Chapter 10

Despite her harsh remarks, Nicole remained elegant and beautiful. In fact, she looked charming. Jacob pulled out the chair and sat next to Nicole. He nodded at Anson, who sat at the head of the table. "Grandpa, we apologize for being late." Anson snapped his pocket watch shut. He acted as if he had neither seen nor heard any of the commotion at the table. He placed the watch back into his pocket and instructed, "Let's eat." With that, the solemn dining table was filled with the sound of clinking utensils echoing dully in the living room. Nicole had always liked the food here. She was thrilled to attend every meal gathering at Blake Residence. She used to play the role of a wife, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter-in-law. Melissa was not kind to her and was very conservative. Melissa's teachings included strict rules about dining etiquette, which talked about serving food to her husband, observing his preferences, and ceasing to eat the moment he stopped in order to demonstrate their unity. Despite her meticulous adherence over the years, she never earned a single word of praise from the family. She could be foolish back then, but she couldn't be like that for the rest of her life. Nicole quickly dug in. She particularly enjoyed the grilled shrimp, a dish that seemed to attract no interest from the others at the table. Seeing that no one else was reaching for them, she helped herself to a few more shrimps. Before Jacob could speak, Melissa could no longer hold back and spoke up. From the moment Nicole started eating without serving Jacob, she had been upset. She coughed several times to signal her disapproval, but Nicole completely ignored it. The once-timid-daughter-in-law who would jump at a single cough now seemed like a totally different person. She was eating happily without caring about the world. "A woman should mind her dining manners. She should be refined and act moderately. Focusing solely on one dish and not stopping until it's nearly gone is the behavior of a homeless person who hasn't eaten in days!" Nicole paused. She looked quietly at Melissa. The latter assumed her reprimand had finally subdued Nicole. She was ready to fight with Nicole, so she straightened her back. Unexpectedly, Nicole stood up and pointed at the shrimps. She addressed the whole table loudly. "Does anyone want the shrimp?" Everyone at the dining table fell silent. Nicole repeated the question twice more. When no one responded, she leaned over and pulled the entire plate of shrimp in front of her. Melissa's expression changed instantly. She couldn't hold back her composure anymore. She scolded Nicole, "Where are your manners? Who takes a whole dish to themselves at the dining table?" "You really are low-class. You don't even know the most basic table manners. Don't you dare tell anyone you're part of the Blake family, or I'll be embarrassed!" Jacob frowned. He wiped his hand with a napkin; as he was ready to speak, Nicole spoke up first. "What exactly do you want? You didn't like it when I took the food from across the table. Fine, I bring them closer to me, and you're still upset. What do you want? Should I pack it up and eat it at home?" Melissa's face turned red with anger. Her lips trembled as she pointed at the table. "If you take the dish, how will others eat—" "I asked three times, and no one wanted it. How will others eat? They won't." Nicole shrugged. "All right. Are there any other issues? Speak now so I can finish my meal." Sarah quickly stood up. She went to comfort Melissa and served her some soup. "Aunt Melissa, don't be upset. Ms. Barnes usually cooks and eats alone at home. She rarely goes out. It's understandable that she's excited to eat food prepared by a Michelin-star chef. You mustn't let this affect your health." With that, she turned to Nicole and spoke softly, "How about this? I know a Michelin-star chef who can prepare a private meal for Ms. Barnes right now. Since you like the food so much, it would be perfect for you to have your own table where you can enjoy your food without upsetting everyone else." Nicole moved her lips and continued to peel the shrimp. Sarah's expression changed. "Ms. Barnes, there's no need for you to confront me like this…" Before she could finish, a cold, indifferent gaze fell on her. It made her shiver involuntarily. She met Jacob's icy eyes and suddenly lost her words. Debbie couldn't help but interject, "Jacob, aren't you going to do something about your wife? Are you going to let her behave so rudely to the elders on an occasion like this? The Blake family has their rules." Jacob dapped his lips with a napkin. He wiped away any crumbs before calmly lifting his head to look at Debbie. "Can't our family afford a few shrimps?" His voice was not loud, but it was cold enough to send chills down everyone's spine at the dining table. Debbie shivered. She forced a smile and said, "It's not about the shrimp. It's her attitude." "I'm full," Nicole said. She wiped her mouth and pushed her plate away. She stood up and looked at everyone. Melissa, whose anger had just subsided, immediately flared up again. "How dare you! Who gave you permission to leave the table when your elders are still eating?" "Permission?" Nicole laughed as if she had heard the most ridiculous thing. "I gave myself permission." She placed her napkin on the table with a thud. "I'm in a hurry, so I'll get straight to the point. Jacob and I are getting divorced. From now on, don't contact me unless it's absolutely necessary. Even if it's necessary, still don't contact me. Goodbye." Nicole pulled her chair and was ready to leave. "Stop right there!" Melissa shouted. She was seething with resentment. "After all these years of enjoying the wealth and privilege of the Blake family, you think you can just leave like this with that attitude? "Apologize to all the elders here. I might consider not pursuing the past…" Nicole rolled her eyes. She turned and sneered. "Wealth? You complained so much about me eating a few extra shrimp. Every meal here feels like I'm taking advantage of the family. There are restrictions on how much I can take. Why not just starve me to death?" "You want to pursue the past? That your son got someone else pregnant, and I'm not there to take care of her? How dare you try to settle accounts with me?" She swept her gaze over each of them at the dining table. "Aren't you all excited for a show? Feel free to come to the courthouse and give me some money next Wednesday. I didn't get a single penny for our wedding, so I need to get something out of this divorce!"