Chapter 966



“Don’t bother trying to scare me,” she replied.

“I know my dad will be furious, but that doesn’t mean anything to me. My mom is what matters most, and seeing her happy is all I care about. If my dad gets upset, that’s his problem. I want them to reconcile because it will bring my mom happiness.”

Elma’s voice sharpened as she leaned forward.

“And you? You claim you’re not trying to worm your way into my family, yet you had the nerve to show up at my family gathering. What? Do you think I’m just a clueless kid who doesn’t understand what’s going on?”

Embarrassment mixed with rage coursed through Lacey as she raised her voice sharply.

“Elma, open the door right now!” Lacey’s mounting frustration erupted as she snapped at the driver, “Are you deaf or something? Open the door, immediately!” But the driver remained stoic, wisely choosing not to engage with Lacey’s demands. Lacey and Jake weren’t even officially an item, yet Elma, as Jake’s daughter, held all the influence. He would be foolish to ignore Elma’s wishes.

Elma, fueling the confrontation, sneered at Lacey.

“You scheming woman! No one here supports you. You’ll never fill the role of my stepmother. Even if my parents remain apart, you don’t stand a chance.”

With a scornful twist of her wrist, Elma rolled up the window and directed the driver to pull away.

As the vehicle picked up speed, Lacey’s temper flared. If not for the bystanders, she would have unleashed a torrent of curses at the departing car.

gⱯlnσν𝓮ℓs․cøm, your destination for tales Stranded, Lacey attempted to wave down a taxi in desperation. However, it struck her that her phone was nestled inside her purse, which unfortunately remained in Jake’s car. Now, phoneless and penniless, her situation grew dire.

Resolute, Lacey stepped toward the road, trying to stop the occasional car, sharing her urgent need for help.

“My name’s Lacey, I’m associated with Jake Reeves. I truly am. Could anyone please drive me to the Reeves family home? I assure you a hefty reward for your troubles, any amount you deem fair. I’m not lying. My connection with Jake is solid. He’s a prominent figure.”

Everyone seemed to think she had lost her grip on reality.

“Surely, she’s not right in the head. None associated with Jake could end up in such a disheveled state!”

“Is she trying to pass herself off as Jake’s woman? I’ve seen the guy, wealthy and handsome. Why would he settle for her when he could have someone far more striking?”

Frustrated by the ineffectiveness of Jake’s name to sway opinions, Lacey reluctantly brought up Kallie.

“You all know Kallie Nixon, don’t you? She’s said publicly that I am a sister figure to her. I’m not making this up. Are you really going to dismiss me like this?”

But her words fell on skeptical ears. No one was buying her story.

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