Caught in indecision, I stared at my phone for what seemed like an eternity until it eventually stopped ringing. I was worried that Eleanor would be hellbent on her agenda and continue harassing me with calls. After my phone remained silent for five minutes or so, I heaved a sigh of relief. Frustrated, I tossed my phone under my pillow and flung the blanket over my head. Time for a nap. In any case, I'm not touching their drama with a ten-foot pole. I was about to drift off into sleep when my mother came knocking on my door. Suddenly, I remembered she had told me yesterday about our relatives dropping by for a visit, including Aunt Vivienne and Aunt Gianna. This visit was also their way of checking in on Grandpa. I could not help but groan at Mom's enthusiasm. It's freaking early; why couldn't she just let me sleep for a bit longer? After I dragged myself out of bed and washed up, Mom strong-armed Louis and me into accompanying her to the farmer's market. Aunt Vivienne and the others had arrived by the time we came home from grocery shopping. Our modest living room had never looked as crowded as today. Louis and I smiled and waved at everyone before carrying our purchases to the kitchen. I was then dragged to the living room while Louis happily trotted off to his room with two younger cousins in tow. Aunt Gianna spoke up before I had even settled on the couch. “Lili, where is your boyfriend? Didn't he come back with you for the holidays? My dear, did you two get into a fight?” Ah, dear Aunt Gianna. She never fails to live up to her name as a gossipmonger. “He's been working overtime lately, and he just went abroad for business,” I explained.I thought that would be sufficient to satisfy Aunt Gianna's curiosity. Instead, she said, “Are you sure he's busy? Lili, I'm not trying to jinx your relationship, but it always pays off to have a tighter hold on your man. Who knows what he might be up to behind your back. Don't worry too much if things don't work out with this boyfriend. I have plenty of men to introduce you to. Even though you're a divorcee, you've still got the chops to be picky about your partner.” Aunt Gianna's “advice” bewildered me. What's up with calling me a divorcee and saying I can afford to be picky? Is she trying to insult me or praise me? I smiled awkwardly in favor of replying. Thankfully, Dad chimed in with his two cents on the matter, sounding annoyed, “Dom is a decent man. They're not kids anymore; I'm sure they know what they're doing.” I pursed my lips surreptitiously. Dad must adore Dominic, or he wouldn't hit back at Aunt Gianna like this. He'd probably be eager to send me off once he finds out about Dominic's proposal.I indulged myself briefly in a moment of jealousy. Pfft! He loves his son-in-law more than his daughter. Aunt Gianna seemed unhappy at my father's words, though she dropped the topic. Grandpa happened to come out of his room just then. Naturally, the topic of conversation shifted to other matters. I zoned out of the conversation, especially since Rachelle had not returned for the holidays. Instead of sitting around quietly, I took off for the kitchen to help my mother. Though Mom was in the kitchen the whole time, she had heard every word of Aunt Gianna's ambiguous advice. When she saw me, she immediately pulled me closer and told me not to take Aunt Gianna's rambling to heart. Why would I feel offended when I was well aware of Aunt Gianna's personality? Mom, however, seemed to be more affected by her words than I expected. After some idle chitchat, Mom shifted the conversation topic back to marriage.I did not know what to say and merely mumbled something about wanting to spend more time getting to know Dominic. There was no rush in us getting married. Intention apparently mattered more than timing to my mother, who instead asked if Dominic had mentioned bringing me to meet his parents. Sighing internally, I smiled and told Mom not to worry. If things worked out, I would meet his parents sooner or later. I then rather conceitedly sang my praises in a bid to comfort my mother. What else can I say? That his mother hates me and has slapped me every time we met? No amount of adoration my parents had for Dominic would justify Milena's actions in their eyes. They might even turn on Dominic to avenge me. Mom and I had moved on to happier topics when Dominic called. He called me daily even though he was abroad. At least he has some sense.Dominic asked to talk to my mother when he found out that I was helping her in the kitchen. Though I called him a bootlicker for trying to get on my mother's good side, I was secretly pleased that he bothered to entertain her. Was it not a sign of affection that he cared about my parent's feelings? To no one's surprise, Mom returned to her cheery self after talking to Dominic for a couple of minutes. She had always been a sucker for him, after all. I talked to Dominic for a while longer. He asked me to send his wishes to Dad before hanging up. Thankfully, lunch was a pleasant affair. We split up after lunch. Dad, Uncle Liam, and Uncle Frank stayed home to keep Grandpa company while I went shopping with Mom, my two aunts, and some younger cousins. I practically pranced during our shopping trip, brimming with ideas of new clothes I planned to buy for my parents.My mood had also improved thanks to Eleanor's continued silence. Alas, fate decided to throw a wrench in my plans to enjoy the day out with my family. Things went downhill when a stranger stopped me in front of Starbucks. I initially thought that I had become a target of daylight robbery, though the stranger's attire and demeanor seemed somewhat inconsistent with the typical robber. I admit it was rather rude of me to think of him that way, but I believed it was better to err on the side of caution. He introduced himself as Mrs. Hartnell's assistant, Miles Queller, and mentioned that he was here to fetch me. My brain seemed to freeze up as it struggled to process his words. An eternity later, I asked, “Which Mrs. Hartnell are you referring to?” “Erm, Dominic Hartnell's mother?” Miles' serious demeanor made me wish I could turn and flee.Why couldn't I be born with the power of invisibility or something? Then she wouldn't be able to find me. And why does she want to talk to me? I had no desire to meet Milena, especially since Dominic was abroad. Who's going to save me if she becomes violent again? “Mr. Queller, was it? I'm a bit busy at the moment, so I'll give your invitation a pass. Please send Mrs. Hartnell my deepest apologies, and I promise to visit her soon.” I wondered whether this was a sign that I had inadvertently offended the heavens. First Ms. Porter, now Mrs. Hartnell? Why are these women suddenly so interested in meeting me? Miles impressively maintained his courteous and friendly demeanor even as his subsequent words were a thinly-veiled warning. “Ms. Zanetti, Mrs. Hartnell would like me to escort you back post-haste. She is waiting for you.” I almost dropped to my knees to beg for mercy. Is there truly no way to escape this?