Chapter 36: Worthy of this family’s name
"Frida, why aren’t you ready yet?" Marcella’s voice carried from the hallway as she walked in, arms crossed. "You should act as diligent as possible. This is your chance to finally shine in your father’s eyes."
"Mom, I’m not interested in proving anything to Dad," Frida muttered, scrolling through her phone. "I started my own fashion business, but he still doesn’t see it as an achievement." She paused, then added, "Besides, I have to go see Asher."
Marcella frowned. "Why would you go see him? Don’t forget, he’s Sara’s ex."
Before Frida could respond, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Your daughter slept with Asher behind Sara’s back! Such shameless people, both of you!" Katherine spat, standing in the living room with fury blazing in her eyes. "First you lied to my son, claiming you were pregnant with his child, and now your daughter repeats your disgrace!"
Marcella’s face darkened. "How dare you say such filthy things about me and my daughter?" she snapped.
"Because you two destroyed this house!" Katherine’s hand trembled as she pointed her stick toward them. "And your son, he’s no better. Go on, Frida, tell your mother how you and Asher betrayed my granddaughter."
"Don’t accuse my daughter like that!" Marcella shot back. "Just because you’re Adam’s mother doesn’t give you the right to run your mouth when he’s not here to stop you!"
"Mom," Frida interrupted softly, her tone deceptively calm, "Asher and I have known each other for a long time."
Marcella blinked. "What?" she whispered, her heart sinking. The realization hit her that her daughter wasn’t denying it.
Frida smirked. "And for your information, Grandma, Sara cheated first. She went off and married Luca without even breaking up with Asher. So what does that make her? A shameless bitch? Or maybe... a whore?"
Katherine froze, her face draining of color before twisting in disbelief. "So this is your true face," she hissed. "You always acted so sweet and innocent in front of me and Sara, but you’re nothing but a snake."
Raising her cane, Katherine struck Frida’s arm with a sharp crack.
"Ahh!" Frida yelped, clutching her arm.
"Mother, what the hell is wrong with you!?" Marcella shouted, stepping forward to grab the cane before Katherine could swing it again.
Katherine glared, struggling against her grip. "Sara helped you build your business! She treated you like family, and this is what you thought of her all along!?"
The servants rushed forward when Katherine commanded, "No one shall step in."
Some of the servants rushed forward, but stopped midway.
"No one shall step in!" Katherine commanded that made everyone freeze.
Yanking her cane free from Marcella’s grip, she shoved her daughter-in-law backward.
"Mother!" Adam’s voice boomed through the room just as Katherine raised the cane again.
Marcella instantly ran to his side, clutching his arm, her eyes glistening with fake crocodile tears. "Honey, she started hitting Frida!" she cried. "Can you imagine? She’s accusing our daughter of Sara’s own sins!"
Frida lowered her gaze, shoulders trembling as tears streamed down her cheeks. "So what if I slept with Asher?" she said between sobs. "Sara did the same thing! She was seeing Luca long before she started dating Asher. She fooled everyone, even you, Dad. I thought she was my role model, but I was wrong. She never loved Asher the way I did."
"Enough!" Adam’s voice thundered across the room, silencing her instantly. His jaw tightened, anger and disbelief clouding his expression. "What is this nonsense?"
Marcella seized the moment, her voice trembling just enough to sound sincere. "Your mother accused our daughter of betrayal," she said, twisting around his confusion. "But it’s Sara who deceived everyone. You lost your company because of her, yet Mother insists on blaming us!"
Katherine’s hand shook as she pointed her cane at Marcella. "You ungrateful woman," she hissed. "You’re poisoning him against his own blood! Instead of teaching your daughter the right, you’re bringing Sara in the middle."
"Enough, Mother!" Adam’s voice thundered through the hall again. "I told you not to mention Sara in this house. She’s no longer a Falcone. So stop bringing her up and stop fighting with my wife and daughter." His tone left no room for argument.
Then, turning to Marcella, he added coldly, "And you, show some respect to your elders. Teach Frida to do the same." Without another glance, he strode down the hallway and disappeared into his room.
Katherine’s lips trembled with fury. "He’s blind because of you," she spat under her breath before turning and walking away, her cane striking the marble floor.
"Leave," Marcella ordered the servants sharply. They bowed and hurried out of the living room.
As soon as the last one left, Marcella walked to Frida and slapped her hard.
Frida’s head snapped to the side. Shock and anger flared in her eyes as she met her mother’s gaze.
"You dared to sleep with Asher, knowing he was your sister’s boyfriend!" Marcella hissed.
"Mom, but she—"
"Don’t you dare speak," Marcella cut her off, her voice trembling with fury. "You will end this nonsense with him. His family isn’t even close to our league. You were not raised to chase after scraps, and certainly not men your sister has already touched."
Frida clenched her jaw, her pride pricking under the insult.
Marcella’s tone softened just slightly as she reached out, brushing away the tears on her daughter’s cheek. "Now, fix yourself. Go to work. You say you don’t want to prove anything to your father, but I do. I want him to see that my daughter is the only one worthy of this family’s name."
Frida nodded slowly, though her eyes burned with anger and humiliation.
As she ran upstairs to her room, she heard her phone buzzed. Stopping right inside her room, she checked the message and furrowed her brows together.
[Let’s breakup. Don’t contact me ever again!]
It was Asher’s message that flashed on the screen.
"What? Why is he breaking up with me?" she muttered and dialed his number but it turned out to be switched off.