My boyfriend and I had been together for two years, and we had finally reached the point of discussing marriage. Today was our engagement party, with relatives and friends from both sides in attendance, everyone eating, drinking, and enjoying themselves.
As the guest of honor, I was, of course, very busy.
However, I didn’t expect to overhear a conversation as I passed by my boyfriend’s relatives’ table. Their voices were loud and their words sharp, discussing none other than my younger sister.
“Your sister-in-law is really something, huh? I heard she’s got half her ass reserved for her brother-in-law.”
"Yeah, and she’s still a high schooler. That look, that body… she’s naturally beautiful, no makeup needed."
"Julian’s one lucky guy. Not only did he marry such a beautiful woman, but he also got a stunning little sister-in-law to boot. If it were me, I’d be laughing about it even at midnight."
These men were all loud, their voices growing more obnoxious with each drink they took. Their conversation reached my ears clearly.
Rosalind Whitmore, my younger sister, was nine years younger than me, and she had just started high school this year.
She was at the age full of energy and romance, yet here she was, the subject of such degrading and disgusting remarks.
I was about to lose my temper when, suddenly, the conversation at the table took an even worse turn.
“Let me tell you, I’ve seen enough of these kinds of stories. Usually, it’s the sister-in-law and the brother-in-law who get involved. I’d even have to warn Julian to be careful. He should watch out for this little slutty temptress.”
The speaker wasn’t just anyone—it was my boyfriend’s younger brother, Dorian Vance. Three years younger than me, he had just started college this year.
I had never imagined that anyone could speak so vilely and with such malice.
Rosalind had barely even met these people a couple of times, yet to Dorian, she had become some loose, immoral person. The filth in his words made me sick to my stomach.
I couldn’t hold back anymore. I stormed up to their table, my voice ringing out in the air.
“What did you just say? Say that again!”
Everyone at the table froze, especially Dorian.
He patted his chest in surprise, his expression turning irritated. “Sis, why’d you shout like that? You scared the hell out of me.”
I glared at him, my teeth clenched. “Say it again. What did you just say?”
Dorian had drunk quite a bit, and now he seemed a little tipsy.
“I didn’t say anything. I just mentioned how pretty your sister is, and I told my brother to be careful. Don’t let his little sister-in-law cast a spell on him.”
My outburst had drawn the attention of everyone in the room, and Dorian’s words were heard by all. The lively atmosphere that had been buzzing with conversation suddenly turned cold.
Everyone instinctively turned their eyes toward him, and Rosalind’s face drained of color as she heard what was said.
She was so young, innocent, and had never faced such cruelty. She couldn’t possibly understand the weight of Dorian’s words.
I didn’t hold back as I shot back, my voice sharp. “Listen to yourself. You can’t just open your mouth and spew filth like that, even if your brain is connected to your ass.”
It was my boyfriend, Julian, who reacted first.
Upon hearing Dorian’s drunken ramblings, he immediately rushed over, grabbing his brother’s head to push him back.
“Apologize to Rosalind. Right now. Or don’t blame me for not being nice.”
Dorian, anger rising, shoved Julian’s hand away, his voice full of annoyance. “What the hell, bro? Why are you pushing me? What do I need to apologize for? I was just talking, no big deal. Why are you making it a thing? We're all here with family and friends, chatting away. It’s nothing unusual, right? We talk like this in our dorm every day.”
As he spoke, Dorian straightened his shirt collar, clearly irritated, as if nothing was wrong.
Julian’s face darkened with fury, his fists clenched tightly. If it weren’t for the others being present, I’m sure he would’ve punched Dorian right in the face without a second thought.
"Say that again," Julian’s voice was low and dangerous, "I want you to apologize to Rosalind. Did you hear me?"
We were all adults here—everyone could sense the tension. My parents stepped closer, their faces equally grim.
What was supposed to be a day of celebration, a day to officially discuss the marriage arrangements between Julian and me, had suddenly turned into a disaster.
Dorian, oblivious to the gravity of the situation, waved it off with a hint of irritation. "Julian, what’s your problem? I was just joking around. Do you really need to escalate this? We’ve got a full room of people here. Show some grace."
I gritted my teeth, glaring at him. "Grace? What grace? You’re talking about grace while you insult my sister before we’ve even tied the knot? You think just because you’ve got a degree, it means you’re better than others? All that education has gone straight to your head, hasn’t it?"
The past two years with Julian had been wonderful, and we’d been planning to marry, but I never expected this disgusting behavior from his brother.
What was worse, I was about to join this family forever—was this really the kind of family I wanted to be a part of? Was Julian really worth all of this?
Dorian grumbled, not fully understanding why everyone was upset. "What’s the big deal? It was just a joke. Have you never heard anyone joke around with you before? Why are you making such a fuss?"
I let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, it’s fine, is it? Let me give you a little joke then. After all these years, where exactly did all that education of yours go? You probably spent more time on all your shady business than your studies, huh?"
Guests exchanged confused glances, unsure of how to react. Some were already trying to smooth things over.
"Dorian, maybe you should hold your tongue," someone suggested. "She’s your future sister-in-law, after all. You were in the wrong at the start, so just apologize and let it go. We’re all here to celebrate today, not to watch a family feud."
"I really don’t understand," Dorian shot back, "It was just a couple of jokes. Why make such a big deal out of it? What’s the point of ruining a happy day like this?"
"Let’s just move on," another guest chimed in. "Everyone was getting along just fine before this. The tension is killing the mood."
The two families were clearly divided. My relatives stood by me, while Dorian’s side thought I was overreacting, making a mountain out of a molehill.
Julian quickly stepped in, his tone softer now. "Clara, don’t be angry. The kid’s drunk, talking nonsense. I’ll deal with him when we get home."
Before I could respond, Dorian’s voice rang out again, dripping with sarcasm. "Can’t take a joke, huh? The Vance family can’t afford a delicate little thing like you for a wife."
By this point, there was nothing more to discuss. I turned to look at Julian, whose face had become an unreadable mask of rage.
"I haven’t even married into your family yet, and you all are already giving me looks like that. What kind of humiliation and mistreatment can I expect once I’m actually married to you? If you don’t respect my sister, it means you don’t respect me. Marriage should be built on mutual respect and equality, don’t you understand that?"
I studied law, so when faced with a situation, I always calm myself first and weigh the pros and cons. Julian, after years of being with me, knew that I was on the verge of exploding.
It’s always been like this with me—I get calmer the angrier I am.
People often try to read my emotions based on my facial expressions. Seeing me like this, they usually assume I'm not angry, but what they don’t know is that inside, I already hate them so much I could picture stabbing them with a knife.
"Clara... Let’s talk later. Let’s sit down tonight and resolve this calmly, okay?"
Julian, trying to be patient, continued, "Today is our special day. Don't let these things spoil it. Besides, Dorian’s drunk today. Just think of him as a fool, spouting nonsense. Once he sobers up, I’ll make sure he apologizes to you."
"Have you ever heard the phrase 'truth comes out when drunk'? The words he said reflect what he really thinks deep down."
I took a deep breath, glancing over at Rosalind, who was lying beside me, tears still on her face from feeling wronged.
"You all go back for now. We’ll talk about the engagement later. I think both sides need to calm down and think carefully about whether this relationship should continue. After all, if we can’t even show each other basic respect, then we’re not fit to talk about a future together."
I’ve always lived by one principle: it’s better to leave regrets in love than to leave hidden dangers in marriage.
If he doesn’t respect me before we’re even married, how could I expect him to treat me well afterward?
After all, I’m going to spend the rest of my life with him, not just a day or two. Once we’re married, his family will care even less about me. Right now, they’re just trying to be polite, afraid I might back out, but after marriage, I won’t even have the chance to cry.
A voice in my head kept repeating, urging me to run, but it was quickly followed by flashes of the years I’d spent with Julian, memories of us supporting each other.
Rosalind grabbed my hand, wiping away her tears as she spoke with determination. "Clara, you're right. People like them don’t respect you at all. Why should you marry into that family?"
"Can you just shut up?"
Dorian suddenly jumped up, shouting loudly and knocking over a table.
"I was just joking around with you, why are you crying? If you’re upset, then just yell back or hit me. No need to keep crying and playing the victim, looking pathetic like that. It's disgusting."
Before he could even finish, I swiftly stood up and slapped him hard across the face in front of everyone.
"My sister doesn’t need you to lecture or insult her. You all can leave now. This engagement party is over."
Everyone froze, not expecting me to slap Dorian right there in front of them, especially not with the force I used. The sting in my palm made my hand tremble, but I didn’t feel the slightest regret.
There was nothing wrong with what I did. For him to say something like that meant he’d always been raised like this. If his family’s education was lacking, I was more than happy to teach him a lesson.
Just listening to the things he said was enough to know how vile he was. People like him, even after leaving school, would only become a menace to society.
