Chapter 290

"Mom, is Aunt Jessica getting divorced?" Tommy suddenly asked, tilting his flour-dusted face upward.

Emily's spatula stilled mid-stir. How did the children know about the divorce? No one in the village had ever divorced before.

"Yes," she answered, crouching to wipe flour from Tommy's cheek. "Because her husband hit her."

David immediately clenched his small fists. "Hitting people is wrong!"

"Exactly. That's why we need to protect Aunt Jessica." Emily ruffled both boys' hair. "Now, help me finish dinner. Dad will be hungry soon."

As the aroma of cooking filled the kitchen, Emily kept glancing at the door. Darkness had fallen—why wasn't Michael home yet?

"David, run to Grandma's and see where your father is."

At the clinic, Jessica finally opened her eyes.

"Dad... Mom..." Her voice cracked, tears spilling instantly.

Martha River swatted her daughter's shoulder, torn between anger and heartache. "Foolish girl! How could you hide such bruises from us?"

"I'm sorry, Mom..." Jessica sobbed uncontrollably.

The doctor insisted on overnight observation, leaving only Martha as caretaker. The others trudged home through the night.

When Michael returned with the boys, dinner had gone cold.

"Daniel took Christopher to finalize the divorce," he said between rapid bites. "Made the Garcias pay medical expenses too."

Emily pushed a steaming bowl of soup toward him. "Jessica woke up?"

"She did, but needs more rest." Michael wiped his mouth. "The whole village is talking."

The boys bolted outside after eating. Once their footsteps faded, Emily lowered her voice. "I made sure everyone knows Christopher beat her because he's infertile."

Michael abruptly set down his chopsticks. "Emily... today I..."

"Hmm?"

"I worried I frightened you." He stared at his plate. "The way I fought..."

Emily laughed softly. "Did you forget I swung a rolling pin too?"

Michael's ears burned red. His cousins had said Martha would've been outmatched without Emily's intervention.

"I saw." His voice thickened. "The way you wielded that rolling pin... it was magnificent."

Outside the window, two small heads ducked out of sight. David whispered, "Dad just called Mom magnificent!"