I did all of it. And still, every word out of their mouths carried that smug sense that they’d gotten the better end of the deal.
Now Mrs. Dawson nearly lunged at me, her face twisted with rage.
"Ethan Miller, do you know what day this is? How dare you pull a stunt like this and trample all over our family’s dignity!"
"I never liked you—you’re not even from New York! No manners, no class—and where are your parents? Not even here to see their son get married!"
"Claire marrying you is the best thing that’s ever happened to you. We agreed only because you seemed quiet and dependable, and this is how you repay us?"
Her voice broke into a wail as she went on, even accusing me of having another woman.
"No one humiliates my daughter like this. I’ll make sure you pay!"
She grabbed a plate off the table and hurled it at me.
Guests scrambled to calm her down.
"There must be some misunderstanding. Maybe the couple is just joking around. They love each other—he wouldn’t do this otherwise."
Under everyone’s coaxing, Mrs. Dawson finally calmed down enough to sneer at me:
"Ethan, get down on your knees right now and apologize to me and my daughter. If you do, I’ll pretend I never heard what you just said."