Rita then remarked casually, "Must Sadie feel the need to speak her mind all the time? Doesn't she feel embarrassed?"Sensing that an argument was about to brew over, Karen intervened hastily, "Ahem! Donna can cook whatever they want after moving with them to Southerhill. You don't need to worry about them, Sadie."In fact, I think you should drink more of this soup even if you don't really like it. Just look at how thin you've become. You're practically just skin and bones. You need to eat more so your brain has the energy to cope with your studies in school. And besides, you ought to cherish these last few days that Donna is still around."Sadie did not seem grateful at all when Karen filled her bowl with soup. She felt the need to hate things that Rita liked, so she pushed the bowl away in disgust and nearly spilled its contents.Sadie tensed when Vince glanced over, but she remained stubborn and said, "I told you the clams are overcooked, Mom. I don't want any more soup, and ev
Rita had Vince wrapped around her finger, and the mention of his unborn son immediately caught his attention. He passed Karen some cutlery and remarked, "You should be eating more during this period. Remember to have a balanced diet, though."I'll take a stroll with you after the meal. I'm not too busy these days, so I'll be happy to keep you and our child company."Karen was visibly pleased. "You don't have to stay with me every hour of the day. I didn't need to be pampered when I raised Sadie before.""That's because you hadn't gotten the luxury you have now. This baby is ours, Karen. I promise none of you will suffer," Vince assured, caressing her hand.Sadie felt like the odd one out, as she had no blood ties to the Russells and could only have a genuine connection with Karen. Alas, Karen seemed so fixated on Vince and their son that Sadie became something of an afterthought.Sadie dared not imagine what might happen if the child in Karen's womb was a boy. She probably would h
Were it not for the huge dining table that separated them, Karen would have been tempted to give her daughter a gentle pat as a signal to stop her nonsensical chatter. Sadie's actions were only setting herself up for embarrassment. Sherman seemed to view her as non-existent, and there was really no point for her to try to get close to him.Sadie set the soup aside and said, "I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but I'm just telling the truth. Take today, for example—your husband's sudden arrival caught our parents off guard. I think we can all agree it's not very hospitable of us to receive him as a guest when our meals were not even prepared yet. If word of this gets out, our reputation for hospitality will be tarnished. And I don't think I need to remind you that your husband is an esteemed guest. You know that better than anyone, and you should at least be considerate of his status."Rita chewed her food and shot Sadie a glare. She knew what Sadie's intentions were. Sherman's presence
As Rita grew older, she tactfully chose to sleep in another room and rarely ventured into her late mother's. On significant occasions, however, she would still retreat there for a few hours where she could have a sanctuary to reminisce about her mother.Vince had subtly alluded to that room, using it as a gentle reminder for Rita to return home more frequently and remember her roots as a member of the Russell family. While it was acceptable for her father to broach the subject, it carried a different weight when echoed by Sadie, who had no right to speak considering her place in the family."Don't worry, Dad. Just because I'm married now doesn't mean I won't come back anymore. Besides, I'm having dinner with you, aren't I? Now that I'm married, I think it's time I make some things clear. I can't have people assuming that things will continue as it was when I was single. In the future, I'll come back for dinner alone unless it's a special occasion. Sherman has his own family to keep c
Rita's attitude was so firm that Vince's expression soured. "You interrupted before he even said anything. Is that the sort of attitude you should be displaying?"Rita was not happy at that remark, and she would have engaged in a direct argument with her father if Sherman was not around. His presence made her refrain from engaging in any confrontation, as she did not wish for him to see her family make a scene. All she wanted was to end the meal and leave.Dining at the Parrs was so much more enjoyable than at her own home. Though both sides were a complete family, the atmosphere was worlds apart."I can't believe that the daughter I've raised for all these years has changed completely after getting married. I can't help but wonder what lies you've told her to make her show such devotion to you.""He has never lied to me, Dad. You're the one who is continually siphoning money from the Parrs, but he's never said anything bad about us!" Rita retorted anxiously. Her blatant exposure o
When Vince left, Sadie leaned to her mother and whispered, "Don't you think you're being so harsh on Dad? He did slap you by accident, but he already apologized to you. Can't you forgive him?"Karen then confided, "He reminded me of someone when he slapped me earlier.""Who?" Sadie asked casually."The man who condemned you and me to that dark, damp place. Your biological father." Karen grasped Sadie's hand. "I know you don't want to dwell on the past, but I think you ought to know what sort of person he was. His career wasn't going well back then, and he always lashed out at me when he came home drunk. That was about the same time I met Vince, and I decided that I wanted to leave him for Vince."I believed that Vince was the only one who could rescue me from that hell, but now he's turning into the same person that your father was. How do you expect me not to be afraid when the person I thought was my savior is acting like the devil?"Sadie was too young at the time to remember E
Sadie then added, "Can't you see that things are still awkward between them?""I didn't notice that at all. All I see is how much they like each other," Karen responded helplessly."You don't have to lie. I know they don't have feelings for each other. If Rita can do it, then why can't I?"Karen sighed. "You're my daughter. I believe that you deserve the best, but you should at least look at the situation. What you said at the dinner table was inappropriate. You were already asking Sherman to visit more often when your father hadn't even said anything yet! If anyone finds out, you'll have a hard time finding a husband!""But I already found the man I want to marry. I want Sherman! You've been living the easy life for far too long, Mom. You've forgotten all those struggles we had to go through. Marrying Sherman would put Rita beneath me forever, and you'll finally be able to vent out that pent-up frustration."Despite Karen's attempts to reason with her, Sadie remained fixated on S
"I don't approve of your father's actions, but I'm still thankful to him," said Sherman.Rita's ears perked up. "What for? I thought his attitude doesn't sit well with you."She did not understand what Sherman meant. If she were in his shoes, she would have been irritated if someone demanded money from her every day. Sherman, however, could still bring himself to smile in spite of all that. Perhaps such a quality was what made him a good company president."I'm grateful that he insisted on letting you marry me," Sherman replied.Rita fell silent. Her face turned red, and her heart was pounding. She did not dare to entertain the meaning behind Sherman's words, and she immediately looked away when she saw Sherman gazing at her."You... You need to stop saying things like that. I'll repay the money my father borrowed from you. You don't need to resort to your tricks...""What sort of tricks do you mean?" Sherman teased as he looked at Rita's flushed face and reddened ears."Like yo