Esther’s face fell. Pouting, she snapped, "So, every year on my birthday, you have to buy her something too? I don’t like that!"
"Esther, be good," Wendel coaxed patiently. "That’s not what I meant. But no matter what, Iris sacrificed her education so you could go to school. We should at least show some gratitude."
Upon hearing that, Esther's temper flared.
She threw the new dress onto the ground, attracting the attention of nearby pedestrians. Without a care for the growing crowd, she shouted, "So what? Did I force her to drop out?!"
Several people turned to watch the commotion.
Wendel hated being the center of attention—especially in a negative way. Panicking, he hurriedly picked up the dress and quickly softened his tone, coaxing her like a guilty puppy.
"Alright, alright, I won’t buy her anything. Besides, she’s always doing chores at home—she wouldn’t have anywhere to wear such a nice dress anyway."
Only when she heard his reply did Esther’s anger subside. Satisfied, she smirked. "Now that’s more like it."