Karen's impatience did not sit well with Sadie."Do you think the people in our circle are stupid? They know that I'm not his daughter, and he's not even my real father! I don't even know who my real father is," Sadie retorted sarcastically, leaving Karen feeling awkward."You're getting bolder as you grow older. This is no way to talk to your mother! Do you think it was easy for me to marry Vince? You say you like Sherman and you insist on marrying him, but have you ever considered that you never even had the Russell surname before this? What do you have that will make you a good fit for them?"I've given my all to help you, but what have you done? Have you made any effort? All you do is blame me, and you never even consider the challenges I face. Rita is only marrying him because of some unfortunate circumstance—""Some unfortunate circumstance? That's a nice way to put it. That was nothing more than Vince blackmailing Sherman! What a disgrace!" Sadie interrupted.Karen's frustr
Karen added, "And another thing—don't mention that I'm your mother if you end up in any trouble. You will face the consequences yourself."Sadie then slammed the door in anger as she left.Karen settled onto the sofa and patted her chest to calm her emotions. Never had they exchanged such harsh words despite quarreling numerous times over the years. Hearing Sadie berate her for being unable to offer anything left her feeling genuinely disheartened.Karen was aware that she had a disadvantaged background, but she did not let that put her down and strived relentlessly to elevate their status. Having the Russell surname was proof of her unyielding effort, and she regretted that Sadie was so blinded by love that the sacrifices Karen made over the years went unacknowledged simply because Sherman was all she could think of. Sadie seemed to have focused on what Karen had failed to provide, rather than what Karen had succeeded in securing for her.Rita had not yet returned home, but Sadie
"Watch your words. Who are you calling a mistress' daughter? My mother brought me into this marriage after your mom died!" Sadie retorted sharply.Rita could never stand it when Sadie mentioned her mother's death so frivolously. It was a topic too painful to be treated lightly. Her expression hardened quickly, and she said, "You of all people should know what sort of character your mother has. Mine passed away due to illness, but yours isn't as upright as you think. Just because I was young when you two came into my life doesn't mean I'm clueless about what's happening. I know much more than you think, so stop trying to put on an act."She then said, trailing off, "You know, Sadie…"Rita began to approach Sadie, prompting Sadie to instinctively retreat a couple of steps. The contrast in their heights became more pronounced as they drew nearer. Rita inherited her mother's height and graceful figure, but Sadie took after her father's shorter stature which she compensated by paying mor
"I will strip Rita of everything I hold dear. Then she'll finally wipe that smug, condescending smirk off her face for good!" Sadie vowed silently as she left Rita's residence.Instead of heading home, Sadie made a beeline for the Parrs' residence with her face still bearing the marks of Rita's slap. She wanted to talk to Sherman.Meanwhile, Sherman had yet to return home after informing his parents of his decision. Simona was troubled by her son's decision and had come to the company to talk to him. They were already together in his office."I've been thinking, and I realize I've been too harsh on you. Perhaps we should discuss this with the family..." Simona began, feeling uneasy about the situation. Marriage was a serious matter, and she did not want her son to rush into it. Pushing the girl seemed like a rather unnecessary decision.However, Sherman remained indifferent. "If their family is so eager to marry into ours, then go ahead and let them do so. Whatever happens after th
"Oh, dear..." Simona exclaimed, noticing the slap mark on Sadie's face. "What happened to you? Did someone slap you? Why haven't you tended to yourself?"Simona hated seeing someone else injured, and it was in her instinct to reach out and check Sadie's face. Sadie, however, was unaware of Simona's true identity and recoiled impatiently."Don't touch me," Sadie snapped.Sherman then stopped Simona and said, "You should head home and rest, Mom. Don't worry so much over this whole thing."Upon learning of Simona's identity, Sadie's demeanor changed, and her eyes lit up. She greeted her amiably. "Hi there, Auntie. I'm glad I came here while you're still around. There are some things I wish to discuss with Sherman today."Simona became curious. "And what might that be?" The sense of familiarity that Sadie seemed to show toward Sherman surprised her, as she had no idea her son had such a close acquaintance.Meanwhile, Sherman felt uneasy with how casually Sadie addressed him by his na
"You know I only have your son's best interests at heart! How can you say something like that to me?" Sadie erupted in anger and yelled at Simona.Even Sherman was taken aback by the scene. He shielded his mother and said, "I warned you not to cause a scene here. If you have a problem, you can take them up with your family,"Sherman then swiftly called his secretary through the intercom. "Lucy—"Sadie, however, continued her tirade. "I'm doing this for your own good! Why can't you understand that? Why are you so fixated on Rita? She must've put a spell on you or something! She's only pretending to be nice for the sake of getting closer to you! You were supposed to be a cautious man, but you still ended up falling for her trap! Can't you see the truth? What do you even see in her?"Sadie remained immersed in her self-righteous feelings of love. In her eyes, Sherman was a pitiful man blinded by love, and the object of his affection was none other than that wretched Rita.Lucy, as Sh
Rita pushed open the door to Vince's study. A loud bang was heard, but he remained seated at his desk and barely even looked up at her."You're old enough to know what proper manners are. What happened to the courtesy of knocking on the door before coming in?" Vince chided.Rita approached her father and slammed her hands on his desk as she confronted him. "What are you trying to achieve, Dad? I already explained that Sherman saved me, and he's already given you his explanation as well. Why are you threatening him with that video when nothing is going on between us?""If that's true, then my threats wouldn't have held any weight," Vince countered. "You're too naive. You see him through rose-colored glasses, but that doesn't change the fact that he's still a man. I understand men better than you do."Rita felt a pang of disgust at her father's words. "I may not understand men, but I understand my friend. He's not that kind of person at all, and I won't just stand by while my father
"Don't you know that those are all just baseless rumors spread by other people? I simply want the people I care about to see me for who I am. Why do you place so much importance on the opinions of those who barely know you? Why do you act like they're such a significant part of your life? You've always been too concerned with keeping up appearances.""This isn't just about keeping up appearances. I'm worried about you! Like it or not, I've already reached out to his family, and they've already agreed to the marriage. All you have to do is wait. You should know that I've gone through a lot of trouble to get to this point. You don't have a choice right now. Besides, you should also consider whether Sherman would agree to you rejecting him.""You're a manipulator, Dad! How could you stoop so low? This isn't the kind of thing a father should do. Do you genuinely care about my happiness and future, or are you more concerned about the Russells' future and the capital from the Parrs? If the