CHAPTER 441: CHAPTER 441: PROPOSAL

Her mother’s words struck the room like a physical blow, freezing everyone in place.

For a moment, Jules felt her breath lodge painfully in her throat, as if the air itself refused to move.

She couldn’t believe that her own mother, her own blood, had sunk so low as to drag out a past she had tried so desperately to bury.

’How can she stand here so shamelessly? How can she expose my scars as if they were gossip? How can she be so cruel when she knows exactly how hard I fought to stay alive?’

The revelation didn’t shock Jules as much as the realization behind it: her mother had become so consumed by bitterness after the death of her younger daughter that she no longer possessed even a sliver of guilt or hesitation.

To Annie, exposing Jules’s pain wasn’t an act of betrayal; it was simply another opportunity to indulge her resentment.

Jules’s fingers curled into a trembling fist, and disappointment flashed in her eyes, an emotion so quiet and raw that it momentarily softened even Olivia’s usually sharp gaze.

Across the table, the entire Waters family fell deathly silent.

When Annie saw that her words had stirred the room, something like triumph glimmered inside her. She straightened slightly and looked at Mary with a false expression of pity.

"Well," Annie sighed theatrically, "miscarriages happen all the time, of course. It’s not her fault. But unfortunately, Jules likely became infertile because of hers."

The moment those words left Annie’s mouth, something inside Jules snapped. She slammed her palm against the table, the loud sound startling even Alex, who rarely reacted to anything.

"’Annie!’" Jules shouted, the word shaking with fury and heartbreak. "’What will it take for you to leave me alone?’"

Annie maintained her serene, motherly expression, the kind of smile meant to convince strangers of her gentleness. Inside, however, she was smirking.

Outside, she said softly, "I’m only doing this so the Waters family won’t feel deceived. Their faces are already pale. I just want to prevent misunderstandings. Even though I don’t like my daughter, I still feel obligated to explain her situation properly so they won’t face difficulties later."

That was enough for Lucas.

He stood so abruptly that his chair screeched against the floor. He grabbed Annie’s wrist, not harshly, but firmly enough to stop her from taking even one step toward Jules. Annie blinked, genuinely confused.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

Lucas’s expression remained terrifyingly calm. "I’m taking out the trash," he said. "It’s long overdue."

Before Annie could react, Lucas dragged her toward the door with controlled strength. He opened it, pushed her out with steady hands, and shut it behind her with a click that echoed through the room like a death sentence.

Then, as if remembering something, he pulled out his phone, dialed the manager, and said calmly, "Private room three. Remove the disturbance at the entrance."

Within minutes, Annie, who had begun pounding at the door, was intercepted by a waiter who grabbed her arm and hauled her out of the restaurant entirely.

The moment she hit the pavement, Annie began screaming. "My daughter is inside that room! You can’t throw me out! She’s my child!"

The waiter stared at her expressionlessly. "Ma’am, you caused a disturbance and attempted violence. The manager instructed us to remove you."

"I’ll record this!" Annie threatened, pulling out her phone. "I’ll expose how you people mistreat an innocent, elderly woman! I’ll post this everywhere and destroy your reputation!"

The waiter didn’t flinch. "There are CCTV cameras throughout the restaurant. If we release the real footage, everyone will see who caused the commotion."

Annie’s face drained of color as the waiter walked back inside.

Left alone on the pavement, she muttered under her breath, "’The world has gone insane.’" She dusted off her clothes, lifted her chin, and strode toward a nearby café.

Once seated, she took out her phone and dialed a number. When the call connected, her voice dropped to a chilling calmness.

"I saw your ex-wife today," she said. "If you’re thinking about meeting her again, you should give up. She’s perfectly alive and doing just fine. In fact, she’s found someone new, someone rich, well-connected, a man who dotes on her like a treasure. If you’re smart, you’ll either bankrupt that man or ruin the woman herself. Jules doesn’t deserve happiness, and as long as she suffers, I’ll be pleased."

She ended the call, her hand tightening around the phone as her expression darkened. "’No matter what happens, I’ll never let that girl live peacefully.’"

Inside the private room, the atmosphere remained heavy with the remnants of her mother’s cruelty.

Jules could feel every pair of eyes subtly flicker in her direction, not with disgust but with concern, and somehow, that made it even harder to breathe.

She took a shaky breath and murmured, "’I’m sorry.’" Then, louder, she said,

"I was told before that I might face infertility issues. My medical reports say I’m fine, but nobody can guarantee anything. If Lucas chooses to be with me despite that, he might end up... childless. So I think it’s better if I step away now, before any of you have to make that painful decision."

She stood, bowing her head respectfully. "I won’t stay with Lucas. Please consider this my decision."

She turned, ready to walk away, when Lucas grabbed her wrist, not forcefully, but with a desperation that made her heart lurch.

"Why are you being so cruel to me?" he asked. "’Do you really think I’d leave you over something like that?’"

Jules shook her head slowly. "’I don’t want to become a burden, Lucas. I can’t haunt your future like this. You deserve a chance at a full family. I might take that away from you.’"

Lucas squeezed her hand. "Even if we never have children, it’s fine. Our family isn’t dependent on heirs or inheritance. We don’t have a business empire demanding successors. We just want you to be happy."

Mary nodded gently. "You don’t need to worry about anything, child."

Jules blinked, stunned.

Then Aurora casually lifted her hand and said, "Besides, we already have Theodore. He looks very fertile."

Olivia gagged dramatically. "Ew."

Theodore glared at Aurora. "You’re too young to talk like that."

Aurora rolled her eyes. "I’m being practical. Jules doesn’t need to feel pressured. A niece or nephew would be nice, but not required. Gaining a sister-in-law is more than enough."

The rest of the family nodded in agreement.

For a moment, Jules felt her heart tremble violently.

’What did I ever do to deserve people like this? How did someone like me end up with an in-laws’ family that actually knows how to love?’

Slowly, cautiously, she sat back down.

The Waters family relaxed collectively, as if relieved she hadn’t vanished through the door. They resumed the conversation with gentle humor, deliberately lightening the air.

By the end of the evening, Jules realized something powerful: these people weren’t going to make her life difficult. They weren’t judging her past. They weren’t holding her flaws against her.

She was genuinely welcome here.

What shocked her even more were the gifts.

Aurora gifted her an advanced miniature camera designed like jewelry, a recording device activated by double-taps, capable of protecting Jules from future confrontations.

She had even reminded, "In case you meet your mother or a troublesome ex-husband, just tap on the camera three times, and we can see your location and reach out to you."

Jules stared at the camera in disbelief and murmured, "Wow... from what I know, the current market doesn’t even have such a thing... how do you have it?"

"Just given by one of my friends." Aurora laughed and steered the conversation, "Don’t forget to record evidence against your mother and ex-husband, it might come in handy someday."

Jules waved her hand, said with a tired expression, "She just wants to make my life hell, she won’t do anything drastic."

"That’s what you thought for your sister, but you were proven wrong in the end again." Aurora’s words made Jules freeze as those bittersweet memories flooded her mind.

This time, even Lucas didn’t rush to protect Jules. He wanted her to take Aurora’s words seriously.

Olivia and Adriana presented her with a delicate necklace and a beautiful dress.

Mary gifted her nostalgic bangles.

Adam transferred twenty thousand dollars as a welcoming gesture.

Theodore, shameless as always, gave her an autographed book from her favorite TV actor.

Jules felt her eyes sting with emotion.

But nothing prepared her for Lucas suddenly kneeling in front of her.

He opened a small velvet box, revealing a diamond ring that sparkled under the warm lights.

"Jules," he said, voice steady, "will you become my wife?"

Her breath caught. Tears welled up. This... this moment, was everything she had once believed she would never have.

She nodded, her voice choked. "Yes."

And just like that, her shattered world finally began to piece itself back together.