THE MOST HEROIC SON IN LAW

Chapter 5. Fake Bracelet

"In your eyes, was I committing a crime against my granddaughter?!" snapped Maria Fontaine, her voice a harsh whip cracking through the air of the spacious living room. Her sharp features, framed by streaks of silver hair, twisted with indignation as she glared at her daughter, Sarah. The tension was thick, almost palpable, as it hung over the family like an ominous storm cloud. "I did this for her mental health! She had to be trained to be a strong and insightful woman."

"She was still young, Mom," Sarah countered, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions threatening to overtake her. She tightened her embrace around her daughter, Hazel, who clutched Sarah's shirt with small, trembling hands. "It’s my responsibility as a mother to teach her. I would make sure she grew up with affection, not violence. And I would not just stand by and watch you treat Hazel like that."

The room fell silent, the only sound being the soft whimper of Hazel, who looked up at her mother with wide, frightened eyes. Maria’s face turned crimson as her indignation flared.

"Are you acting like this because your loser husband was back?" Maria accused, her tone dripping with disdain. "So now you’re starting to dare to deny everything your parents said, Sarah?!"

"Jack had nothing to do with this," Sarah replied, her voice resolute. "No matter how long he was gone, he was still my legal husband. And there would be no divorce or marriage with Victor no matter how hard you pushed me," she stated with determination. Her eyes did not flinch.

"Sarah! Was this the right attitude to the parents who raised you?"

"If you thought I was your child, you shouldn’t have done things like this to me," Sarah retorted in disappointment. She glanced at Victor, who was still standing at his position. "You’d better leave. You’ve heard that I’ve rejected you..."

"Sarah Fontaine! Mind your manners!" snapped Maria in a burst of anger. "You really were an unlucky child. Didn’t you know that the Jenkins family had done a lot for our family? Their presence was very influential in our family, and you shouldn’t have been so insolent! You should have married Victor, a man of honor like us, not a poor loser like him!" she pointed at Jack with no respect, but contempt.

"That was your business with the Jenkins family. My life, I decided. You had no right to control me!" Sarah insisted.

Victor growled. He felt cheated coming there with Sarah’s firm refusal hurting his pride.

"This makes me very disappointed," Victor said openly, "this wasn’t what you promised me." He looked at Maria with disappointment.

Maria shook her head hard. "Victor, you didn’t have to worry. No matter what happened, I would make sure you married Sarah. The Jenkins family was everything, and I would never let go of this hand for a poor, useless man like Jack!" she shouted, "because he didn’t deserve to be part of the honorable Fontaine family!"

"Mom!"

“Enough, Sarah! This was my decision, and you had to abide by it as part of the Fontaine family!" Maria insisted. "Jack abandoned you, deceived us, and he wasn’t worth fighting for!"

Jack, standing a little behind Sarah, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, interjected, "I didn’t throw Sarah away. I-"

"Shut up!" Maria snapped, her tone fierce and unforgiving. "This wasn’t your place. Get out of my house. We’re going to a five-star luxury restaurant to celebrate Hazel’s birthday. The Jenkins family had prepared a lavish dinner for her."

Seeing how much Maria hated Jack, Victor grinned with satisfaction, and Jack saw it. His eyes turned sharp at how cunning Victor was in order to get Sarah.

"Mom... couldn't Daddy come with us? Please don’t kick him out..." Hazel tugged at the hem of Sarah’s dress. Sarah’s heart broke at her daughter’s request.

"Hazel..."

"I wanted Daddy to be there," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Tears began to form in her eyes, a heartbreaking sight that tugged at Sarah’s heartstrings. "I just wanted Daddy by my side. I wanted him to carry me."

Victor, who had been standing quietly, took this moment to assert himself. "Don’t worry, Hazel. I’d be your father from now on. Not Jack." He knelt in front of her, his confidence bordering on arrogance. "I’ve got a special gift for you."

With a flourish, Victor produced a small velvet box from his pocket, opening it to reveal a stunning sapphire bracelet. It glittered under the light, reflecting hues of blue and green.

"Look at this, Hazel. It’s all yours," Victor said.

Hazel just eyed the gift Victor had for her, looking a little scared, with her hands clutching the hem of Sarah’s dress. Discomfort was evident on Hazel’s face.

Maria immediately beamed, her eyes lighting up with approval. "Oh, Victor, what a magnificent gift! You truly understood how to treat our family with class and respect. Look at this, Sarah. Victor knew what’s best for Hazel. And what had Jack ever done for you? Nothing but steal from us!"

Jack’s gaze sharpened as he eyed the bracelet in Victor’s hand. His lips curled into a mocking smile.

"That bracelet," Jack said slowly, his voice calm but laced with sarcasm, "was fake."

The room froze. Victor’s face twisted with anger as he rose to his feet, his fists clenched. "What did you just say?" he growled, stepping toward Jack.

Jack’s expression didn’t waver. "I said the bracelet was fake. Cheap glass pretending to be sapphire."

Victor’s face flushed with rage. "How dare you accuse me of giving a fake gift? This bracelet was worth more than anything you’ve ever seen, you f*****g bastard! You wouldn’t know the quality if it hit you in the face!"

Maria quickly jumped to Victor’s defense. "How dare you insult Victor like this?! He was offering Hazel a life of luxury, something you could never give her. You were nothing but a thief, and now you’re trying to humiliate him?!"