Chapter 3

"Jena, brother-in-law, on your wedding day, this useless Theophilus dared to hit me right at the banquet table. Tell me, isn't this person trying to cause trouble?" Orborne angrily accused, glaring at Theophilus as if he had suffered a great humiliation.

"Theophilus, what exactly happened?" Dante asked, struggling to contain his anger, his face grim and voice cold.

"Orborne fell on his own; I didn't touch him." Theophilus stated the truth.

"Fell on his own? Then why does Orborne claim you hit him?" Dante questioned sternly.

Theophilus responded: "Everyone here saw what happened. If you don't believe me, ask them."

"Brother-in-law, Theophilus is making excuses. I was just offering drinks to everyone when he suddenly hit me, and everybody saw it." Orborne said furiously: "Honestly, if it weren't for respecting you, I would have beaten him to death today!"

"What did you all witness just now?" Dante turned to ask the Miller family's sons-in-law who were seated there.

"It was as Orborne said. We don't know what got into Theophilus, probably too much to drink."

"Yes, Theophilus reeked of alcohol, completely soaked. Orborne came to drink with us, and Theophilus suddenly hit him."

"That's right, we saw it too."

The Miller sons-in-law spoke gravely.

Theophilus, stunned, looked at them incredulously, then could only give a bitter smile. Orborne, being the heir of the Third Uncle, wielded influence in the Miller family. Who would risk offending him for a mere son-in-law like Theophilus?

They all chose to blatantly lie.

Theophilus didn't bother to explain further, knowing it was futile. The weak had no right to justify themselves.

Being the lowest in status in the Miller family, even if he was right, if others said he was wrong, then he was wrong.

"What a disgrace, drunk to the point of forgetting his own name!"

"The Miller patriarch really made a mistake inviting such a useless person as a son-in-law!"

The watching guests murmured and jeered at Theophilus without any regard for his feelings.

"Theophilus, you are truly useless! Always causing trouble!" Dulcie angrily approached Theophilus, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Especially since she had just been discussing her father's factory with Jena and her brother-in-law. How could she ask for Jena's help now that Theophilus had caused such a scene?

"Apologize to Jena and the brother-in-law right now!" Dulcie wished she could hit Theophilus for causing her such shame.

Seeing Dulcie's tearful eyes, Theophilus bit his lip and said: "Jena, brother-in-law, I'm truly sorry. Today was my fault, disturbing your wedding. I apologize."

Orborne stood to one side, barely containing his laughter, his gleeful expression as if saying, ‘Even if I sabotage you and you lose all face and honor, who will help you?’

"Theophilus, you're a man. If you make a mistake, own up to it. Blaming my brother Orborne instead, I despise people like you!" Jena said coldly.

Dante's face darkened even more. On his wedding day, such an incident in the party, with guests of high stature present, left him wondering how to save face.

"Theophilus, I won't accept your apology! Today, I won't hit you, and you don’t need to compensate for the broken wine and jewels, just get out of here now! And never show your face to me again!" Dante spoke icily.

Theophilus sighed, indifferent to the unusual stares from the surrounding guests, and turned to leave the hall.

But as he turned, Jena suddenly spat out a statement.

"Dulcie, don’t you want me to help your father through his difficulties? Fine, I don’t want to see Theophilus anymore. Just divorce this useless man immediately, get him out of the Miller family for good! I will deal with your father's factory issue!"

Theophilus stopped but didn’t turn back, then continued to walk out of the guest hall.

Outside the Miller family mansion, Theophilus lit a cigarette, wondering what choice Dulcie would make.

"Let's go home." a familiar voice came from behind. Theophilus's heart fluttered, and turning, he saw his wife Dulcie, tears still in her eyes.

"Going home? What about your father's situation?" Theophilus asked.

"I’ve said it before, we'll divorce sooner or later. But it has to be my choice, not forced by them! As for my father's issue, we'll find another way. After all, we're family. Their bullying you is an insult to me too. I have nothing more to discuss with them!" Dulcie said angrily.

Theophilus whispered to himself: ‘Family…’

The two walked in silence for a while.

"Theophilus, I'm sorry, I want to take back what I said to you at the party." Dulcie wiped her tears: "I was too angry at that moment. When I think about it calmly, how could you have possibly attacked Orborne? You don’t even drink."

"Do you believe me?" Theophilus asked.

"I believe you." Dulcie replied.

"Thank you for trusting me."

Theophilus looked at Dulcie, internally making a decision. He would not let down anyone who trusted him!

Dulcie's home was in the Groundswell apartment complex, a building ten years old, showing its simple and worn appearance.

It didn’t quite fit the status of someone from the Miller family of Elysian Echo City.

Upon reaching home, Theophilus's in-laws, Anselm and Ariel, were sitting on the sofa with serious expressions.

"Hmph!" Ariel scoffed: "Theophilus, you still have the face to come back to this house?"

"We already know what happened at the wedding today. Theophilus, you really are unlucky! You ruined everything that was going well!" Ariel stood up and scolded loudly.

"Forget it, mom, stop it. It’s not Theophilus's fault. The Oldest uncle had no intention of helping us." Dulcie intervened.

Upon hearing this, Ariel grew even more furious, angrily saying: "This foolish girl, you're still defending him? Hasn't he harmed you enough? Without him, wouldn't you be suffering in poverty right now? You should have married into a powerful family!"

"Mom, why do you always want to rely on others? Can't we depend on ourselves?" Dulcie said.

"Rely on ourselves? Fine, you talk well." Ariel bitterly laughed, looking at Anselm with dissatisfaction: "Our daughter struggles because of you, endures so much hardship, and what about you? What can you do?"

Anselm took a deep breath, his face filled with sorrow.

Theophilus had anticipated the tense atmosphere at home and silently went into the kitchen.