âWhat does she have to do in your case with the Lane family?â Sabrina was confused.
I smacked my forehead and sighed. âYou went on a vacation with Zachary back when Remington held his art exhibition, so you didnât know about it. My artâs credit was stolen. It sold for an exorbitant price, and even art lovers overseas knew about it. You even congratulated me, but my name wasnât on that painting. Crystalâs was.
I told Sabrina briefly about Isabelleâs demands, including why she was nice to Crystal. Sabrina didnât think it was serious at first, but she was shocked when I told her my own mother wanted me to give the painting to Crystal. When she heard that Isabelle wanted me to marry Tobey, she almost went on a rampage.
âYvonne, did you get dumber after your mother came back? You arenât even that smart in the first place, and now youâve gotten worse. Just say no, woman. I know you donât want to make things tense, but thatâs how it is with relationships. You havenât seen her in years, so I know you want to get along with her, but giving in to her every demand is not going to work.â
I covered my face and sighed again. âWhat should I do then?â
âSimple. Tell her what your boundaries are, why youâre upset, and what you want her to do. Itâs important. If you give in, sheâll just think you donât mind her controlling you. You need to be frank.â Sabrina shrugged.
âSabby, itâs a lot worse than you think it is. Just because I want to communicate, it doesnât mean sheâd listen.â I used to think Sabrinaâs advice was great, but it was useless when it came to Isabelle. Of course, I would like to talk to Mom, but she refused to listen. If she refused to listen, then there was no use.
Sabrina, for once, was confused. âBut thatâs how families work. If communication fails, then are you even a family?â She scratched her head.
I looked at her solemnly. She made an offhand remark, but that gave me inspiration. There was this feeling welling up in me, and a crack slowly opened up in my rigid soul.
âDonât look at me like that. Iâm just kidding. Maybe itâs just how you communicate. Just get a chance to talk with her.â Sabrina stuck her tongue out, but when I still wouldnât talk, she said, âDonât get mad. I was just talking nonsense.â
âIâm not mad.â I shook my head, crestfallen.
Sabrina leaned on the table and played with her child using a teacup. âIâm not an expert in this. Relationshipâs my forte, so you shouldnât take any advice from me. I mean, every parent loves their child, right? Iâm a mother, so I think Iâm qualified to say that.â
When I was about to answer, something on the TV caught my attention, and both of us turned to see what was going on. It was an interview show, and Crystal was the guest for that episode. She was dressed up beautifully, and her smile gleamed like a star.
âMs. Yates, your painting has garnered a lot of international attention. It is recognized by both the public and Mr. Sawyer himself. Your fans are also proud of you, so are you sure you want to donate all the proceeds you earn from this to a charity organization?â
âYes. Iâve made up my mind since the beginning. I donât think most of us have ever been to an orphanage, but let me tell you something. The orphans deserve every ounce of our sympathy. I lost my father, but luckily, I have a loving mother who takes great care of me. I can sympathize with them, and they need our love. Thatâs why I want to provide for them as much as I can. I always pray for their happiness.â
Sabrina slammed the table. âThat b*tch!â she cursed coldly. âShe doesnât know what shame is!â
I narrowed my eyes, and a deriding smile curled my lips. I guess some people just take everything for granted. Including stealing someone elseâs hard work. Then, the next scene came in, showing Isabelle in a glamorous dress as well. Even though Sabrina blocked my view, I still saw Isabelle standing together with Crystal the moment she showed up.