Chapter 252

Chapter 252:

“Did you solve the family issue?” Madisyn asked, her voice tinged with concern.

“I’m still dealing with it, but don’t worry. I’ll manage,” Susan replied, her tone calm.

Madisyn trusted Susan’s abilities, but she couldn’t help feeling concerned. Whatever was going on, it had to be serious enough for Susan to resign and return home to deal with it.

“If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out,” Madisyn urged. “We’re best friends, and we’re supposed to help each other through tough times.”

“Okay,” Susan agreed. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes welling up with tears. She was dressed in a delicate gown, the type that would have taken Madisyn by surprise if she had seen it.

Susan was about to say more, but the door suddenly swung open, startling her into cutting the call short. Her expression hardened as she turned to the intruder. “Why didn’t you knock before coming in?”

The woman who entered was elegantly dressed, the picture of sophistication. Though she appeared to be in her thirties, she was actually well into her forties. Her features were delicate, but there was a trace of menace lurking in her eyes and the arch of her eyebrows.

“We’ve been waiting for you. Who were you talking to? Don’t keep him waiting any longer!” Susan’s stepmother, Mara Riggs, snapped, her voice dripping with mockery. “Susan, it wasn’t easy finding you a good man to marry!”

A wave of bitter irony washed over Susan as she heard this. “If he’s such a good man, why don’t you marry your own daughter off to him?”

“How dare you!” Mara’s voice grew loud as she raised her hand to hit Susan. But Susan stared back with steely resolve. “Go ahead, slap me. Let everyone witness just how mercilessly you treat me at home!”

Mara hesitated, her thoughts shifting to the man Susan was about to meet. She couldn’t afford to jeopardize such a promising opportunity. Lowering her hand, Mara sneered, “You’ve really become bold, speaking to me like that!”

Susan’s expression remained unfazed. “Anyone who’s been mistreated by you for years would turn out like this,” she replied.

After her biological mother passed away, Susan’s father remarried, transforming her life into a living nightmare. Though she was her father’s legitimate daughter, her situation was even worse than that of an illegitimate daughter. She had persevered through the years, focusing on her career, only to be pressured into marriage by her family. They even used her grandfather’s medical bills as leverage. Since her mother’s death, her grandfather’s health had declined, leaving him reliant on costly medication. Susan couldn’t afford such expenses. Where could she get so much money? The only option she had was to accept the marriage. In that moment, she found an odd sense of relief in the fact that Dane didn’t have feelings for her. A bitter smile touched her lips.

“Let’s go. Don’t keep him waiting.” Mara snorted.

Susan descended the stairs and found her father, Esteban Riggs, seated on the sofa. When he saw Susan, dressed so much like his late first wife, his eyes briefly softened with emotion.

Susan locked eyes with him, her gaze icy and unyielding. “Once I get married, I’ll cut all ties with this family.” Esteban’s heart ached at her words, but he kept his expression stern. “If that’s what you want, so be it.” His pride prevented him from yielding to his daughter. Without saying another word, Susan turned and walked out.

Esteban watched her leave, a mix of emotions flickering across his face. Seeing his distress, Mara sat beside him and said, “Look at her, darling. She’s more and more unruly now. This marriage is a blessing for her, yet she talks about cutting ties with you. Doesn’t she realize how hurtful that is? What an ungrateful girl.”

“Let her be. When she’s out of money, she’ll come to appreciate what she has given up,” Esteban said coldly.

“Exactly,” Mara agreed.

Susan arrived at a hotel to meet her prospective husband, a young man from a wealthy family. They were both outcasts, brought together by forces beyond their control. At least he wasn’t an old, unattractive man. Throughout most of the meeting, Susan sipped her coffee in silence, hardly talking.

Suddenly, a familiar voice from behind made her heart race. Susan spun around but saw no one. Was she losing her mind, imagining that Dane might appear? That was impossible!

Susan let out a bitter laugh, feeling as if a cold wind had sliced through her heart, leaving her in torment. “Excuse me, I need to use the washroom,” Susan said, rising to escape the stifling atmosphere.

In the washroom, she splashed water on her face, trying to regain her composure. Her heart ached with such intensity that it felt numb. She reminded herself that her relationship with Dane was over—though, in reality, they had never truly begun dating.

“Did you really think you could run away from me?” A familiar, icy voice pierced her thoughts.

Susan turned in shock to find Dane standing there, his usually composed face now showing intense emotion. For a moment, Susan was too shocked to speak. Then she managed to ask, “What are you doing here?”

.

.

.