Karina was declaring her sovereignty with me. I could no longer be generous and silently endured the suffocating atmosphere.

“I'm tired, Darrel. You guys can go without me.”

Darrel had no doubts. When Karina left, her smug smile lingered and rolled into my mind. It didn’t dissipate even after a few minutes had passed.

I tightly covered my heart and forced myself not to cry. That night, Karina came to the VIP floor again on her night shift.

“Edmund said that he likes Mrs. Giselle a lot. This is the bracelet you gave to your wife, right? Sorry for today. I forgot to take it off.”

Darrel rubbed his eyebrows. “I usually don't wear it very often, she probably didn't notice it. You'd better not appear in front of her in the future. I'm afraid she will be suspicious.”

Karina replied, “That's good, I was afraid she would misunderstand.”

Karina stared at Darrel closely for a while. She then changed the subject.

“Have you told your wife about going to the ancestral hall to recognize her ancestors? She has inconvenient legs here. Does she need me to come forward.”

Darrel immediately interrupted Karina's words by saying, “No need.”

He refused without hesitation. “You only need to take good care of Edmund, Karina.”

Darrel took a breath for a while. He then looked sharply at the woman who was in front of him now.

“Giselle Siegfried is the lady of the Roderick Family because she is my wife, Karina. For this kind of occasion, it's only right that she should be there.”

Suddenly, the doctor came over to tell my husband that I had fallen out of my wheelchair. Darrel immediately ran back to the hospital room. His body was sweating because of nervousness.

He asked me, “Giselle, are you okay?”

Before he came in, I viciously twisted my wrist cruelly. My tears streamed down my face from the pain.

It hadn't been a fall at all just now. I had recovered and was walking independently when the doctor suddenly came in to measure my temperature. 

In that desperate situation, I could only pretend to have fallen. Darrel hugged me so tightly when he heard the doctor portray the scene. The heartache in his eyes was practically overflowing.

Darrel said, “Giselle, why are you so stupid? Whether you can stand up or not in the future, I will love you.”

I hugged him back. If it wasn't for Karina and Edmund, maybe I would really be the happiest woman in the whole world. But his love was too worthless.

In order to reassure Karina, he told me the next day that he wanted Edmund to enter the ancestral hall and join the family tree.

Darrel looked at me closely. “Even though he's an adopted son, it's the only thing we can do to shut people's mouths.”

I actually realized that sooner or later, this day would come. The day Edmund officially returned to the Roderick Family was the day I left.

Against Darrel's expectant gaze, I nodded without saying a word. I also took care of the clothes that Edmund would wear that day.

Darrel was very gratified and straight said Edmund would definitely respect me. But I did not need his filial piety and respect at all. I just wanted my own child.

My inner roar and collapse were all drowned under my calm appearance. Unfortunately, nobody could hear the slightest.

After returning to the Roderick Family's old mansion, Karina moved in with Edmund to live in as a matter of course. She was more impressive than me. Karina looked more like Darrel’s wife. 

The Roderick Family's two oldest loved this eldest grandson so much that Karina also followed the rise of the boat. I think they already knew about Edmund's existence a long time ago. Only I was like a clown and foolishly deceived by the illusion for so many years.

On the day Edmund recognized his ancestors, I was pushed into the ancestral hall by the maids. On the other hand, Karina was waiting in the main hall early. She took the maid's place and pushed the wheelchair while provoking.

“Mrs. Giselle, you actually guessed that Edmund was the child of Darrel and me a long time ago, didn't you? It's really hard for you to endure the humiliation of the position of Darrel’s wife. But unfortunately, this position no matter how glorious this position is, it won't be yours anytime soon.”

I smiled faintly at Karina at this moment. “Are you very proud? It's just an illegitimate child who can't be seen in the light. Even if it's on the family tree, so what?”

Karina looked at me with extreme pity. “After Edmund recognizes his ancestor, he will be trained as an heir in time. But not to mention that you're a waste now, even if you give birth to a child, your child will no longer be able to compare to Edmund. Oh, by the way, I heard that your child is also a male fetus, right?”

I just glared at her. But Karina laughed arrogantly.

“It's a story of choosing one of two, but Darrel is still resolutely standing on my side. Don't you understand?”

In my heart, I just said, “Say whatever you want., Karina. You can ridicule me in any way. But why mention my poor child?”

I didn't want to target anyone. I just wanted to spend today and leave peacefully. But I knew it was not allowed. I stood up with my crutches and threw a slap in Karina's face.

“Edmund is a member of the Roderick Family, so who are you?”

As the words fell, Edmund immediately ran in and hugged Karina's waist.

“Mom, why did you hit my mom? Bad woman!”

The two elders of the Roderick Family followed closely behind. Their faces instantly turned pale when they saw Karina covering her face and shedding tears.

“Giselle, what are you doing? Who gave you permission to make a move in the ancestral hall?”

Darrel's mom, Felicia Larkspur, sneered coldly at me, “A hen that can't lay eggs is worse than a dog. Hurry up and get lost. Don't be an eyesore here, Giselle!”

She pushed me away. Putting on a full show, I fell straight onto the low table covered with incense and candles. The scalding burns made me almost speechless in pain.

Darrel just stood straight not far away with disappointment written in his eyes. “Giselle, today is Edmund's good day, stop messing around, okay?”

He then ordered, “Go and touch up Mrs. Karina's makeup right now.”

Darrel then stared sharply at everyone in the room. “From now on in the Roderick Family, seeing Mrs. Karina is like seeing me. So, no one is allowed to be rude!”

I was still silent. I knew in front of me that he actually was backing up his mistress, Karina.

Watching him meticulously inspect Karina’s wounds, Edmund shed tears of aggravation on Karina's behalf. Meanwhile, my face turned pale inch by inch.

“Mrs. Felicia, please make way.”

The maid wanted to relight the candle. Darrel's mom impatiently yanked me away., “You are in the way, Giselle. Don't you have any eyesight? If you delay my grandson's auspicious time, I will see how I will deal with you!”

Darrel still didn’t say anything at this moment. I then was left alone to push my wheelchair away quietly. I realized it was almost time.

When I was leaving, Darrel's text message happened to be sent.

Darrel: [I don't blame you for what happened today, Giselle. Karina is Edmund's adoptive mother. It's normal that you don't like her, Giselle. But I hope in the future you have to get along with each other. Please, don't make childish tantrums anymore. Do you understand? In the future, Edmund and I will make it up to you.]

After reading it, I made up my mind. I directly threw my cell phone out the window.

Shortly after, the ceremony at the ancestral hall was about to begin. All of the Roderick Family's respected elders were present. Darrel looked around and didn't see my figure.

“Quickly go and invite my wife to come here now.”

But a long time passed and I didn't show up. Darrel's mom said impatiently, “What has this damn girl been doing? She got angry after I said a few words to her?”

Karina had a cautious look. “Mrs. Giselle wouldn't be angry with me, right? It’s my fault. I shouldn't talk to her to please her and upset her. You can blame me.”

Darrel's dad, Sebastian Roderick, tapped his cane hard. “This Giselle is getting more and more outrageous! I think it's better not to come. After all, Karina is Edmund's biological mother, right? Why don't we let her come instead?”

Everyone looked at Darrel at this moment. He then responded in a deep voice, “Giselle is Edmund's nominal mother, without her present, it's ultimately inappropriate.”

Darrel ordered one of the maids there, “Send someone go and invite my wife again!”

After a long time, the incense and candles were extinguished and re-lit and then the assistant appeared wiping a cold sweat. “Mr. Darrel, Mrs. Giselle… ”

Looking at the maid hesitated to speak, Darrel signed for a while. He then said to the clan member, “Giselle is making a little fuss again. She is in an uncertain mood after her surgery. Please be considerate of her, elders.”

After saying that, he also said to his assistant, “Go again and ask my wife to show up right now. You have to make sure that my wife will appear!”

Then he turned around and lit incense in front of the tablet.

“Oh My God, Mrs. Giselle fell off a cliff!”

In the next second, the incense body snapped in Darrel's hand in response. He turned around violently, lifting his assistant's collar with one hand and his eyes widening angrily.

“What did you say? Say it again! Her legs haven't recovered yet. How could she walk to the edge of the cliff? Are you all dead people?”