Feeding His Mother to the Sharks

Over the weekend, I went to the aquarium with my mother-in-law. Amid the jostling crowd, an impeccably dressed woman snapped furiously: "Are you two blind? You bumped into my purse! Do you have any idea this is a limited edition?! If you damage it, can two broke bums like you even afford to pay for it?!" I replied calmly: "This is a public space, not your private property. If you're that terrified of someone touching your bag, why didn't you build your own private aquarium to admire in peace?" Humiliated and enraged, the woman sneered: "As a matter of fact, my husband did build this aquarium! What I say goes around here! I order you two to get the hell out right now! Don't dirty my floor!" Both my mother-in-law and I froze. This aquarium was clearly built by Julian. Since when did he become her husband? When reality hit, I trembled all over. Julian was actually keeping a mistress on the side! My mother-in-law was shaking with rage too. Pointing right at the woman’s nose, she snapped: "Where did this lunatic come from?! Julian is my son! His lawfully wedded wife is standing right here! Who do you think you are to come here and talk such utter trash?!" Confronted by my mother-in-law’s sharp reprimand, the woman didn't panic in the slightest. Instead, she acted like she had just heard the biggest joke in the world. "Two pathetic hoboes like you dare to impersonate the dowager Mrs. Vance and the young Mrs. Vance? Don't make me laugh!" My mother-in-law had deliberately dressed down today just to have a low-key, pleasant outing. Who could have imagined her identity would be questioned over it? "Believe it or not, we don't like throwing our weight around, but this is Vance territory. The one who needs to get out is you!" my mother-in-law said sternly. A mocking sneer curled onto the woman’s lips. Her gaze swept over the simple canvas tote in my mother-in-law’s hand like a scanner. "Ha." She snorted through her nose. "You put on quite an act. Everyone knows the old Mrs. Vance lives a secluded, quiet life, and the young Mrs. Vance is always glued to Julian's side at high-end galas. Why would they dress in cheap rags like yours and come squeeze through a crowded public aquarium? Who are you trying to fool?!" Bystanders around us had already stopped to watch, whispering among themselves. The hushed murmurs felt like sharp needles stabbing into my mother-in-law and me. Her face drained of color, turning pale, and her breathing became ragged. I quickly grabbed her arm, terrified she might collapse from pure fury. "What? Cat got your tongue?" Seeing our silence, the woman grew even more arrogant. She pulled out her phone, swiping dramatically. "How about I call Julian right now and let him expose you two frauds in person? Oh, wait. He’s very busy right now. He doesn't have time to deal with pointless garbage like this." My mother-in-law was so angry her lips turned purple. I gripped her hand tightly, feeling her body shake violently. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. Getting into a brawl with a woman like this in public would only drag us down to her level and play right into her hands. "Call him," I said, my voice quiet but laced with an undeniable, freezing chill. "Call Julian right now. Put it on speaker. Let’s all hear why he's too busy to talk to his lawfully wedded wife and the mother who raised him." My composure caught her off guard. She paused for a second, but quickly regained her aggressive edge. "Oh, really leaning into the role, huh? Refusing to cry until you see the coffin?" She scoffed, flashing her phone screen at us. Right there was Julian’s private number. "See that? Julian's private line! Do you think fakes like you could ever get your hands on this?" My heart felt like it was seized by an icy claw, aching so severely I could barely breathe. Julian... He even gave his private number to this woman. All those nights he claimed he had to work late, those business dinners, the lingering unfamiliar perfumes... everything rushed back like a tidal wave, turning into razor-sharp blades cutting through me. More and more onlookers gathered, and the chatter grew louder. The woman demanded that we show Julian’s number, but my mother-in-law and I had rushed out the door and left our phones behind. Seeing that we couldn't produce our phones, the skeptical glances from the crowd shifted into judgment and mockery. She lifted her chin smugly, like a peacock spreading its feathers. "I knew two broke nobodies like you wouldn't have it. Still standing here making fools of yourselves!" My mother-in-law was trembling violently—not from fear, but from absolute, overwhelming rage. She had lived an elegant, dignified life. When had she ever been subjected to such public humiliation? To be pointed at and have her status as the matriarch of the Vance family questioned by a shameless homewrecker? "You... You..." Her voice shook so hard she couldn't form a full sentence. Seeing this, the woman sneered, pouring fuel on the fire: "You what? Can't keep up the act anymore? If you know what's good for you, get lost right now. Don't wait for me to call security to kick you out. That would look really ugly." Just as the tension hit a breaking point, a man in a manager's uniform pushed his way through the crowd."What's going on here? What happened? Please maintain order..." His words abruptly jammed in his throat the moment his eyes landed on the glamorous woman. An instant, sycophantic smile plastered across his face. "M-Miss Lee! What are you doing here? Did you run into some trouble?" Seeing the manager, the woman treated him like a house servant, lifting her chin even higher. "Manager Zhang, you got here just in time! These two crazy old hags came out of nowhere, causing a scene and daring to pose as Mr. Vance's mother and wife! Kick them out immediately! They're an eyesore!" Hearing this, Manager Zhang’s expression hardened. He turned to us, his eyes sharp and impatient. "You two, please leave immediately. Do not make trouble here and disrupt the other visitors. Otherwise, I will have security forcefully remove you." My mother-in-law trembled with fury, pointing right at him. "You! As a manager, without even asking what happened, you blindly take her word for it?! Do you have any idea who I am?!" A faint, barely concealed contempt crossed Zhang’s face. "Ma'am, while I haven't seen the old Mrs. Vance many times, she certainly doesn't dress like that. Miss Lee is a distinguished VIP whom Mr. Vance specifically instructed us to treat with the utmost care. Please don't make this difficult for us." "VIP?" I caught the key term, and a chilling numbness spread through my chest. Julian had actually flaunted the existence of his mistress so openly to his subordinates? I held back my mother-in-law’s trembling arm and took a step forward, sweeping a cold gaze over Zhang and Miss Lee. "Manager Zhang, is it? You're saying that because she's a VIP, everything she says is gospel, while what we say is just making trouble? Is this how Vance Enterprises treats its guests?" My voice was crisp and icy, carrying an unmistakable authority. Caught off guard by my composed counter-question, Zhang was left tongue-tied for a moment. The woman, however, lost her patience. "Why are you wasting your breath on them?! Manager Zhang, call security right now!" "I dare anyone to try!" My mother-in-law, who had been suppressing her fury all along, finally exploded with the sheer authority belonging to the matriarch of the Vance family. She didn't spare another glance at the clownish Miss Lee. Instead, she locked eyes with Zhang, enunciating every syllable: "You call Julian right now. Put it on speaker! I want to ask him myself when this aquarium became a place where some nameless tramp gets to boss people around! I want to ask him if his own mother and his lawfully wedded wife can be kicked out of a Vance property just because this woman said so!" Her aura was suffocatingly powerful. Zhang was completely intimidated, a flicker of panic darting across his face. Seeing Zhang hesitate, the woman grew hysterical with anger: "Call him! Julian is at the office in a meeting right now. Do you think I'm scared of you? Manager Zhang, call him! Let these two frauds give up for good!" Under the watchful eyes of the entire crowd, Zhang’s hands trembled as he dialed the number saved as "Mr. Vance."However, after a few rings, a robotic voice came through: "The number you have dialed is currently unavailable..." Zhang froze and hastily tried again, but got the exact same result. "Mr. Vance might be in a meeting..." Zhang stammered, trying to explain. The woman pulled out her own phone, looking triumphant. "Let me do it. Julian said that no matter how busy he is, he will always answer my calls immediately." The call connected almost instantly. The smug smile on her face broadened, and she even raised her eyebrows provocatively at my mother-in-law and me. "Babe, what's wrong?" Julian's familiar voice came through the speaker. Her voice instantly switched to a sickeningly sweet, whining pout: "Julian, I ran into two crazy old women at the aquarium picking on me! Come over and back me up!" "What? How dare they! Babe, hang tight. I'm cancelling the meeting and heading over right now. How dare anyone mess with my girl..." Julian's doting yet furious reply pierced straight into my heart like a poisoned dagger. My blood froze instantly. My mother-in-law gripped my hand with a crushing force, shaking from head to toe. She had lived a life of supreme grace and had never suffered such a humiliation—let alone one inflicted by the son she had raised with her own hands. Unable to endure it any longer, she stepped forward and slapped the woman hard across the face. "A cheap mistress daring to act so arrogant!" The slap was loud and crisp. Carrying years of accumulated pride and sudden humiliation, it landed squarely on the woman's delicate cheek. Time seemed to freeze. The woman’s head snapped to the side, a bright red handprint blooming across her skin. She clutched her cheek, her eyes widening in disbelief. The shock quickly morphed into pure, venomous malice. "Good. Very good." She lightly rubbed her swelling cheek, glaring at my mother-in-law and me as if we were lambs waiting to be slaughtered. "You old hag, you dare hit me? Impersonating Mrs. Vance and daring to lay hands on me? Today, I’ll teach you what happens when you mess with me, Yoyo Lee!" She spun around to Zhang, who was paralyzed with fear, and shrieked: "Manager Zhang! What are you standing there for?! Grab this crazy bitch!" Weighing Julian’s clear devotion to Yoyo Lee, Zhang made his calculation and ordered: "Grab the old one!" The words barely left his mouth before two security guards grabbed my mother-in-law from both sides. "Let go of my mother-in-law!" My eyes burned red as I struggled frantically, but a third guard pinned me down with brutal force. Yoyo Lee watched with cruel satisfaction. Rubbing her cheek, her eyes darted toward the deepest part of the aquarium, landing on the massive, central shark tank. Through the thick glass, dark blue ripples reflected light, showing the massive, ominous shadows of sharks slowly patrolling the depths. A far more sinister plan formed in her mind. With a chilling smirk, she ordered the guards: "Hang this old hag over the shark tank!"Manager Zhang turned ghost-white. "M-Miss Lee, that's way too dangerous!" "Shut up!" Yoyo Lee snapped, cutting him off. "Do what I say! Or I’ll call Julian right now, and your career as manager is over!" Gulping hard, he finally waved at the guards. "No! You can't do this!" I screamed in sheer terror. My mother-in-law realized the danger too, struggling desperately. "You vicious viper! What do you think you're doing?!" Ignoring our screams completely, Yoyo Lee had the guards haul my mother-in-law up to the maintenance platform directly over the deepest, most dangerous section of the shark tank. "Yoyo Lee! Stop it! Let go of my mother-in-law! Julian will never let you get away with this!" I sobbed hysterically, clawing frantically at the guard's arm until blood welled up, but I still couldn't break free. My mother-in-law's hands were tied behind her back. As the winch rope tightened, she was hoisted into the air, suspended directly over the shark tank. "How's that, old hag? How's the view from up there?" Tears blurred my vision as I pleaded desperately: "Yoyo Lee! What do you want?! Let her down! If you have a problem, take it out on me!" "Take it out on you?" Yoyo Lee chuckled, as if hearing a funny joke. "Sure. You want me to let this old trash go? Simple." She pointed at the freezing cold concrete floor. "You, right now, get down on your knees and kowtow eighteen times. With every single one, scream, 'I was wrong, I shouldn't have offended Miss Lee!' Once you're done, I'll think about pulling her up." "Don't you dare!" my mother-in-law screamed from above. "Nia, don't kneel! That vile woman isn't worthy!" I trembled uncontrollably, staring at my mother-in-law dangling on the brink of death, and at the terrifying, shadowy beasts circling beneath her in the water. Dignity meant nothing compared to her life. "I'll kneel!" My forehead struck the concrete with a dull thud. "Nia! Get up! Don't kneel for her!" my mother-in-law sobbed. I didn't get up. I slammed my head down again. "I was wrong... I shouldn't have offended Miss Lee." Yoyo Lee laughed in delight, watching as if enjoying a spectacular show. By the time the eighteenth kowtow was done, my forehead was a bruised, bloody mess. Blood trickled down my face, obscuring my vision. "Now... can you let my mother-in-law down?!" Yoyo Lee clapped her hands, shaking with laughter. "Bravo! How touching! Who knew an in-law relationship could be so deep?!" She walked over to the tether line, her fingers resting on the safety release buckle. Yet, she didn't unhook it. "However..." she dragged out the word playfully. "I changed my mind." A twisted, sadistic grin spread across her face. "You ruined my day. How could a few bows possibly be enough? I need to make sure... you remember this lesson forever!" "NO—!" I let out a bloodcurdling scream, throwing myself forward. It was too late. With a cruel snip, Yoyo Lee severed the rope holding my mother-in-law’s life! "Ahhh—!" A sharp, terrified cry echoed as my mother-in-law plummeted straight down into the shark tank! "Splash!" A massive spray of water erupted. The water churned violently. The sharks, already circling hungrily, shot forward like released arrows. Blood bloomed across the tank, dyeing the water crimson in an instant. The entire world turned blood-red before my eyes. My scream choked in my throat, unable to make another sound. She was gone. Right before my eyes, the mistress Julian kept on the side had thrown his own mother into a tank of sharks. Right then, someone in the crowd shouted: "Mr. Vance is here."