"No! They're all fake, they must be!"
I shrugged and smiled helplessly. I wanted to take my phone back from Lola, but she would not let go.
She scrolled until the end of the album when her face suddenly popped up on the screen. As if finally having leverage, she yelled, "Ah-ha! Didn't you say you were married? Please explain to me why you still have a photo of me?"
Her friends instantly snatched my phone over and mocked me once more, as if I was finally exposed for lying.
"Kevin, I really thought you'd finally grown a spine! Turns out you've just Photoshopped some photos to lie to us!"
"I knew it! He had been happily slaving away for Lola all these years. How could he possibly marry someone else? He would probably spend his entire life serving Lola!"
Lola immediately turned smug and looked at me disdainfully with a raised chin. "Kevin, I overestimated you. I almost believed your lie! How lonely are you to create so many fake photos? And you even used Ms. Smith's face! I feel ashamed for you, even if you don't!"
She threw my phone to the ground. It fell with a loud crack.
"Stop!"
I was too late. When I bent down to pick up my phone, the phone was broken into pieces.
I wanted to pick it up because this was my wedding gift from my wife, but one of Lola's friends immediately stepped on it.
"You liked to pretend, right? Aren't you the son-in-law of the Smith family? Why do you even care about some stupid phone?"
"That's right! You think that just because of some birth certificate and some stupid photos, you'd make Lola regret and want you back? Take a good look at yourself in the mirror!"
Timothy furrowed his brows and told them to stop. Then, he pretended to show some kindness and helped me up, but in the process, the diapers in my arms fell to the ground, scattered all over the spilt milk. The entire scene was tragic to behold.
"I'm sorry, Kevin. Lola shouldn't have done this." Timothy wanted to apologize, but Lola interrupted him, "He's out here being disgusting and a liar, yet I'm the one to blame? Did I ask him to pursue me for ten years?
"Timothy, you're just too kind, which is why he'd so boldly make fake photos. You don't have to apologize to someone like him! Even standing close to him makes me want to puke!"
At that moment, Lola's phone rang.
"Lola! Where are you? We already told you the time and place. Why are you still not here yet?"
Lola's mother's voice rang out in the video call. Lola and I were neighbors when we were young, so our parents both know each other.
"Mom, why should I go to celebrate your friend having a grandchild? You go and have fun! I'm busy!" Lola brushed her off, about to hang up.
"What are you talking about? You and Kevin grew up together! You didn't even attend his wedding! How could you skip out on his welcome baby party!"
Lola's smile stiffened. She looked at me, stunned.
"Hold on there, Mom! Who did you say got married and had a child?"
At one point, she turned her phone toward me. Her mother greeted me affectionately, "Oh, Kevin! So you're with Lola now! Once you register your baby, bring her over! Show her how cute your daughter is!"
I nodded and was just about to exchange pleasantries with Lola's mother when Lola hung up.
She walked over to me, furious, "Kevin, how low can you stoop?! You'd even go to the extent of lying to my parents? You should just give up on me! I'll never ever get together with a liar like you! You disgust me!"
Then, she raised her hand, about to slap me.
The next second, a bodyguard grabbed her hand. A familiar voice rang out behind me, "Who would dare to lay a finger on my husband?"