Fighting off My Stepmother's Slandering by Making Meatball

“Only then can you truly show your sincerity in making amends to Auntie!”

Hearing Finn’s self-righteous speech, I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.

The absurdity of the situation hit me, but at the same time, everything became crystal clear, that it was obvious Finn and Olivia had teamed up against me. Not only did they want to get rid of me, but they also had their eyes on my year-end bonus and my property!

Everything had finally made sense. It was now clear why Finn suddenly obsessed with me and pursued me relentlessly just after my stepmother had just married my father in just a few days.

Before, I found it strange. When did our Foster Family become so popular in the matchmaking market? Now, I understand everything!

When I realized this, I did not hesitate anymore. I leaned forward and spit directly at Finn's face.

"Pfft, she only lost her bastard child and now you think you can take my year-end bonus and property? Where do you get the audacity?”

Both Finn and Olivia were momentarily stunned, but soon their shock turned into fury.

Olivia started sobbing dramatically. “Finn, stop talking. Megan has never liked me as her stepmother. She’ll never listen!”

“Forget it. A stepmother is unwelcome no matter where she goes. Outsiders despise me and now even my own family wants to harm me. If I had known this would happen, I would have rather died!”

Seeing Olivia make a show of running towards a tree to bang her head, Finn immediately grabbed her and comforted her in a soft voice, “Auntie, don’t be sad. I already called Uncle Thomas. He’ll be here soon to set things right for you!”

"After all, Uncle Thomas is the head of the family. Everything he says is the law. Megan has to obey him."

The gathered neighbors nodded in agreement. They stopped what they were doing brought out their stools and sat in front of my house. They were waiting for my dad to arrive.

“I tell you, Thomas Foster needs to teach that girl a lesson. She’s gotten too bold, even daring to bully her elders. Didn't you hear what she said? She called Olivia's baby a bastard!”

“That’s just outrageous. Having such an evil daughter is truly a punishment!”

Hearing the neighbors’ words of condemnation, Olivia’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. She threw me a quick, triumphant glance, thinking she had me cornered.

However, she was in for a disappointment.

Meeting her gloating gaze, I merely curled my lips in a mocking smirk. I didn’t even bother responding.

She must have never expected that, at that moment, the person who wanted my dad to arrive the most wasn’t her, it was me.

It didn’t take long for him to arrive. My dad had only gone out to buy cigarettes and before long, he returned with a cigarette dangling from his lips.

Seeing the large crowd gathered outside our home, he hesitated for a moment, confused. However, before he could ask anything, Olivia rushed forward, pressing herself against him like a fragile flower in the wind.

Tears welled up in her eyes, her face full of sorrow. “Thomas, you have to stand up for me! Megan killed our child! “The doctor said ... it was a boy. He would’ve been a chubby little kid!”

My dad’s expression darkened instantly. He stiffened, his face stormy as he turned to me and roared, "Megan, get over here! What the hell is going on?”

Before I could respond, Finn stepped in front of me and blocked my way as he added fuel to the fire, "Uncle Thomas, it’s all Megan’s fault. You have to seek justice for Aunt Olivia!”

“That’s right, Thomas! You have to punish Megan severely and avenge our son!”

Olivia clung to my father's arm and wailed, "This morning, Megan insisted I go with her to the supermarket to grab some discount eggs. I told her I was pregnant and didn’t want to go, but she dragged me to go there anyway.”

“When we got there, the place was packed. Megan refused to go into the crowd herself, so she pushed me in instead.”

“There were so many people ... someone knocked me down and then the crowd just kept pushing and I ... I lost my baby.”

She broke down in sobs. “Wu wu! Thomas, our precious son! He never even got a chance to be born before Megan took his life!”

She kept on wailing. She was completely oblivious that my dad’s face was growing darker and darker.

By the end of it, his face was a mixture of red, black and green. A real festive touch for the New Year.

Yet, Olivia remained completely oblivious. She was too caught up in demanding compensation for her "miscarriage."

“Thomas, you've spoiled your daughter rotten! That’s why she disrespects her elders and deliberately harms her own brother! You should beat her … beat her hard!”

“Oh, and while you’re at it, tell her to hand over her year-end bonus and the house! What does a girl need so much money for anyway? If she’s obedient, she should have at least a few tens of thousand dollars she saved up!”

She was getting more and more excited, speaking faster and louder. However, after a while, she finally noticed something was wrong because the entire courtyard had gone silent. Even the neighbors, who had been munching on sunflower seeds like they were watching a drama, had stopped.

Slowly, she turned to look at my father, only to meet his dark, murderous glare.

Olivia instinctively shivered and hesitated before speaking again, "Thomas, why aren't you saying anything?"

My father clenched his teeth, his jaw tightening. “So, are you saying that early this morning, Megan dragged you out to fight for discount eggs and that’s how you lost the baby?”