83\u2013The Toxic People Never Change\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeline:\u00a0<\/p>\n
I quickly glanced at her, then looked at everyone with an apologetic smile as I took the envelope from her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I noticed Yuvonne\u2019s smile fade.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had planned to make that announcement herself, and though everyone would have found out in a minute, it clearly mattered to her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, right\u2013it\u2019s the 28th,\u201d Baxter said quickly, before anyone else could react. \u201cAnd I\u2019m glad our little angel got to announce it. Seems like good luck.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He added the last part with a reassuring nod to Yuvonne, urging her not to let it ruin her mood.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyway, let\u2019s raise a toast to the good news,\u201d Yuvonne said. She swallowed hard, making it clear she wasn\u2019t happy about it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I glanced at Baxter before picking up my glass of wine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everyone cheered and took sips. It was all a blur to me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I understood my daughter shouldn\u2019t have done that, but it was just a minute\u2019s difference.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They were going to read it anyway. It\u2019s not that I thought Yuvonne didn\u2019t have the right to be upset, but for all of them to glare at my little girl like that, it didn\u2019t sit right with me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I remembered when Yuvonne used to do things like this, my stepmother would defend her fiercely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was never a time she didn\u2019t ruin things for me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Back then, I was only a child, and whenever I got upset about it, they would scold me and tell me to grow up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now, a grown Yuvonne was getting upset over something so small, and they were still backing her up while blaming my child.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was obvious, Yuvonne was everyone\u2019s favorite.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, wait a minute. Excuse me,\u201d Baxter said as his phone started ringing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stood and walked out. The moment he left, I felt every eye turn toward me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The air seemed heavy, almost pressing in on me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I\u2019m sorry about you losing your baby,\u201d Karla said, breaking the silence,\u00a0<\/p>\n
She said it loud enough for everyone to hear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I noticed Eugenia and her husband exchange a glance before turning to look at me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d I replied shortly, grabbing the crab legs to crack them, trying to avoid the conversation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I glanced at the door, hoping Baxter would return soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I can\u2019t even imagine having an abortion at eighteen,\u201d Yuvonne said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of course, she had found the perfect moment to humiliate me for Elara announcing the date earlier.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
013\u2013The Toxe People Never Change\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s okay,\u201d I said again, this time more firmly, making it clear I didn\u2019t want to discuss it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then my stepmother turned in her seat toward Eugenia and her husband.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen she was eighteen, she got herself pregnant by someone,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My jaw dropped, and my eyes widened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked at my father, wondering if he would finally stop her from saying something so cruel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They weren\u2019t even worried about Yuvonne\u2019s night being ruined anymore, they were just digging up my past.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? Is that true, young lady? You got pregnant without a mate?\u201d Jonah, Baxter\u2019s father, asked, gently reaching for a tissue to clean his hands while searching my face for an apology.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKids, you know, you would\u2019ve had another sibling if the baby hadn\u2019t died back then,\u201d Karla added, this time speaking directly to my children.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I set my spoon down hard enough to get their attention.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are children. Don\u2019t talk to them about it.\u201d I looked Karla straight in the eye, warning her that she had crossed a line.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWow, she\u2019s still the rude one,\u201d Eugenia muttered, rolling her eyes and folding her arms over her chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry, what did you just say?\u201d I turned toward her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t know when to stop, not after my wolf stirred awake.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI said you\u2019re rude, and your children are mannerless,\u201d she replied coldly, showing no hesitation or concern for how her words might hurt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy children have far better manners than the one you\u2019raised,\u201d I shot back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She gasped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMadeline, come on. We were just giving our condolences,\u201d Karla said. \u201cBesides, you shouldn\u2019t even feel sad about the child you lost. It was illegal. You\u2019re lucky you ran away that night.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My stepmother\u2019s words made my jaw tighten. I glared at her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, so that\u2019s why she ran away,\u201d Jonah said, nodding with disapproval.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s it. There\u2019s no reason for me to stay here anymore.\u201d I took the napkin off my lap, slammed it on the table, and stood up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I\u2019ll leave. My therapist told me not to sit around toxic people for too long,\u201d I said, hearing gasps the table,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWho does she think she is?\u201d Eugenia muttered, snapping her head toward her husband.\u00a0<\/p>\n
around\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a human researcher, the one you all begged to come here,\u201d I replied, leaning over the table and pointing at\u00a0<\/p>\n
her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The room erupted at my response.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was a time when I couldn\u2019t speak up for myself, and now I couldn\u2019t stop talking even if I tried.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Eugenia glanced from my finger to my face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
83\u2013The Toxic People Nove Change\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s going on here?\u201d Baxter asked as he entered the room, right when I was pointing at his mother.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYour human researcher is throwing a tantrum because she thinks too highly of herself to sit with us,\u201d Eugenia lied, hiding everything she and the others had said and making it seem like I was the problemn.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s going on, Madeline? Why do you look so angry?\u201d Baxter asked, his tone sharp but not accusing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thankfully, he didn\u2019t push me further and instead asked me why I was angry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I straightened my back and swallowed hard, trying to contain my anger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a mistake. She shouldn\u2019t have come here,\u201d Yuvonne snapped, the same woman who had begged Baxter to invite me, just so she could remind me of who I was and where I belonged.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now she was saying things only to please her in\u2013laws.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe doesn\u2019t know when to keep her mouth shut. And tonight, she\u2019s humiliated almost everyone at this table,\u201d Yuvonne continued, her voice cracking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stared at her in disbelief. What an actress.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s lying! They were all saying horrible things to Mommy, so Mommy got upset!\u201d Elara yelled, slamming her small hand on the table in my defense. 1\u00a0<\/p>\n
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