Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Ethan said to ditch the kids and just have some us time.

He had this mysterious vibe going on. I had no clue what he was up to, but something about his sincerity made me want to trust him. He was so genuine, I couldn't say no. Even though I really didn't want to step into the Windsor Family's place, there was this weird pull. I was curious about how he planned to get justice for me. After changing clothes, I stared at myself in the mirror for what felt like forever.

I was successful, but man, I was carrying a lot of hate.

I wasn't sure if I could sit at the same table with my enemy, keep my cool, and wait for my husband to sort things out between me and his dad.

As I left the house, the sunny weather suddenly turned gloomy. Dark clouds were rolling in, like it could rain any second.

Ethan was rocking a brand-new white shirt today, but it was more laid-back than his usual style. He looked more chill and approachable.

First, he drove us to the supermarket and headed straight to the fresh produce section. That's when I realized he was planning to buy groceries. Watching him seriously pick out veggies, I was kinda confused.

Since being with Ethan, I've barely gone to the Windsor Family's place for meals. He always seemed to avoid it.

But this time, he was really into it. Not only did he buy groceries, but he also grabbed two bottles of wine.

After shopping, we got back in the car and headed to the Windsor Family's place.

The whole way there, I was a mess of emotions.

I wasn't sure what I was feeling. It was a mix of everything.

No doubt, I hated Victor. I wanted to rip him apart.

When I first got with Ethan, he did some digging on me, so he must've known my background. That's why he tried so hard to keep me away from Ethan.

It wasn't just because I was poor or not good enough for his son. The real reason was he knew he killed my dad, and having me around his son freaked him out.

He didn't think I married Ethan for money or to climb the social ladder. What he really feared was that I was out for revenge.

But for today's meal, since I promised Ethan I'd trust him and came along, I had to push all that hate down. I needed to give him the time and chance to handle it. Just as I was zoning out, leaning against the car window, the car came to a stop. Ethan's warm hand reached over and grabbed mine.

"Emily, promise me you'll stay calm today. Just trust me, okay?"

I glanced out the window; we were at the Windsor Family's place.

I looked back at him. Ethan's eyes were full of sincerity and a bit of hope.

I finally nodded, and he immediately smiled, leaning over to gently kiss my forehead.

"Thanks, babe!"

We got out of the car, and he carried the groceries while I followed behind.

After ringing the doorbell for a bit, Linda opened it.

She looked super surprised, like she had no idea we were coming.

And the moment I saw her face, all the hatred in my heart surged uncontrollably.

Ethan squeezed my hand just in time. Feeling the warmth of his palm and remembering what he said earlier, I tried to calm down.

Linda glanced at the groceries in Ethan's hand and stepped aside with a fake smile, "Come on in!"

We walked in, but Victor was nowhere to be seen.

Linda said, "Your dad's not feeling well; he's resting upstairs."

Just as she finished speaking, we heard coughing from the stairs, and then Victor appeared.

He walked down, still coughing, first looking at his son, then at me, clearly surprised by our visit.

Could it be that today's meal was all Ethan's idea?

"Dad!" Ethan called out.

"What brings you here today?"

Victor had come downstairs. He was wearing an old-fashioned short-sleeved white shirt tucked into his suit pants, with a slightly bulging waist and a wide belt. Ethan didn't directly answer but said, "I bought some groceries. Let's have a meal together later. I'll start cooking now."

With that, he headed to the kitchen with the groceries.

Victor looked at Ethan's back in astonishment, like he didn't recognize his own son. Maybe Ethan had never been this proactive before.

And what Ethan planned to do today, and why he was acting so unusually, I had no clue. I only knew he said he would seek justice for me.

Linda was also stunned, looking at us like we were aliens.

I ignored them, lowered my eyes, and followed Ethan into the kitchen.

Ethan took off his jacket, started unpacking the groceries, poured a fish into the sink, turned on the faucet, and with his hands wet, he reached out to me.

"Babe, help me roll up my sleeves."

I followed his sleeve cuffs and rolled up both sleeves. He was washing the fish while I just stood there, watching. After a bit, I grabbed the tomatoes from the plastic bag, tossed them in the basin, and started washing them. Honestly, the whole thing felt completely absurd.

I knew Victor and Linda were my father's murderers. Yet here I was, in their kitchen, cooking with their son, about to have dinner with them.

So many things were absurd. Waiting for Ethan to get me justice was absurd in itself.

Ethan was super quiet while cooking, like he was totally focused on the knife and the pot.

The pot was bubbling, and the fish soup slowly turned white. Steam rose up, wrapping around him like a thin mist.

We brought out all the dishes and filled the dining table.

Ethan washed his hands and set the tableware.

"Dad, dinner's ready!" he called out to Victor, who was sitting on the sofa.

The TV in the living room was off. Victor sat there, looking lost in thought. Hearing Ethan's call, he slowly got up and walked to the dining room.

He stared at the table full of dishes for a long time before sitting down.

Ethan took out two small wine glasses, opened a bottle of Lafite, and filled both glasses, placing one in front of Victor and keeping one for himself. Ethan didn't call Linda; she came over on her own.

They sat on one side of the table, and Ethan and I sat on the other.

It was clear both of them were surprised by Ethan's behavior today. Honestly, so was I.

But I might know a bit more than they do, so I was relatively calm.

After being here for a while, I had already calmed down by the time we started eating.

My silence was the best support I could give him.

"Dad, these are all your favorite dishes. I didn't know that at first; Mom told me. My cooking skills aren't as good as hers, so it definitely won't taste as good." Ethan mentioned his mother at the dining table in front of Linda without any hesitation. Linda looked really embarrassed, and Victor's expression was complicated. Victor served himself a bowl of creamy fish soup, took a sip, and when he put down the bowl, a rare gentle smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Not bad! When did you learn to cook? I had no idea."

Ethan didn't answer but raised his wine glass.

The father and son clinked glasses, and the conversation began.

"I heard from Grandpa that on the day I was born, you were so happy, holding me and kissing me over and over."

Hearing this, Victor seemed to drift back in time and said with a faint smile, "Who wouldn't be happy the first time they become a father?"

There were four of us at the table, but only the father and son were talking. Linda and I stayed silent.

"When I was a child, wherever we went, you always let me ride on your shoulders. I felt like the tallest person in the world, so happy. Back then, you were like a hero to me."

"And now? Have I become a jerk?" Victor actually joked.

Ethan didn't answer, just kept going, "Later, you spent less and less time with me. Every time I asked Mom, she said you were really busy. To me, Mom was beautiful and gentle. I didn't get why you stopped liking her." Talking about this made Linda even more uncomfortable. If she hadn't been the mistress, maybe Ethan would have had a complete family.

Especially after learning about her disgraceful actions from Benjamin's diary, I despised her even more.

Victor and Ethan kept talking, and most of the bottle of wine was gone.

Ethan's face turned red, and after drinking, Victor seemed to cough even more.

After downing another glass of wine, Ethan put down his glass, already looking a bit drunk.

"I don't get why you couldn't stick with one person your whole life. You didn't care about that family anymore. I didn't want Mom to be sad; I even thought about helping her win back your heart."

Victor finished coughing and sighed deeply. "Let's not talk about the past."

Linda seemed like she couldn't take it anymore and put down her utensils. "You all keep eating; I'm full."

With that, she turned and walked upstairs.

Ethan ignored her leaving and continued, "Later, I was really disappointed in you. Not only did you let Mom down, but also... Actually, I would rather have been born into a poor family. Poverty isn't scary; what's scary is a family that doesn't feel like one."

A bottle of treasured red wine was finished by the father and son. Victor, his face flushed, looked at his son.

He seemed to have enjoyed the meal. The initial confusion and surprise were gone, replaced by a faint smile and a relaxed expression, like he had come to terms with something, understood something.

Ethan was already a bit drunk but opened a second bottle.

Victor reached out to stop him, saying, "That's enough. Just say what you want to say."

Ethan ignored him, still poured himself a glass, drank it, and then walked over to Victor, kneeling straight down in front of him.