"You have known me for so long; you know my temper.If you give it back to me now, I can pretend that
nothing has happened."
Martin looked at her condescendingly.
"You are still the same as before.Do you really think everyone else has to be at your bidding? I’m telling
you; I’m not the Joyce it used to be, and what you want is not with me."
Joyce did not want to talk to him anymore, and she stood up and prepared to leave.
Suddenly her arm was clutched, and she looked back.
Martin was staring at her with red eyes.
"Where did you hide it?"
"You are hurting me."
"Where did you hide it?".
"Let me go.Waiter," Joyce shouted.
"Sir, please let your hand off this lady."
The waiter rushed over to stop Martin.
There was nothing Martin could do but watch Joyce leave.He did not get back the thing, but it was
certain that she had stolen it.
Martin knocked back a glass of red wine, then made a phone call before storming out of Blue Whale
Restaurant.
Nicole , Spencer, and Samuel came home together, and the three of them were laughing and talking as
they walked toward the living room.
The next thing they knew, Norah was sitting on the couch.
Nicole glanced at her coldly and went straight upstairs.
Norah stood up and greeted Spencer and Samuel enthusiastically , but they gave her a disdainful look
and went upstairs as well.
Norah snorted in anger.
"Damn you, Nicole.You must not have bad-mouthed me in front of my brothers while I was away."
She blamed Nicole for Spencer and Samuel’s indifference.
At dinner, the family sat together.
Daniel was sitting at one end of the table, Norah next to Gloria on the right – hand side, and Nicole and
her brothers on the opposite side, all without saying a word.
A dreary atmosphere hung over the dining room, and Gloria could not stand it and broke the silence.
"Norah is moving back in for a while as of today." She left her words hung for a while to gauge the
expressions of the three of them across the table.
As if by prior agreement, the three of them did not look at Gloria but ate their meals.
"Spencer, Samuel, you guys put the cutlery.
Nicole too."
Only then did the three of them put down their cutlery and look at Gloria.
Gloria smiled and looked over at Spencer and Samuel."Norah hasn’t been back for a while.Won’t you
two say hello to your sister?"
Samuel had a frosty face.
"I only have one sister, and that is Nicole."
With that, he left the table without finishing the meal.
Gloria looked at Samuel with displeasure.
"Alas."
Seeing Samuel walk away, she turned to Spencer.Before she could say anything, Spencer spoke.
"Mom, Dad, I’m done eating.I have homework to do, so I’m going upstairs first."
"These two kids…"
Gloria gave Daniel a disappointed look.
"Norah, don’t mind it."
Gloria then smiled and comforted Norah.
"I’m fine, Mom.Samuel and Spencer have mock exams coming up, and they are mentally stressed.I
know."
Norah found herself a way out of the awkwardness.
"Norah is as understanding as ever."
Gloria stroked her hair.She was still disappointed that she had not repaired their relationship.
"Mom, Dad, I’m done eating too."
Nicole had finished her meal.She would not be dumb enough to let herself go hungry because of
Norah.
Nicole brought some snacks to Samuel’s room.
"Here you go." She threw them directly at him.
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