Chapter 3 Mrs. Foster, I-I… Why Would You Slap Me?

For a moment, the room went still.

Amber’s cheek pressed against the cold tiles, her pulse pounding in her ears.

Trembling, she struggled to sit up, her eyes darting toward Aaron looking for even a flicker of remorse in his eyes.

However, the man wasn’t even looking at her and merely patted the space he pushed her out from with a big smile.

“Sit here, Sabrina.”

A knot formed around in Amber’s stomach and she watched in disbelief as he pulled out a chair for her.

This had never happened before. Sure, he was cold and wouldn’t even share the same bed with her, but he never had any problem with her sitting beisde him on days they had dinner together.

Once Sabrina was seated, the sweet smile on his face vanished and he then shifted his annoyed gaze to Amber.

“This is her first time here. Don’t you think it’s selfish to try to sit beside me?”

Already chewing a steak, Julia clicked her tongue. “Three years, and you’re still so thoughtless. I’ll never understand what Mother-in-law saw in you.”

Amber clenched her fists as she stood, forcing the pain in her hips down.

“I… I wasn’t thinking.”

As she made her way to sit opposite them, her eyes remained pinned on Aaron.

Aaron Foster.

Three years ago, he treated her the same way. But Old Lady Karla said he was just a cold child who would eventually warm up to her.

Though he hadn’t warmed up quickly, he had never minded her sitting beside him to eat.

So this was truly just for tonight. It had to be. Nothing more.

As the meal went on, everyone piled food onto Sabrina’s plate, fawning over her every word.

Tired of repeatedly thanking them, Sabrina turned to the man beside her and voiced out, “Aaron, I spoke with the representative from Smile Entertainment, and he said the partnership application should reach their management’s desk in a few days.”

Hearing her, Greta almost choked on her food.

As someone who was something of an actress herself, she was surprised to hear such a big name company being mentioned so casually and leaned toward the table curiously.

“Smile Entertainment? Isn’t that the company you’re signed to? The one that pays its stars the most and produces the most stars in the industry?”

Sabrina hummed. “The one and only Smile Entertainment owned by multi-billionaire Ezekiel Kent.”

“Sabrina is helping me reach the higher-ups. If all goes well, I should receive a major investment in a few weeks.” Aaron added, smiling broadly.

“Why haven’t you said anything about that? I would’ve been praying for you twice as hard!” Julia didn’t know much, but hearing how excited both her children were about it, she immediately knew it was a big deal.

Greta laughed. “Mom, Sabrina is an A-list actor and the most important person managed by her agent. If she suggests cooperating with Aaron, the company will surely see reason!”

Moving her food around in her plate, Julia sighed regrettably.

“Sigh. You’re not even family, yet you’ve already been so helpful to my son. If only he wasn’t married…”

Sabrina blinked, surprised at how the family continued eating like she hadn’t just thrown a jab at Amber.

Aaron had only told her after they met a few times in private that he was married, so she often wondered what kind of person his wife was not to show her face to the media for three years.

But meeting her now… she now realized Aaron why. No wonder he hid her away from the world to avoid being embarrassed.

Across from her, Amber didn’t react.

In truth, Amber was deep in thought.

She didn’t know much about Smile Entertainment, but she knew one employee wouldn’t have the kind of power Sabrina claimed to hold.

But seeing the bright beam on Aaron’s face which was brighter than anything she’d seen from him recently, she didn’t want to dash his hopes.

Thus, she stayed quiet and listened to their conversation until dinner ended. Then, as always, she got up to do the dishes.

As she worked quietly, their joyous laughter from the living room was carried in by the wind.

After a while, the sound dwindled then she heard someone step inside the kitchen.

Glancing behind her shoulders, she saw Sabrina leaning against the door and slowly shook her head.

“You don’t have to do the dishes with me.”

The woman immediately huffed.

“I’m Sabrina Leahy. My millions of fans would turn in their graves fifty years after they die if they heard I was doing dishes.”

Amber didn’t think much of it and simply shrugged. “Oh, okay.”

Behind her, the woman’s eyes clouded over.

As an A-list actress, Sabrina was used to adoration.

Most people she met, especially housewives, were always eager to get her autograph.

In fact, she had never met a housewife who didn’t want it. She was an idol in their hearts.

So she found it infuriating that Amber wasn’t throwing herself at her feet like everyone else in the house.

Pressing her lips tightly together, she closed the door behind her and stepped into the room fully.

“You haven’t watched Kindled Hearts, have you?”

Amber didn’t stop washing as she nodded. “I don’t have time for such.”

“Aaron tells me you’re a full-time housewife, but you have no job or kid. So what exactly are you so busy doing that you don’t have time to watch TV?”

Amber finished rinsing, set the plates to dry, then turned toward Sabrina.

“It’s not that I have no time to watch TV. I just didn’t watch Kindled Hearts.”

“Are you saying you don’t watch things like it?”

“No, just Kindled Hearts. Most of the actors didn’t do a good job. I understand it was their debut and most were still young, but it still wasn’t good.”

Sabrina’s jaw ticked.

As a matter of fact, there were people online who thought the same. Whenever she made a post on her socials, trolls would comment on how terrible her acting was and still is.

Then they’d proceed to tell her she was better off in a farm land somewhere instead of ruining television for her.

Though she acted like the comments didn’t bother her, they were her biggest insecurity because truly, her acting in Kindled Hearts weren’t as good as the other kid actors in the show. She just had a better agent.

Amber didn’t know what was running through Sabrina’s mind. All she could think about was returning to the dining room, where her husband’s laughter still rang.

Aaron had looked so offended earlier. She had to make sure he had forgiven her for interrupting.

In her haste, she failed to notice the woman grab her wrist.

Confused, she turned. “Huh? Ms. Leahy, what are you…”

The last word died in her throat when Sabrina suddenly raised her palm and smacked herself hard across the face.

Instantly, a red handprint appeared.

“I don’t understand. Why would you slap yourself?” Amber was dumbfounded.

But to her surprise, Sabrina smiled wistfully, then rushed to open the door.

Amber watched in confusion as Sabrina flung the door open, her voice breaking with false pain.

“Mrs. Foster, I-I didn’t do anything! Why would you slap me?”

The cry rang echoed down the hallway like a siren.

And the next second, the sounds of several footsteps followed.