My words came sharper now, cutting through his weak defense.
"And even if she were three, even toddlers know better than to play with fire! Don’t tell me she was joking; she lit that balloon on purpose!"
Charles pinched the bridge of his nose, his frustration evident. His voice carried the weight of impatience as he replied, "Isabella, can you stop making such a big deal over something so trivial?"
"Besides, if you hadn’t insisted on decorating with balloons, Dorothea wouldn’t have had anything to light in the first place. Honestly, I didn’t even want to celebrate this anniversary. Seven years together, do we really need all this ceremony?"
I froze, his words slicing through me like a cold wind. My heart ached, the pain sharp and suffocating.
"Little things?" I repeated, my voice trembling with disbelief.
"Do you have any idea how close those flames came to my face? How close they were to my eyes?"
My voice rose with each word, my chest tightening with the weight of betrayal.
"I could’ve been disfigured. Blinded. Do you understand that? And you call this a ‘little thing’?"
"Charles, I’m your girlfriend. Seven years, and this is what I mean to you? Is my safety so meaningless to you?"
This time, Charles said nothing. His silence spoke louder than any excuse he could muster.
But his expression darkened, irritation flickering in his eyes. The tension between us thickened, but before I could speak, Dorothea suddenly burst into loud, theatrical sobs, her cries echoing across the restaurant.
Rubbing her eyes dramatically, she wailed like a child seeking sympathy.
"Sis-in-law, I know I was wrong! Please don’t argue with my brother anymore! I promise I’ll never eat cake again!"
Heads turned, and whispers rippled through the room like wildfire. The sight of the ruined cake on the floor seemed to spark judgment in every glance cast my way.
"What kind of sister-in-law makes such a fuss over a cake?" one woman muttered, her disapproval unmistakable.
"Exactly," someone else chimed in. "Poor girl probably didn’t mean it. So petty to cause such a scene!"
Another voice cut through, sharper than the rest. "Women like that shouldn’t be married. She’ll only bring trouble to her household!"
Each comment felt like a slap, their words sinking into my chest like stones. The weight of their stares made the air thick, almost suffocating.