C167 You Stole Him From Me

The atmosphere in the dining room gradually became lively once again. The earlier tension had disappeared, replaced by smiles and light-hearted laughter. Tracy reached over and gently held Sarah's hand. "My child..." "I've waited so many years to see you smile like this." Sarah smiled shyly before lowering her head.

Kelvin looked at Chris one more time before finally nodding. "I won't stand in the way of your relationship." Chris immediately stood up. "Thank you, Uncle!" Kelvin raised his hand. "I'm not finished." Everyone laughed softly. "You've received my approval." "But..." He looked directly at Chris. "If you ever make my daughter cry..." "I won't care whether you're my future son-in-law or not." "I'll personally come looking for you."

Chris nodded so quickly that everyone burst into laughter again. "I understand, Uncle." "I promise." David smiled as he looked at his son. "Looks like our family is about to become much bigger." Quinton also laughed. "It seems congratulations are in order." Mary clapped her hands happily. "I've gained another daughter!"

Valeria smiled proudly. "And I'm finally getting a granddaughter." Sarah's face turned bright red. "...Mother." Valeria laughed. "What?" "You already call her Mother." Tracy laughed as she was teasing her daughter. Everyone around the table laughed again. For a brief moment... The room felt peaceful. Almost like one large family.

After lunch... Mary and Valeria naturally began collecting the empty plates. Before either of them could carry them away... Alicia quietly stood up. "Aunt Mary." "Aunt Valeria." "You've both worked hard today." "I'll wash these." Mary immediately shook her head. "No, my daughter." "You already prepared lunch for us." "You should rest." Valeria nodded in agreement. "Leave everything to us."

Before Alicia could answer... Another voice spoke. "I'll help." Everyone turned. It was Samantha. She had already walked over and picked up several plates. Alicia looked slightly surprised. "You don't have to." Samantha smiled faintly. "It's alright." "I'll help." Without waiting for another response... She walked toward the kitchen. Alicia followed behind her carrying the remaining dishes.

The moment they entered the kitchen... The cheerful smiles both women had been wearing quietly disappeared. The kitchen door slowly closed. Silence. Only the sound of running water filled the room. For several seconds... Neither of them spoke. Alicia calmly rolled up her sleeves before beginning to wash the dishes. Samantha quietly dried them. Neither looked at the other.

Finally... Samantha broke the silence. "You look happy." Alicia continued washing another plate. "I am." Another few seconds passed. Then Samantha finally turned toward her. Her eyes had completely changed. The warmth from earlier was gone. Only bitterness remained. "You took Mike away from me."

The words echoed through the quiet kitchen. Alicia didn't even stop washing the dishes. Instead... She smiled faintly. "No." "I didn't." Samantha's voice became sharper. "If you hadn't appeared..." "He would've still been mine." Alicia finally turned to face her. "Would he?" Samantha clenched her fists. "He loved me." "He still does."

Alicia laughed softly. A laugh that only irritated Samantha even more. "You keep saying he was yours..." She gently placed another clean plate aside. "But remind me..." "Who married another man?" Samantha's expression stiffened. "It wasn't my choice." "It was Ben." "He separated us." Alicia nodded calmly. "You're right." "It was Ben." "But..." She stepped a little closer. "You are the one who spread her legs wide open and When everything happened..." "Who chose another man's family over Mike?"

Samantha couldn't answer. Alicia continued quietly. "When Mike was accused..." "Who stood beside him?" "When he was depressed..." "Who comforted him?" "When he lost everything..." "Where were you?" Every question struck Samantha like a knife. She bit her lip. Tears slowly gathered in her eyes. "I..." "I had no choice..."

Alicia looked at her without anger. Only certainty. "Perhaps you didn't." "But life doesn't stop because we run out of choices." She smiled gently. "I didn't steal Mike." "I simply loved him when everyone else abandoned him." Samantha immediately raised her head. "He still belongs to me." "He always will."

Alicia couldn't help laughing. "You still don't understand." She lifted her left hand. The wedding ring shimmered beneath the kitchen light. "I don't need to compete with you." She smiled. "He's already my husband." The words made Samantha's heart tremble. Alicia continued. "And suppose..." "You somehow got him back." "What then?" "What about Ben?" "What about Monica?" "What about your marriage?" "What about your husband that is still in prison?" "What about the family waiting for you?"

Samantha remained silent. Alicia slowly shook her head. "You aren't fighting me anymore." "You're fighting your own past." Another tear rolled down Samantha's cheek. Still... She stubbornly whispered, "I'll get my Mike back." Alicia sighed softly. "You still call him your Mike..." "But have you ever asked..." "What Mike wants?" Silence. Heavy silence. Then Alicia quietly picked up another plate. "He deserves happiness." "I'll spend the rest of my life making sure he has it."

Those words finally shattered Samantha's remaining strength. She threw the kitchen towel onto the counter. Without saying another word... She rushed out of the kitchen. The moment she entered the dining room... She froze. Across the room... I was sitting on the sofa. Little Monica rested comfortably in my arms. I gently bounced her while making funny faces. The little girl laughed happily before grabbing one of my fingers with her tiny hand.

For just a brief second... The picture before Samantha's eyes looked exactly like the family she had once dreamed of. Mike. Holding their daughter. Waiting for her. A future... That would never exist. The tears she had been desperately holding back finally escaped. She quickly covered her mouth. Everyone one noticed including me. Our eyes met.

Before I could say anything... She turned around and hurried outside. The front door quietly closed behind her. The room fell silent. I looked toward the kitchen. Something had clearly happened. Carefully handing Monica back to Tracy, I stood up. "I'll be right back." No one stopped me. Sarah also stood up she wanted to go after Samantha but tracy stopped her.

When I entered the kitchen... I found Alicia quietly washing the remaining dishes as though nothing had happened. She looked over her shoulder and smiled. "Husband?" I silently rolled up my sleeves. She blinked. "What are you doing?" I picked up a clean towel. "If my wife is washing..." "I can dry them." She stared at me in surprise. "You know how?" I laughed. "How could i not?" She smiled helplessly.

The two of us worked side by side. Without another word. Without even realizing it... Our rhythm matched perfectly. She washed. I dried. She handed them over. I neatly placed them into the cupboard. After a while... She suddenly stopped moving. "Husband..." "Hmm?" She slowly turned toward me. Her beautiful eyes looked unusually vulnerable.

For a long moment... She simply stared at me. Then... She quietly wrapped both arms around my waist. Resting her forehead against my chest, she whispered, "Mike..." "I love you." Time seemed to stop. It was the first time... She had ever said those words so openly. I gently held her. "I love you too." She smiled against my chest. Then I softly added, "And besides..." "I don't think I can run away anymore." She looked up. Confused.

I smiled before tapping the wedding ring on her finger. "Mrs. Smith..." "We already have our marriage certificate." Her cheeks immediately turned crimson. She hid her face again. "...I'm still not used to hearing that." "Alicia Smith..." "It sounds strange." I kissed the top of her head. "You'll get used to it."

After a few more quiet moments... We finished the last of the dishes together. Hand in hand... We walked back toward the dining room. Neither of us noticed... Outside the house... Samantha was still standing alone beneath the afternoon sky. Quietly crying. As she finally began to accept... That the man she loved... Now belonged to someone else.