My Boyfriend’s Family Turned My Birthday Dinner Into a Trap

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On my thirtieth birthday, my boyfriend's mother invited me over for dinner, to talk about the wedding while we were at it.

But the moment I sat down, she put me in my place.

"You turn thirty today, and you know as well as I do that a woman's worth nose-dives once she passes thirty."

"If you want to marry my son, the dowry had better be eight hundred thousand dollars at the very least. Otherwise the Fox family has no use for an old woman like you."

I could hardly believe my ears.

"Isn't your son thirty too?"

"You demand eight hundred thousand in dowry the second you open your mouth. So how much bride price are you planning to give me?"

My boyfriend's father couldn't hold back either. He brought his palm down hard on the table.

"Are men and women the same thing? A man gets more valuable the older he gets. A woman gets less wanted!"

"And you've got the nerve to ask us for a bride price? A piece of trash my son's been sleeping with for twelve years! Even if you threw in eight hundred thousand yourself, I'd still have to think it over."

The boyfriend I'd loved for twelve years sat across from me, saying nothing.

I stood up with a cold laugh.

"Yes, I am thirty. But my life is only just beginning, and no one has the right to define my worth by my age."

"I won't be eating at this trap of a dinner. And I won't be walking through the Fox family's door either."

1

The moment I said it, Merlin Fox, who hadn't made a sound until now, spoke right up.

"What are you doing? My mom worked herself to the bone cooking this whole table of food, and this is how you treat her?"

"All right, we're just discussing things. Whatever it is, let's talk it out properly."

Seeing that I still hadn't moved, Merlin got up and leaned close to my ear.

"Sit down first. Don't make an ugly scene out of this."

Merlin and I got together at eighteen. Twelve years now.

From our student days, through the years when we had nothing and were building the company, to now, when you could say he'd made it.

We'd walked through countless important moments of each other's lives.

Honestly, I still had hopes for him.

Hearing Merlin's words, I forced my anger down and sat back down.

The instant I did, Victoria Fox let out a scornful little snort.

"Big talk a second ago, and here you are, can't bring yourself to leave after all."

"Don't go thinking we're picking on you. My son is the boss of a company now. You have no idea how many young girls out there are dying to throw themselves at him."

"You'd better take what I told you to heart, or you'll never find a man as good as our Merlin again."

My hands curled into fists as I choked back the fury inside me.

"I built that company together with Merlin. It isn't his achievement alone."

"In this relationship, he and I are equals. I've never felt I was marrying above myself."

Geoffrey Fox slammed his chopsticks down on the table with a crack.

"Talking back before you've even joined this family. Is that the kind of upbringing you had?!"

"You're the woman. Supporting your man's career is exactly what you're supposed to do. Go ask anyone on the street whether you're even worthy of Merlin!"

I didn't argue anymore. I turned my eyes to Merlin.

"Is that what you think too?"

Merlin stammered.

"Lulu, my parents are getting old, and some of their ideas are a little old-fashioned. Bear with them."

"But what they're saying isn't wrong either. They mean well for us. Don't be angry, just eat first."

I closed my eyes in disappointment, my heart sinking and sinking.

Six years ago, Merlin's company was at a crucial stage of restructuring, and back then I worked late at the office with him every single day.

One rainy night, my parents took an umbrella and went out to walk me home, and at an intersection they were hit by an overloaded truck.

They both died on the spot. They never even got the chance to be rushed to a hospital.

At their funeral, I cried so hard I nearly fainted.

"Merlin, I don't have a mom and dad anymore. I don't have a home now."

Merlin held me in his arms, his face full of pain for me.

"Lulu, believe me, we'll have a home. I'll give you a home."

"From now on you have me. No one is ever allowed to bully you."

Seeing that I stayed silent, the scorn in Victoria's eyes only deepened.

"Ha, look at that. She's clammed up again. Who does she think she's making that sour face for?"

"Your father's right. An orphan with no parents, that's what comes of no upbringing. If her parents were alive, she'd never dare to—"

Before Victoria could finish, my eyes snapped open and I stood up again.

"I know exactly what this dinner is about today. It all comes down to the fact that I have no family behind me, and you want to use that to squeeze me."

"But I am Joyce Summers. No matter how old I am, no matter whether I have parents or not, I am my own person."

"My parents aren't here today. But even if they were, they would never stand by and watch me swallow this kind of humiliation."

"The Fox family's door. I, Joyce Summers, will not walk through it."