No wonder the Whitaker family’s attitude today was so “measured.” Even their tantrums were kept within limits.
The shiny new 28-inch bicycle had intimidated the Whitaker family.
The Whitaker family bullied Elizabeth and ignored Scarlett’s well-being because no one stood up for them. In the past, William had tried, but he was just as poor as them, so his words held little weight. Now that William was willing and able to support Scarlett and her mother, the Whitaker family’s difficult women instinctively backed off.
Mrs. Whitaker remained silent. Whitaker Chris was due back in a couple of days.
Once Chris returned, Elizabeth would surely beg for forgiveness on her own, and Scarlett could go wherever she pleased—after all, she was nothing but a disgraceful black sheep. It wouldn’t be a problem if Elizabeth left too; a woman who couldn’t bear a son might as well give way for Chris to find a new wife.
The Whitaker family wasn’t wealthy, but a “golden phoenix” like Chris wouldn’t struggle to remarry.
Mrs. Whitaker, satisfied with her reasoning, didn’t bother to stop Scarlett from taking those shabby clothes. Watching the trio leave, she muttered under her breath:
“Once you leave the Whitaker family’s door, don’t think you can come back so easily!”
Once William, the “demon,” left, the rest of the family dared to come out.
“Mom, are you really letting them go just like that?”
The third daughter-in-law, Veronica, thought they should at least call Elizabeth back to do her work.
Mrs. Whitaker smugly shared her plan, and Veronica naturally flattered her.
“Well then, make sure to find a hardworking new wife for Chris!”
The eldest daughter-in-law, Maria, was not pleased. Her daughter’s college admission was her own achievement, and now Mrs. Whitaker expected her to oversee everything, even Chris’s next marriage. While Maria had a low presence in the family, she was undoubtedly the smartest of the three daughters-in-law.
Elizabeth was the family’s beast of burden, working the most but earning no favor. Veronica, on the other hand, was a firecracker who always said the wrong things, even when flattering.
With just a few words, Maria shifted the topic.
“I wonder if Rosalie has made it to her university yet. She didn’t even send a telegram.”
“Telegrams are expensive,” Mrs. Whitaker frowned. “Rosalie is just saving money. It’s not like the family has extra cash to send her off with more!”
Mrs. Whitaker’s brow furrowed so deeply that it could crush a fly.
Veronica rolled her eyes in private. The family had already emptied its coffers, and it wasn’t enough for a simple telegram.
Thinking about Rosalie attending college in the capital city, Mrs. Whitaker felt uneasy, imagining the hardships she might face. Suddenly, she made up her mind:
“Have the three brothers pool their wages from the dam repairs and send the money to Rosalie!”
Maria feigned a few polite refusals, but Mrs. Whitaker insisted, leaving Maria with no choice but to “graciously” accept her mother-in-law’s generosity on behalf of her daughter.
This was the stark difference in treatment. Scarlett had hit her head so hard that she couldn’t even go to a hospital, yet the family’s money was freely spent on her cousin Rosalie. If Scarlett had heard this conversation, she would have likely started a fight with Mrs. Whitaker on the spot.
