fool of him backfired, with his lies exposed by Isaiah.

"You are talking like making up stories," Thomas tried to maintain his composure. "As if you know anything about fine products."

The relatives, initially doubtful of Thomas, now realized they were almost fooled by Isaiah.

"How could a man living off his wife know about these high-end products?"

"Isaiah, if you don’t understand, better keep quiet and not slander Thomas."

"Yeah, look at yourself. Pretending to be an expert? Can you even tell the difference between good and bad?"

"You probably only know the difference between salt and MSG, fitting for a househusband."

The room burst into laughter, piercingly mocking.

Isaiah didn't defend himself.

Back at the Lowell's, he had met a professional wine connoisseur and collector. His knowledge of wine surpassed anyone present.

But explaining to these ignorant people would be futile.

"What's all this commotion?" A frail voice spoke up.

The matriarch of the Easton family, a figure as powerful as the queen in the family, finally appeared.

Everyone stood up, showing utmost respect.

Ever since Mr. Easton passed away, she had taken control. The fate of the family's wealth and decisions lay in her hands.

"Some say they wish she'd pass soon for a share of power, but her robust health seemed to defy their hopes.

"Grandma, Thomas brought you a bottle of vintage wine. Let's see if it's real or fake," Daphne Easton said, looking at Isaiah.

She found herself believing his words, perhaps hoping to unveil this lie.

Thomas panicked. While others might not discern the wine's authenticity, Grandma, with her decades of experience, surely could.

"Really? Let me see," the old lady said.

Thomas, looking like a condemned man, handed over the wine.

Daphne, hoping to score some points for Isaiah, quickly said, "Isaiah noticed it."

The matriarch's face wrinkled further in displeasure.

Thomas and his parents paled. A fake gift could mean a smaller share in the inheritance.

Daphne glanced at Isaiah, thinking he finally did something for the family. Maybe Grandma would be kinder to him.

But the matriarch's next words dashed her hopes.

"This is real. Why are you slandering Thomas?" she asked, staring at Isaiah.

Isaiah was stunned. The wine was clearly problematic. How could she not see?

Thomas was equally shocked. Did he just bluff his way through? Or was Grandma's vision failing?

"Grandma, look closely, this wine..."

Isaiah tried to explain, but she sharply interrupted, "Are you saying I'm too old to tell real from fake? If I say it's real, it's real."

"Isaiah, Grandma said it's real. Why argue?"

"Mom, don't be upset. Isaiah is ignorant, pretending to be knowledgeable in front of you."

"Isaiah, apologize to Thomas."

Isaiah looked at the matriarch, a bitter smile on his face.

She hadn't failed to see; she chose not to expose her grandson for his sake.

After all, he was just an outsider, a worthless son-in-law. Why would she humiliate Thomas for him?

Slap!

Daphne, teeth clenched in anger, struck Isaiah. "I should never have hoped for anything from you."

His face stung, marked with scratches from her long nails.

Isaiah clenched his fist but released it, seeing Daphne's tearful eyes. Her suffering was because of him. Why should he be angry with her?

For three years, he endured insults and humiliation, and so had Daphne.

"It's my fault for being mistaken," Isaiah said.

Daphne felt utterly embarrassed, wishing she could vanish. "Your apology means nothing. Apologize to Thomas," she said.

Isaiah took a deep breath, approached Thomas, and said, "I'm sorry."

Thomas whispered smugly to Isaiah, "You think Grandma didn't see? But I'm her grandson, and you're just a worthless son-in-law. Even if it's fake, she'll support me."

Isaiah was stung by Thomas's words and the matriarch's bias. There was nothing he could do.

This incident didn't lower Isaiah's already rock-bottom status in the Easton family.

For Daphne, the revelation was hard to swallow, not because of the embarrassment Isaiah caused her, but because she realized that even if Isaiah was right, Grandma would always side with Thomas.

Lunchtime neared. "I owe you a slap. You can take it anytime," Daphne told Isaiah.

"A slap to repay?" Isaiah said with a wry smile.

"I don't want to owe you anything. We're destined for divorce, sooner or later," Daphne said.

Isaiah watched her walk away. "Do you wish for me to change? You're the only one who can make that happen," he said, mustering courage.

Daphne turned, her smile melancholic. "Don't forget who you are. In the Easton family, you'll never be important. Besides, you're not a diamond in the rough."

At lunch, everyone was seated according to the family hierarchy.

Isaiah, as a son-in-law, sat at the smallest table, farthest from the matriarch, among servants and janitors.

In the midst of the meal, a person rushed in.

"Ms. Easton, a gift has arrived," he announced.

The matriarch's birthday was a family affair, with no outsiders usually present.

"Who is it from?" she asked.

"Someone from the Lowell family. I don't know them," he replied.

The Lowell family?

Isaiah was the only Lowell present, but aside from Daphne, no one connected the gift to him.

"A diamond necklaces."

"A Patek Philippe watch."

"A masterpiece oil painting."

"..."

The Easton family was baffled. These were not gifts for the matriarch but for a young miss in the family!

"Cash $1000,000."

The Eastons were speechless.