Chapter 3
Upon hearing that, Roseanne and Felicia stood their ground at the doorway, arms crossed over their chests, staring down at Cynthia with challenging eyes.
Cynthia let out a cold laugh, taunting, “What’s this! Done with playing the doting sister and caring stepmother!”
Ever since her return to the Larson residence, the two had been two–faced, one act for her father and another behind his back. Cynthia had grown accustomed to it. Therefore, she wouldn’t take their words seriously.
Losing patience with the standoff, she squeezed through the gap between them and pushed open the door. As Cynthia brushed past, Felicia–who was wearing high heels–nearly stumbled and fell.
Roseanne quickly caught her mother, still shouting after Cynthia, “Just wait until Dad gets back. We’ll see how you can strut around then!”
Cynthia didn’t linger, simply heading straight upstairs.
By noon, Mason finally arrived home.
At the dining table. Mason got straight to the point “Cynthia, you’re gonna visit that room again tonight. Mr. Roberts is waiting for you there. He has agreed to let go of last night’s incident. As long as you serve him well tonight, he will still invest in us.”
Cynthia couldn’t believe her ears. The failed attempt from the night before was resurfacing again today. Mason was relentless, as though he wouldn’t rest until he’d traded her off. Or perhaps the very purpose of bringing her back after abandoning her in the countryside for ten years was
for this moment
“I won’t go,” she refused directly.
Seeing Cynthia’s firm stance, Mason played the sentiment card. “Cynthia, this company was your mother’s hard work, and it is in crisis now. You don’t want to see all her efforts go to waste, right?”
“So you do remember that this is my mother’s hard work, Cynthia retorted coldly, looking straight into Mason’s eyes.
Mason looked awkward as he said, “I did your mom wrong back then, and I am trying to make amends now, aren’t It”
“Is this the so–called amende Dump her daughter in the countryside, and when you finally bring her back, all you want to do is to sell her!” “It’s because the company is in trouble; I have no choice.”
Cynthia’s heart sank as she stared at Mason and swallowed her retorts. It was useless to argue a man whose heart had already gone astray.
Clancing at Roseanne, who was diligently eating her meal but inwardly reveling in Cynthia’s misfortune, Cynthia smiled slightly. “Don’t you have another daughter? She’s enjoyed the good life all these years, it’s about time she started contributing.”
Mason’s face darkened at once. He became serious, asserting, “Don’t take your frustrations out on your sister. She has an engagement with the Sullivan family that cannot be broken.”
Mason’s immediate defense of Roseanne sent Cynthia’s heart plummeting
She countered, “So my life is the one to be ruined. But I recall the Sullivan family aren’t pleased that she’s the daughter of a mistress and are considering calling off the engagement.”
Both Roseanne and Felicia turned a deathly pale. Being the “other woman was one thing, but having it pointed out was quite another.
As Cynthia remained stubborn, Mason’s anger flared. “I say, you must go tonight:
He then pulled out his trump card. “If you want to get the shares your mother left you, you’d better start being obedient
Cynthis paused, her hands slowly clenching into lists. Her grandfather had mentioned the shares before his death. She had returned this time to claim her rightful shares and to see for herself what kind of man could cruelly send his own flesh and blood
away.
She had been reluctant to take back the shares before, not wanting to harm her father who had worked so hard to build the company. But now she knew that some people just weren’t fit to be parents,
A fierce resolve began to gleam in Cynthia’s eyes.