Chapter 4: Silent Argument
That night after dinner, I got added to a WhatsApp group called Princess Kelly and Her Slaves. Eric was in there too. Nobody acted surprised to see me. Everyone was busy complimenting Kelly on her latest post on Instagram.
A Gucci limited-edition bag, the same one I’d asked Eric to help me get through his connections to find a sales agent, but he couldn’t do it.
I checked her profile, and it was set as public.
I saw her newest update right away. She was hugging the bag, smiling with dimples, and the caption said.
“Crossed thousands of miles just to celebrate my birthday early. This princess will reluctantly forgive you.”
Looking back, Kelly had just tagged my boyfriend, saying, “Thought you’d forgotten. A bag won’t buy my forgive- ness that casily.”
It was vague, but it was clear who it was for when Eric, who’d just told me he was “busy,” replied in seconds. “You really are a handful, my little deity.”
Perhaps noticing I was there, he sent another message that sounded like an excuse. “She’s been spoiled by the neigh- borhood guys since she was a kid. Just take it as entertainment.”
I didn’t say anything back.
After that, whenever Kelly tagged him, Eric would only respond with short messages.
Then one day, she suddenly tagged me, asking if I needed help. Not just other people, but even I was curious.
I replied to her. “What kind of help?”
“To get rid of the birthmark on your face. Didn’t Eric tell you I study medical aesthetics? Honestly, Maddie, you must have been made fun of a lot for having that birthmark all these years, right? It’s really… not easy on the eyes at first glance.
“Just because Eric praises you, don’t actually think this birthmark is a treasure and start dreaming of being a famous international supermodel?”
Her over-the-top comments got the attention of people in the group who didn’t know the story.
The next second, an unflattering picture of me was posted.
“There you go, tell me if I’m making sense.”
Someone sent a rude “Holy shit, so ugly” and quickly recalled the message.
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My fingers were shaking with anger as I held the phone, and to make things worse, Eric chimed in after her.
“This birthmark really isn’t aesthetically pleasing. If you want to succeed in this industry, you don’t have to take such a radical approach…”
Hearing him side with everyone else, I remembered the first time we met, when he said my birthmark was unique. The irony was too much.
I quickly typed and sent two messages.
“What, now you’re criticizing something I was born with?”
“Pretending to be kind while digging at me. Do you really think you’re a princess? And the rest of you, naming this group something so ridiculous is hilarious. Do you all enjoy groveling for a princess? Does your girlfriend know
about this?”
Before I could calm down, I looked up to see that I’d been kicked out of the group.
Just then, Eric sent a video call. When I answered, his face was gloomy. “Maddie Kecith, do you know what you just
said?”
I laughed out of anger. “I only know that you and your childhood sweetheart, along with her army of admirers, were just making fun of me.”
“They’re all our people. It was just a joke. Kelly has been studying abroad-she doesn’t beat around the bush like we do. She gave you advice out of kindness, but you… You’ve really disappointed me.” His tone got colder. “I’ll give you her number. Call her and apologize.”
This was the first time he’d ever talked to me like he was bossing me around.
“You’re older than her. How can you be so careless with what you say?”
I was so mad that I hung up the phone right away.
The silence lasted a month. I was planning to give in again and try to make up with him.
But what I didn’t expect was to see him make fun of the birthmark on my face in public, just to calm her down.
