Liam's blunt words set Sherah off like a firecracker!She was never so disrespected in all her years, except by Liam, who had the nerve to challenge her time and again since he came back."What did you just say? So what if I'm her stepmother? I'm still an elder in this family, and by law, I'm her mother! And who are you to challenge me? Do you think you can just marry her without my blessing? Over my dead body!" Sherah was livid, her voice rising with each word.She had plans, big plans, to introduce Celena to the rich and powerful men of Drunham City.Celena, a single mother with a beauty that turned heads in Drunham City, would be a catch for any rich man looking for a younger wife, and they wouldn't bat an eye at her having a child.There were plenty of childless tycoons in Drunham City, and Celena with her kid would fit right in.Liam had no time for Sherah's tantrums. He grabbed the marriage certificate from her grip and, with Celena in tow, strode past her.That's when She

"Give it up, Celena. My proposal's a shoo-in. What could you possibly have whipped up in four days? That's not even enough time to get the lay of the land. If I were you, I'd cut my losses and head home—save the humiliation. And it's not just the Stone family watching this time, but the entire board, the whole upper crust of The Stone Group!" Cheryl's voice dripped with scorn as she threw Celena a sidelong glance."And I'd skedaddle if I were you, to dodge the shame! What can a washout like you come up with? You're living in a fantasy!" Sherah chimed in, standing triumphantly by Cheryl's side, her earlier grievances with Celena in the little courtyard long forgotten in her moment of gloating.The Stone family members lingered at the entrance, their faces twisted in scorn as they sneered at Celena. They already made up their minds about which proposal they had back, having pored over both documents beforehand. One proposal was a masterpiece of precision, while the other was laughably

In that heated moment, Cheryl's anger toward Celena boiled over. It was all because of her. Why did she have to return? Without Celena, Cheryl wouldn't have been humiliated in front of the entire Stone family and the company's top brass, their laughter echoing in her ears.Celena was the root of it all, the one to blame for Cheryl's disgrace.Unable to contain her fury any longer, Cheryl, her face contorted with rage, stormed toward Celena in a clatter of high heels. She swung her hand high and roared, "Celena!"Crack!Caught off guard, Celena did not see it coming. The forceful slap hit her squarely, and before she could even react, a stinging red mark appeared on her pale cheek, swelling up instantly.Cheryl's slap was fueled by pure spite, and the height of Celena's swollen face bore witness to the intensity of Cheryl's wrath.Off to the side, Qemal watched the drama unfold with a smirk, silently cheering on the spectacle.Dazed by the impact, Celena sat frozen, her eyes brim

Meanwhile, at the Stone family's house.Cheryl, her face marred by bruises, cried in Yafe's study. "Dad, Liam has gone too far! Look what he did to my face, how badly he's hurt me! I won't just let this slide, and as for Celena..."Yafe's face darkened with fury as he threw the cup across the room, his voice thundering, "Liam has crossed the line, living under our roof and attacking you repeatedly! He shows no respect, Cheryl, come with me. We're going to see Mr. Stone. I can't believe he'd dare to act like this on our turf!"Cheryl hurried after him, worried, lacing her voice, "Dad, what about the deal? What do we do? Are we going to just roll over and let Celena have it?"With a distant smirk, Yafe replied, "Don't worry, I've got a plan up my sleeve."Let Celena take over? Not a chance. Even though she was his flesh and blood, Yafe never saw eye to eye with her. And with Liam in the picture, they would be left with nothing if she took control.They couldn't let Celena anywhere

"Celena, we're home!""Mommy, guess what Jovie got for you? Jovie got you lots of yummy treats, come on, tell me I did good!"At the yard's entrance, Liam walked in with Jovie in his arms, only to find Celena on the ground, her sobs filling the room. Liam's expression darkened, and he quickly set Jovie down, his heart squeezing with worry. He was only away briefly, and already she was hurt again.Celena looked up through tear-stained eyes, her sense of injustice deepening. Sitting on the chilly floor, she caught Liam's look of concern, lunged for his embrace, and let her tears flow freely."Liam," she cried, "Grandpa took the deal away, he gave my proposal to Cheryl. Why? Why does he do this to me? I'm his granddaughter too, why is he so distant toward me?"At that moment, Celena let out all her pent-up hurt and confusion.Jovie, wise beyond her years, wrapped her arms around Celena, tenderly drying her tears while her own began to fall. "Don't cry, Mommy. Please, no more tears.