Born with Divine Power

Conflict

Oliver then continued to calmly pick up a piece of creamy garlic prawn using his fork and gave it to me. "Eat. We have to catch a flight later."

When he saw that I was still looking at Charlotte, who had fallen on her knees, with a worried expression, he went on and patiently explained to me, "Mom did something wrong, so she deserves to be punished.

"It's fine. She is already used to it. Besides, she will continue to make mistakes if Dad doesn't discipline her. Don't worry. The family doctor will be here soon."

His tone when he spoke these words was so calm that it sounded as if the one being beaten in front of him wasn't his mother but a mere pet dog or cat.

It also clued me onto the fact that it was very much expected for Alexander to beat Charlotte up just because of a tiny slice of ginger.

My parents often taught me to treat the elderly with respect and be dutiful to them and my husband. After all, only a gentle, submissive, and well-behaved woman could keep hold of her husband's love.

Logically speaking, I should listen to Oliver's advice. Still, I couldn't bear to stay out of things when I saw Alexander already grabbing his bowl and smashing it at Charlotte.

At this point, even if the bowl of soup didn't kill her, she'd be badly hurt..

My body reacted faster than my brain as I stepped forward to block Alexander's powerful blow. The hot soup sprinkled over my arm, which instantly reddened the skin.

As I endured the pain, I said softly, "Father, are you allergic to ginger? It's rather tough on Mother for having to wake up early and make breakfast today. So, maybe she didn't mean it."

My original intention was solely to fix the dreadful atmosphere in the family. Unexpectedly, the atmosphere at the dining table became even more tense because of my actions.

Perhaps Alexander never thought that anyone would come forth to stop him, so he was momentarily stunned. Then, he looked at me intently for a while before shooting a cryptic glance at Oliver.

A trace of irritation suggesting he was annoyed with me flashed across Oliver's face, but he quickly concealed it.

Then, he gently pulled me over. "Darling, I already told you that it's fine. Dad has been disciplining Mom like this for so many years. This is between them, so we shouldn't meddle in it.

"Besides, we are newlyweds, and you have just joined our family today. So, you must understand this and know your place."

I mused upon hearing his words. 'Must they resolve it this way whenever they're in conflict?'

My family of origin also firmly held onto the belief that men's work centered around the outside, while women's work centered around the home.

Still, my father was an overpowering head of our family, and he had never beaten my mother.

Likewise, they didn't teach me what to do if I witnessed a husband beating up his wife.

Judging from Oliver's words and attitude, he seemed to agree with such a solution.

Regardless, I kept feeling like something was wrong.

Meanwhile, Alexander remained silent. Perhaps it was mainly because he agreed with Oliver's statement. Or he was somewhat dissatisfied with my intervention.

Just when I still wanted to argue, Charlotte, who had been quiet and trembling, interjected before I could say anything, "Shut up! Just eat your breakfast!"

The redness and swelling on her cheek were still visible. Yet, instead of expressing her gratitude toward me for stopping her from getting beaten, she looked at me with a hint of resentment in her eyes.

It was as if me pleading mercy for her and helping her brought her great shame.

I genuinely didn't expect that my aid would become a burden to her.

"Melinda, maybe you're clueless about this, but all the rules in this household are up to me to decide. Whoever is the strongest has the right of speech! I initially thought you were a sweet and polite young lady.

"I'm surprised you would argue against me on your first day marrying into our family. Is this how your parents taught you?"

Each word from Alexander indicated his dissatisfaction with me. However, I couldn't help but focus on his initial sentence, "Whoever is the strongest has the right of speech."

It flashed back and forth in my mind so much that I couldn't help but ask again, "Father, are you implying that whoever is the most powerful in this family is the one who calls the shots?"

Alexander and Oliver exchanged a smile upon hearing my query. "Of course. The family motto of the Kingsleys is to subdue others with force! Men are the symbol of strength!"