As soon as the call connected, Cindy was the first to speak. "Jen, couldn't hold back, huh?"I sneered, "You've been waiting for my call, right?"Cindy chuckled, sounding smug. "Of course, I've been waiting for this call for a month. If you didn't call soon, I would've thought you were either really stupid or too scared to dig for the truth. I'm guessing you have a lot to ask me, right?"I cut straight to the point. "How about we meet?"Cindy casually replied, "Sure, you pick the place."I said, "Let's meet at the same restaurant as last time. You know where it is."Cindy paused for a second before responding with a cold laugh, "Fine. But Jen, if I see anyone else there, it will ruin my mood. I won't tell you a single thing.""Fine. I'll come alone," I said.I changed into a white dress, grabbed a cardigan, and slipped into comfortable flats before heading out.At the restaurant, I chose a seat by the window and ordered an iced Americano with lemon slices and an egg mayo sandw

I listened attentively as Cindy described her reasons for targeting Max and her decision to involve me. I remained patient, refraining from interrupting or pressing her further. Today, I would finally uncover the truth."At that time, I grew disinterested in Max. I was taken aback by how easily he could be manipulated, lacking any backbone whatsoever. His shallow nature disgusted me, and I no longer wanted to engage with him. I believed someone like him would be better suited for you, given your fondness for him. I thought it would be amusing to witness you eventually discovering his true character."Cindy casually crossed her legs, admiring the exquisite latte art in her cup. "That morning, after breakfast at the hotel, I asked him to leave. I then proceeded to block him on all platforms and caught an afternoon flight back to the Unitedland."This marked Cindy's first breakup with Max.I looked at her intently, curiosity filling my eyes. "What happened next? If you held such disda

I met her gaze calmly and replied, "I do want to know, but don't you need to finish boasting about your accomplishments before explaining why?"There was a flash of anger in Cindy's eyes, but she quickly suppressed it. She took a deep breath and looked at me intensely. "Because I was furious. I had been away for over a year, and that useless Max still hadn't dealt with you. He was still being looked down upon by Aaron Middleton as a gold digger! He was still your lapdog, and you were still happily playing princess. It sickened me to see it!"Puzzled, I frowned and was about to ask Cindy what I had done to make her hate me so much.Through gritted teeth, Cindy said, "Especially when I was in so much pain, seeing you happy made me livid."Unable to hold back any longer, I asked Cindy in confusion, "Do you have some sort of mental issue? We've never met before. What did I do to make you hate me so intensely? You even went as far as purposely rear-ending my car when I was pregnant and

Cindy scoffed, her expression icy and distant. "Why would he choose you and your mother over me?"I was utterly perplexed. Did she imply that my father had some sort of relationship with Cindy? But that couldn't be true. Cindy had grown up abroad, rarely returning to the country, while my father had always been here. It was impossible for such a scandalous story to exist between them.Suddenly, Cindy seized the cup in front of her and flung it to the ground. The cup shattered into pieces, startling the nearby customers and the waiter standing nearby. The waiter hesitated to clean up, sensing the tense atmosphere.Cindy's anger seemed to erupt from deep within her. "Why him!" she demanded furiously.She appeared exactly like a woman who had been abandoned.But my father? How could he be involved in something so scandalous?I would not let her defame my father like this! I slammed my hand on the table, shouting, "Are you trying to tarnish my father's reputation?"Cindy shot back,

Clearly, the word "mistress" struck a nerve with Cindy. Her face twitched as she struggled to accept it, but the truth remained.Cindy clenched her fists, her eyes red with anger as she glared at me, trying to suppress her rage. "Jen, you know that's not the point.""The point you think you're making means nothing to me. I don't care about Susanne's relationship with my father, and you won't provoke me with it. But I warn you, my father's good name isn't yours to tarnish. If I hear even a whisper of you slandering him, I won't let you off easily!" I emphasized, "Do you understand?"Tears welled up in Cindy's eyes, and her voice grew hoarse. "Jen, are you threatening me?""You can take it that way," I replied coldly. "No one can clarify events from over twenty years ago. I'm not interested in how your mother disrupted my parents' relationship. If you're hung up on it, you won't find answers from me. From now on, stop bothering me with this! Or else—""Or else what?""Or else, I wo