I turned back calmly and looked at Muriel, who was still carrying on at the top of her lungs beside my son.
"Sweetheart, I have never once tried to come between you and Dylan. Whether your relationship is good or bad, that's something the two of you build together."
"I'm Dylan's mother. That's a fact no one can change."
"So that we can get along better, I'd like to sit down and talk with you. Can we go upstairs and grab a bite to eat?"
But Muriel just let out a cold laugh.
She turned on me, voice sharp as a blade. "You think I can't see through you? Your little schemes are practically hitting me in the face!"
"You know I don't like eating with strangers, and you're deliberately putting me in an uncomfortable position."
"You're too cheap to buy me jewelry, so you're trying to drag me away from the store."
"Let me make something clear. I'm not a three-year-old. Your little tricks don't work on me!"
I took a deep breath and told her I was being wrongly accused.
She didn't hear a word of it.
"I can't reason with a manipulative witch like you who plays dumb on purpose. Fine! Let everyone here be the judge!"
She burst into tears, sobbing loudly, mascara streaking down her cheeks.