My mother-in-law, her curiosity piqued, lifted Rowan's shirt. The moment Hana saw the telltale heart-shaped birthmark, her eyes widened in shock. A deafening silence filled the room. Then, her hand, trembling with rage, connected with my cheek.
"Jimmy, are you even human?" she roared, her voice filled with disbelief and anger. "If you knew all along, why didn't you stop this? Why did you let our son—our baby—endure years of hell because of your cousin?"
Her eyes glistened with tears that fell in rivulets down her flushed cheeks. Her body shook with the force of her emotions, her hands clenched tightly at her sides as if barely holding herself back from striking me again.
The room erupted into chaos.
Relatives, once seated at tables enjoying the celebration, now stood in clusters, their faces a mix of shock, anger and revulsion.
"Has Jimmy lost his mind? That's his own flesh and blood! How could he let his child be mistreated for years without lifting a finger?" one voice spat, filled with disgust.
"You're a monster! He's your son and you just let it happen?" cried another.
"Hana, divorce him right now! A man like that doesn't deserve a family!"