Who's the Mistress?

Jennifer's mother, Doris Dewey, had been a struggling student funded by Harlan.

After graduating from high school, she was suddenly found to be pregnant and did not even attend university.

Every time Harlan mentioned her, his words were full of regret.

Later, her life had been not satisfactory, and Harlan, unable to bear it, took care of her often.

Perhaps it was for this reason that Jennifer misunderstood the relationship between Harlan and Doris.

Thinking of this, I explained sincerely once again, "Harlan and I are legally married! Although we did not have a wedding ceremony back then, many people knew about our marriage."

An older female teacher in the audience also chimed in, "I can testify to this. When Harlan got married, he indeed sent us all wedding candies."

Jennifer sneered after hearing this. "Just because you ate some wedding candies, did he personally admit that he married Odelia?"

The teacher was stunned for a moment, then silently shook her head.

Actually, since my father was a high-ranking official in the Department of Education, Harlan did not want to be accused of taking advantage of his father-in-law's influence, so we kept our marriage low-key, forgoing even a wedding ceremony.

We also maintained a discreet demeanor in public, never referring to each other as "husband" or "wife".

Now it had become a disadvantage on my side.

My heart inevitably sank a bit more.

"Charge three. Menacing the lawful wife with the absurd hope of advancing through pregnancy. My dad told me that you threatened him to divorce my mom. When he disagreed, you planned to accuse him of sexual harassment at work! You even dreamed of getting pregnant so that he could marry you. Fucking whore! Listen, as long as I'm here, you will never have a child."

At this juncture, the absurdity of the misunderstanding became crystal clear.

Not only had Harlan fathered an illegitimate daughter behind my back, but I was even being labeled a mistress!

Thinking about Jennifer's age, I just realized that she should have been born shortly after Harlan and I got married.

A chill ran through me as if I'd been plunged into an icy abyss.

As I stood there, helpless, a male teacher from my department spoke up, "I've seen Harlan and Odelia in the seminars together multiple times. Just the other day, during a downpour, it was Harlan who drove Odelia home from work. If they were having an affair, wouldn't they be more discreet?"

His words seemed to wake the onlookers up from the misunderstanding, and the previously silent students began to rally in my defense.

"That's right. A mistress would want to keep her affair hidden!"

"I heard that Mr. Woolf and his wife graduated from the same college. Isn't Mrs. Woolf a graduate of his college as well?"

"Could it be... a genuine misunderstanding? Accusing the legal wife of being the mistress? That's just ridiculous!"

Realizing the tide of public opinion shifting, Jennifer bellowed like an angry wolf cub, "She only dared to flaunt her relationship with my dad because she saw my mom as weak and easy to bully! My dad's junior? My mom was accepted to the same college, too. She just didn't attend it because she was pregnant with me!"

"That makes sense! My aunt was in the countryside before, and my uncle took up with another woman in the city. None of his colleagues knew about my aunt's existence, and they even thought that the mistress was his wife!"

"People like that are even more despicable! Taking advantage of the fact that those wives are not around, they keep pushing their way in!"

"If she dares to be a mistress and destroys other people's families, why doesn't she admit it now? She even claims she is the wife. How shameless!"

As the murmurs of disapproval grew around me, the male teacher who'd defended me looked so embarrassed.

Even the attending officials gazed at me with disdain.

"I never expected Mrs. Woolf to be so shameful! If she really married Harlan, why didn't she have a wedding?"

"It's no wonder the students are so angry. Having someone like her in the teaching profession would indeed harm the children."

I realized then that if I didn't clarify things today, I would forever be branded a mistress.

"You say Harlan is your dad; is your mom named Doris Dewey?"

Jennifer laughed arrogantly. "So, you're finally admitting to being the mistress?"

"Let's call them both over and settle this once and for all. Then we'll know who the mistress is and who the disgraceful illegitimate daughter is!"