My mother-in-law broke the heavy silence, slapping her thighs in frustration. "What are you standing there for? Apologize! Buy her a designer bag, get her a diamond necklace—just fix it!"
She glared at me, her voice rising. "You must have done something to set her off! My daughter wouldn't say such things unless you pushed her to it!"
I stayed silent, bitterness rising in my throat.
Caroline had made her intentions crystal clear, yet they still pinned the blame on me. They wanted me to bow, scrape, and beg forgiveness for a sin I hadn't committed.
Not a shred of dignity left for me.
Seeing I hadn't moved, my father-in-law kicked my shin under the table.
"Harrison, be a man," he lectured. "Swallowing your pride is part of marriage. Keeping the family together is what matters."
He leaned back, crossing his arms. "You won't find another wife as gentle and beautiful as my daughter. Let her go today, and the regret will eat you alive."
The relatives piled on like vultures.
"Hurry up and apologize! Once my cousin gets serious, you're finished!"
"Marrying into the Henson family was the greatest luck your pathetic ancestors ever gave you. You hit the jackpot and you're letting it slip away?"