I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra) novel Chapter 16

Chapter 16 

I smiled bitterly. Lisa, the housekeeper, was the only one who noticed I was barefoot, the only one who cared if I was hurt. 

My father, meanwhile, was busy serving food to others. 

It was only after Lisa mentioned it that they finally seemed to notice something was wrong. 

Antonia’s eyes widened, and a smug, gloating smile spread across her face. 

“Oh, Zephyra, what happened to you? Not only are you not wearing any jewelry, but you don’t even have shoes on?” 

“You look like a pathetic, stray dog.” 

“Did you have a fight with Stev? Let me give you some advice. Marrying into the Lancaster family is a blessing. You need to learn to hold your tongue and not throw your little tantrums.” 

In my past life, I endured her taunts to maintain the illusion of a happy family. This time, I had no intention of coddling her. 

I walked over to the table, sat down calmly, and said in a cool voice, “Steven is my husband. 

Calling him ‘Stev‘ so intimately… you have no sense of propriety. Are you trying to take my place?” 

Antonia’s face instantly paled. Her eyes reddened, and she turned to my father, her voice trembling pitifully. 

“Mr. Jones, how could she say that to me? I was only trying to help her! If people heard her say such terrible things, how could I ever show my face in public again?” 

Martin’s expression darkened. Janice Lopez–my so–called Aunt Janice–stood up, feigning the role of a peacemaker. 

“Antonia, even if she made Mr. Lancaster angry and got kicked out, you shouldn’t talk to her like that. You’re sisters. You should support each other. Now, apologize to Zephyra!” 

As she spoke, she kept darting glances at my father. It was clear she was just trying to stir up trouble, not actually mediate. 

I watched her performance with a cold, mocking smile. 

And Aunt Janice was no saint; she was a greedy mistress who had successfully usurped my mother’s place. 

His gaze grew even colder. “Did you really have a fight with Mr. Lancaster?” 

“No,” I replied nonchalantly, picking up a piece of fish. 

Martin seemed to let out a breath of relief, the flesh on his face trembling slightly. 

“They’re right. Given our family’s standing, marrying into the Lancaster family is a gift from heaven. You need to appreciate it.” 

“How do you think our family got to where it is today? It’s all thanks to Mr. Lancaster’s support, isn’t it?” 

“You need to drop that spoiled attitude of yours and win over Mr. Lancaster’s heart. Keep him happy, and there’s nothing you can’t have.” 

“As it happens, our company has a new project, but we’re a bit short on funds at the moment. You need to make sure Mr. Lancaster is in a good mood, and then convince him to advance us the money. Do you understand?”