Cyrus scoffed and reassured him, âDonât worry.
Maggie just claimed sheâs no longer involved with that man.
â
He then turned to Maggie and said, âMaggie, tell us.
Are you still involved with Mr.
Robles?â
ALL eyes were on Maggie.
Maggie clenched her fists, unwilling to engage with such a_ pointless question.
Onlookers began to gather, eager to see the drama unfold.
âCome on, answer! Are you really his secret lover?â
âI donât care whether she is or isnât right now.
But Iâve never seen a girl lead such a loose life.
She seems to have learned nothing but how to lure men during her extra years of education!â
âThatâs right! Young man, youâre so good-looking and successful.
Why would you fall for such a woman? Look at my daughter.
Sheâs still pure, absolutely spotless! Why donât you consider dating her instead?â
The surrounding chatter was a cacophony of mockery and scorn.
Karlâs brow furrowed as he battled to contain his fury.
Suddenly, Maggieâs parents burst onto the scene.
âMaggie!â Helena called out, maneuvering through the crowd.
âMom, Dad,â Maggie murmured, stealing a glance at her father, who bore a somber countenance.
Drake maintained a stern expression, offering no response.
Reyna seized him, exclaiming, âDrake, you and your wife arrived just in time.
With this troublemaker here, letâs resolve the feud between our families once and for all today.
â
âReyna, how do you propose we settle this?â he inquired.
In the presence of his sister-in-law, Maggieâs father Drake immediately assumed a humble demeanor.
Reynaâs response was laced with bitterness.
âYou can inflict permanent harm upon her, and Iâll convince my husband to maintain our familial bond.
You also have the choice to return every gift weâve bestowed upon you and prepare to be excommunicated by the entire Shear clan.
Donât even entertain the thought of inclusion in the family registry, even in death!â
While South Bay Village wasnât exceedingly remote, it adhered to age-old traditions, rooted in its rural origins.
For instance, the family registry symbolized a memberâs identity.
Drake and Helena feared being ostracized from the Shear clan.
Desperation overcame Helena as she seized Reynaâs aunt, urging, âReyna, Maggie may not understand, but sheâs still my child, whom I carried for ten months.
Canât she apologize to you as a sign of reconciliation?â
Reyna shrugged off her grasp.
âDo you believe an apology will absolve everything? What about the injustice my daughter endured in prison?â