“Mom, if she's ever upset you before, don't bottle it up. It's not worth making yourself sick over.”

I smiled and said nothing.

But just as the banquet was winding down,

the doors swung open：

“Which one of you is Julia Manning?!”

Twenty years ago,

I severed all ties with the Manning family.

I gave myself a new name.

My sister Ella Manning looked exactly the same as she had two decades ago.

The only difference was that her waist-length hair was now pinned up.

Her face had taken on the polished allure of a woman in her prime.

The moment she saw me, she froze.

A few seconds passed.

Then she smiled：

“Morris's mother is you?”

I didn't answer.

“Sister,” Ella's gaze sharpened with mockery：

“Everyone says you never remarried in twenty years, and yet……you had a child?”

“Is there something you need, Ms. Manning?”

That snapped Ella back to the reason she'd come.

Her eyes cooled as they settled on me：

“Linda hasn't stopped crying since she got home.”

“And?”

“Don't you think you're shameless?”

“Hm?”

Ella glared at me, unblinking：

“You can't beat me, so you take it out on an innocent girl!”

I smiled and said nothing.

“Julia Manning.”

Ella's voice went frigid：“Don't think being the richest man's mother gives you the right to do whatever you please.

“Don't forget, my husband held that title once, too.

“And Linda's grandmother, our mother, is a philanthropist known the world over.”

I sat in the head chair, unhurried：“And?

“Since when does your family get a say in other people's marriages?”

“I……”

Ella's grip tightened on her clutch：“I'm just warning you not to push it!”

“You barged into my banquet to force me to accept your daughter.”

My gaze turned cold：“So who's really the one pushing it?”

Ella clenched her jaw.

She was used to getting her way in every social circle.

Everyone deferred to her out of respect for Clyde Harding and our mother.

But none of that worked on me.

I gave security a look.

Two guards stepped forward immediately and seized her by both arms.

“Julia Manning, you dare have them treat me like this!”

Ella was panicking now.

I didn't look up.

For the first time in her life, Ella was dragged out with a guard on each arm like some common trespasser.

“Julia Manning! This is too much! You've gone too far!!”

The doors closed.

Her screaming was sealed on the other side.

I wiped my mouth with a napkin.

Stood.

And gave the room a slight bow：

“My apologies for the disruption.

“Small tokens of appreciation have been prepared for everyone. Please see the house manager on your way out.

“Enjoy the rest of the evening.”

With that, I turned and left the table.

Morris followed me out.

The next morning, I had barely gotten out of bed

when someone arrived at my front gate requesting to see me.

The door opened.

Clyde Harding and I stood face to face.

Since the last time we'd seen each other,

a full twenty years had passed.

“I'm here on behalf of my wife and daughter.”

Clyde got straight to the point.

His eyes drifted across the estate's interior.

Something close to wonder flickered in his gaze：

“All these years, you built all of this on your own?”

I kept my tone flat：“Was anyone going to help me?”

His gaze lingered on me.

He let out a quiet sigh：

“What happened back then……I was rash.”

“Then who exactly are you here for, Mr. Harding?”

Clyde's breath caught.

The girl who used to cling to his arm and call him “honey” without a second thought

could now cut him down without hesitation.

Clyde let out a sigh：

“I've spoiled those two.

“You know how it is. Mom and I both doted on them.

“After what you did yesterday, neither of them has eaten a thing.”

“What I did?”

I set my coffee cup down and locked eyes with him：

“Mr. Harding, are you telling me I no longer have the right to manage my own family's affairs?”

“That's not what I meant……”

Clyde hesitated for a beat：“It's just that anyone with eyes can see it.

“This is clearly revenge.”

I smiled：

“If you insist on putting it that way, then fine. I admit it.”

“But isn't the real reason you're angry just that I didn't marry you back then?”

Clyde grew agitated：“What happened back then can't be undone.

“If you want revenge, come after me. Don't take it out on two innocent women!

“Name your price.

“As long as you let Linda marry Morris, you can have everything I own!”

I stared at the man in front of me, genuinely surprised.

Then I laughed：

“Clyde.

“You're self-made.”

He froze.

A sigh escaped him, and he turned his face away.

“You swore you'd never let yourself live in poverty again.

“And now you'd throw away everything you've built? For them?”

Clyde sighed again：

“They……mean more to me than money ever could.”

My smile turned bitter.

He'd said those same words once.

To me.

Clyde.

I had him escorted out in the end.

On his way out, he kept looking back：

“Can't we talk about this a little more?

“I meant what I said about the compensation. I'm not joking.”

“Julia. Please.”

“They're really hurting.”

I gazed out the window.

And what about the girl who'd knelt on the ground twenty years ago, sobbing that she'd been set up?

Clyde had barely been gone when another visitor arrived.

Someone else wanted to see me.

The moment the door opened.

We both went still for a heartbeat.

Jim Winfield.

The man who'd been lying beside me that night.

My sister's boyfriend.

All these years.

He'd believed I was the one who drugged him.

And in the twenty years since.

He'd been just like me.

Never married.

“I didn't expect you to come too.”

I spoke first.

Jim sat down across from me.

His expression was complicated as he glanced around my home.

Then he looked at me.

And said：

“I didn't realize how determined you were.”

“Hm?”

“Morris. I only found out yesterday that he's your son.”

I said nothing.

“That night?” he asked.

I knew what he meant. The night my mother had set us both up.

I shook my head.

He sighed：

“You don't have to deny it. I understand.”

“He really isn't yours.”

He studied me.

A helpless look crossed his face：“You always were stubborn.

“But you should know by now who I've been staying single for, all these years.”

I drank my coffee and said nothing.

“Making things difficult for Ella and her daughter, honestly, that's a bit much.”

“So you're going to meddle in my family's business too?”

I swept him with a cold look.

He sighed：

“Julia.

“Strictly speaking, Morris is my child.

“That makes this my family's business too.”

“I already told you. He's not your child.”

Jim looked at me：

“Julia, I have eyes.

“That boy looks like me.”

I almost laughed at the absurdity：

Jim Winfield was the rugged type of handsome.

Morris was too.

“The boy has the same look as you, Mr. Winfield.

“But that look isn't exclusive to you.

“Mr. Winfield, you're really reading too much into this.”

Jim sighed：

“Fine.

“I'll take the loss.

“I can marry you.”

I froze.

He looked at me：

“Julia, if that's what you're after, then I accept.

“We can go get legally married right now. What do you say?”

I was so thrown I couldn't speak for a long moment.

“My heart probably won't ever belong to you, but I'll do everything I can to fulfill a husband's duties.”

I'd had enough.

“Show him out.”

“Julia Manning!”

Jim frowned：“Do you have to make things difficult for Ella and Linda?!”

I stared at him, ice-cold：

“Show him out!”

Jim looked at me like I was the unreasonable one.

My people removed him.

I pinched the bridge of my nose：

“If anyone else comes looking for me, turn them away at the door!”

But the next day.

My assistant came in to report：

“Ms. Manning, there's a visitor outside who insists on seeing you.

“She says she's your mother.”

More than twenty years had passed.

My mother's eyes were still just as cold when she looked at me.

She walked in.

First, she scanned the room, taking in my surroundings.

A scoff：

“These twenty years, you really have been holding your breath for this.”

“Mrs. Manning, why don't you just say what you came to say.”

My mother looked at me：

“You spent twenty years lying in wait, all for today. Am I right?”

I frowned.

She stepped closer：

“Daughter, you are my daughter.

“I understand you hate me.”

And with that.

She stood right in front of me.

And dropped straight to her knees.

I stared at her, stunned：“Mom?”

“If this will make you feel better, your mother can kneel.

“Warmie.”

She looked up at me：“I still prefer the name your mother gave you.”

My outstretched hand stopped in midair.

Her eyes locked onto mine, unblinking：

“What happened back then was my choice alone.

“I don't regret it, but I'll take responsibility.

“I owe you an apology.”

I looked at her with a bitter smile：

“For your little sister, you'd actually go this far.”

“Yes.”

I quietly pulled my hand back：

“Mom, there's one question I've never understood.

“Can you answer it for me?”

“What?”

“How is it that you can be a world-renowned philanthropist, helping all those children in need?”

My voice cracked：“And yet you could never bring yourself to treat me fairly?”

My mother went still.

I looked at her through burning eyes：

“I even secretly got a paternity test done.

“I am your child. Isn't that right?”

My mother lowered her head.

“Mom, say something.”

“I'm sorry.”

She looked at me, her gaze unwavering：

“But I can't bear to see Ella suffer.”

I laughed.

She couldn't bear to see Ella suffer.

So it was fine to let me suffer instead?

My laugh turned cutting：

“Get up.

“I will never forgive any of you.”

“Warmie!”

I said nothing.

“Julia……”

Her voice was almost a plea.

I stood by the window：“Show her out.”

My mother looked at me, eyes red.

The sorrow in them slowly gave way to bitterness.

And then to resentment. Even anger.

She slammed the door on her way out.

I stood by the window, watching her retreating figure.

I gave the order：

“Arrange a matchmaking gala for Morris. No restrictions on background. Anyone with good character and the right age is welcome to attend.

“Except Linda Harding.”

“Yes, ma'am!”

The gala came together quickly.

Morris was dressed impeccably.

“Setting up something like an arranged marriage for you. Will you resent me for it?”

“No.”

Morris looked out at the young women：

“I've never forgotten that you raised me on your own.

“It's time I did something for this family.”

I smiled：

“If there's someone you like, it doesn't matter if her family has nothing.”

Morris turned to me：“As long as I like her?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Even someone who isn't here tonight. You can choose her too.”

“In that case.”

Morris stood up.

He raised his arm.

The champagne tower, two stories of crystal, crashed to the floor in a single sweep.

Glass shattered everywhere.

Every girl in the room shrieked and stumbled back.

Champagne splashed across my clothes.

I looked up.

Morris had a white-knuckle grip on the hand of Linda Harding, who had just walked through the door.

“I'm sorry, Mother. I know you don't like Linda.

“But I'm going to marry her.”

Linda looked down at me.

She leaned into Morris, her body pressed against his：

“Sorry, Auntie. Looks like your word doesn't really count for much after all~”