As the eldest son of the Jenkins family was rather successful, guests who cto the banquet showed Marilyn due respect. They either gave her gifts or said their blessings.
Sometduring the banquet, Olivia found her mother standing next to her.
They glanced and each other but did not say anything.
However, they heard a faint conversation behind them.
"Look at Marilyn. I heard her family was in a poor situation in the past, but she tried her best to give birth to three sons. Now that her sons have pulled through, she's starting to put on airs. Back when her children were still young, everyone knew she was gloomy and moody all day long. She was a shabby plain- old housewife; that was why her husband dumped her." Hearing that, someone snickered.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"She sure is miserable. Did she really think her husband would listen to her if she gave it her all to bear three sons? Who would've thought her husband ran away because she lived too miserably." "Yeah. Though I have never seen what she looked like in the past, look at her now, a face full of wrinkles." Olivia could not help but frown as she listened to the conversation.
Although she didn't like her grandmother, that was her issue. Regardless, she was still her grandmother and her father's mother.
Despite disliking her grandmother, Olivia would not openly talk about it.
Naturally, Olivia could not stand it when she heard people openly slander her grandmother. Both Brenda and her subconsciously glanced at each other and saw the displeasure in each other's eyes.
It seemed that her mother felt the sas she did.
They looked at each other then turned toward the guests who were gossiping about Marilyn with a smile.
"Today is my grandmother's birthday banquet, but the hotel did a poor job at keeping things clean around here. There are so many flies buzzing around that it's givinga headache." Brenda immediately understood Olivia's words and joined her. She acted tically and pretended to sniff around. Then she sighed loudly, "Take a whiff. What is this smell?" The two guests who were gossiping were baffled by the mother and daughter's actions at first, then they heard Brenda say, "Such a sour stench. The hygiene of this hotel is so poor. Not only are there lots of flies, but this stench is just unbearable." Olivia nodded with a serious expression. "I also smell it. It stinks. Ugh, why don't we complain about this after the banquet ends? We can't just let the hotel workers laze around." "You're right. Our family has paid an enormous amount for the banquet today. These flies are just spoiling my appetite." One of them was a little dense. Hearing the conversation between Brenda and Olivia, she immediately looked around. With confusion written over her face as she said, "I don't see any flies here. I don't smell anything sour, either. Where did you both..." Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by her companion, "Idiot!" That person blinked, not seeming to catch what was going on.
"Idiot! Don't make a fool of yourself. They are insinuating.
We're the ones they are talking about!" "Us?!" Yes!" The woman harrumphed angrily then looked in Olivia's direction. "Olivia, what gives you the right to insult us? Doesn't Marilyn mistreat you and look down on you? She's also old fashioned; she prefers boys over girls. You are your dad's only child, and compared to your grandmother, you're an eyesore to her. I've merely said a few words about your grandmother. Is it necessary for you to stand up for her?" Hearing this, Olivia sneered disdainfully. She took two steps forward and spoke lightly.
"Are you hearing yourself, Madam? You're openly criticizing and slandering the Jenkins family in front of me. Am I not a member of t the Jenkins family? Should I be thanking you for doing so? I'm aware of how my grandma treats me, and it's also my business. What does it have to do with an outsider like you?" Brenda cover and patted Olivia's shoulder. She said softly, "Ollie, how can you speak so rudely to a guest? Where are your manners? Although she's an outsider, she would gossip only because she has nothing better to do. Be tolerant and not make a fuss about this." Brenda's words may have sounded generous, but in actuality, she refuted harshly.
The guest was made speechless after getting cornered by Olivia and her mother.
"Y-You two are so ungrateful. I was standing up for you!"
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmOlivia twitched her lips and said, "Are you trying to stand up for us or seeking solace for your jealousy? Everybody has nasty thoughts, but you should hide them instead of showing them out all the time. All of you may know, I'm not tempered. Whoever speaks indiscreetly in an event like this, I might do something that even I don't expect." Brenda reminded, "Ollie, you need to calm down. You are a girl." The crowd around them fell silent.
"Karl's wife sure is impressive, and their daughter is fierce as well. He probably is miserable in his daily life." Everyone thought.
At this time, Karl, Brenda's husband, and Olivia's father broke through the crowd and walked toward them.
Karl looked for them for quite a while. After he spotted Brenda and Olivia, his face immediately broke into a smile. Soon, he was in front of his wife and daughter.
"Brenda, Ollie, why are you both still here? It's tfor us to greet Mom." Olivia's father was Karl Jenkins.
Although Karl was not as attractive as Brenda, he was still considered e good-looking. He tidied himself up' and was clean-shaven. His face didn't look greasy or rough like most middle-aged men; he even had a middle-aged man's charm. He was gentle, and he looked a little foolish in front of his wife. Not only that, he paid a lot of attention to Brenda and Olivia.
People thought that Karl would be lowly within his household. But to everyone's surprise, Olivia wrapped her hands in her father's arms and said in a soft voice, "Dad, there are too many people there just now, so we decided to talk to a few guests first." Olivia hugged Karl's left arm, and naturally, Brenda wrapped her hands in his right arm.
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