Part 92

Part 66

Julie stared at Richard in disbelief before glancing at the door where her two sons and daughter were gathered. It was now clear that all her children had conspired against her, and this was all under the approval of her eldest son, Richard.

What could Julie do now, especially when the highest authority in the Hampton family, her firstborn, was also involved?

Her eyes swept over the guests who were stealing glances in their direction. Even without whispering, their curious looks spoke volumes. Julie felt as if she had already lost. Completely!

A forced smile accompanied by a feigned enthusiasm—a mere act—was all she could muster. She extended her hand to the oldest Quirino couple and ushered them into the house, where the chairs originally prepared for her chosen son-in-law and future in-laws would now be occupied by Antony and his family.

As Julie excused herself to return to Claire, she shot a sharp glance at her only daughter the moment the door closed.

"So this is your plan?" she accused, glaring fiercely, the veins in her neck standing out from her anger. "You seem so compliant in front of me, yet behind my back, you and that widower conspired all of this?!" she hissed, her voice full of fury.

Claire knew her mother wanted to scream, but considering there were many ears outside that could hear, the woman opted to replace her shout with a sharp hiss that did nothing to lessen her rage.

Julie's furious gaze was fixed directly on her only daughter, who sat perched on her bed with her head held high, silently meeting her mother's glare with an expressionless stare.

"You really want to embarrass me, don't you?" she accused again.

Taking a deep breath, Claire replied, "I told you before, back at the hospital, that I have my own choices. You've always been selfish, so don't blame me for being selfish too." She said this as calmly as possible, trying not to let her own anger flare up.

Julie scoffed, looking at Claire with disgust. "You want to decide your own future? Feeling all high and mighty because you have that family and your brothers supporting you? Fine!" Her voice dripped with scorn. "But mark my words: in the future, nothing will be easy for you. One day, your past will make you suffer. You will live in constant fear because of your husband's ex-wife. You'll worry that she might come back and demand her position as the mother of the child she abandoned all this time." Her words struck Claire like a punch to the gut.

Couldn't this woman, who had given birth to her and raised her, offer a blessing instead of a curse? Shouldn't every mother want her child to be happy? Why was her mother behaving so selfishly, even in this dire moment?

"No matter what you say, no matter how my future turns out, I will face it on my own terms," Claire replied firmly.

Julie huffed again. "Don't come crying to me later, saying that what I said is true and has come to pass." With that, she stormed out of the room, casting an angry glance at Harry and Gladwin before leaving.

"It'll be okay," Harry reassured them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for Mom to take it out on you," Claire said, her eyes welling up with tears. Mary sat beside Claire, gently rubbing her sister-in-law's shoulder.

"I knew this would happen, but it's okay. In time, Mom will forgive us for what we did," she comforted. Claire could only hope her sister-in-law's words would come true.

After some time spent calming herself, the door opened once more, and Bella stepped in with a worried expression on her face. "Claire, are you alright?" she asked softly.

"Sorry I'm late," Bella said as she walked over to Claire. "There was an accident on the way here, and it took a long time to clear the road. I also had to give a statement to the police." She paused, her expression shifting to one of curiosity. "But that's not the issue. Claire, why do I see Mr. Quirino's family here? Are you finally going to be engaged to him instead of the man your mom arranged for you?"

Claire looked at her friend, and for a moment, her anger and sadness from her mother's words faded away. She nodded, a smile spreading across her face. Bella responded with an excited squeal and immediately enveloped Claire in a tight hug, grateful for the turn of events.

"But my mom still hasn't given her blessing. She's really upset with me about this," Claire said softly.

Bella gently rubbed Claire's back in support. "Eventually, a stone will wear down from constant drops of water. And your mom's heart is way softer than a stone; it will melt eventually," she reassured Claire. "Isn't it in movies that parents' approval often comes after you have children? So you and Mr. Quirino need to act fast on having a baby. Maybe have plenty of kids so your mom runs out of time to stay angry while dealing with spit-ups and changing diapers for her grandkids," she joked, making Claire chuckle despite herself. "By the way, I haven't given you a compliment yet." Bella looked at Claire with admiration. "You look amazing today!" she said playfully, nudging Claire with her elbow.

Taking a deep breath, Claire focused on neutralizing her feelings, setting aside the sadness from her mother's earlier words to embrace the happiness of Antony and his family being there to propose to her. What lay ahead was a secret only Fate could unveil.

Claire gazed at Antony with a smile in her eyes, her heart racing as he slipped the diamond ring onto her finger. The sound of applause filled the room, but all of Claire's attention was solely on Antony.

"Perhaps the couple would like to say a few words?" the emcee asked, looking at Claire and Antony expectantly.

Antony nodded, and an event organizer handed him a microphone.

"To ensure our esteemed guests aren't left in the dark, I'd like to announce that we've decided to hold the wedding next month. Details will be sent out in the invitations. Thank you all for your support," Antony concluded, returning the mic to the event staff.

For Julie Hampton, it was like being stabbed and then slashed with a sword. She stood frozen, her face pale. Her plan to disrupt the engagement was swiftly dismissed by Antony's unexpected announcement of their wedding, a decision she couldn't counter without risking embarrassment in front of everyone present.

From this moment forward, Julie had to brace herself for the deluge of questions about the Quirino family and the swift wedding plans that loomed ahead. She could already sense the whispers, the gossip, and the scrutiny of their social circle; her mind raced with the implications of Antony's declaration.

"How could this happen?" she thought bitterly. As she surveyed the room, she noticed a mixture of shock and delight among the guests, and it infuriated her even more. Julie felt cornered, knowing that she had lost the upper hand.

In the midst of her turmoil, she could see Claire beaming with joy, her expression radiating happiness that Julie had tried so hard to suppress. This was not the outcome she had envisioned. Instead of thwarting the engagement, her efforts had inadvertently strengthened it.

Determined not to show her disappointment, Julie forced a smile and tried to engage with the guests, but her mind was racing. What would she tell her friends? How would she maintain her reputation?

As guests began to mingle, offering congratulations, she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her thoughts were clouded with resentment and determination. She had to find a way to regain control, to maneuver through this unexpected twist with grace, and perhaps, to rethink her strategy regarding Claire and Antony's union.