Chapter 320

Chapter 320:

Susan glanced at Mara and said, “Hello, Mrs. Riggs.” Amanda recognized Susan immediately, her surprise evident. “Susan?”

“Hello, Mrs. Santos,” Susan greeted her with a polite nod. Amanda took a moment to study Susan. The last time she had seen her at the Riggs family’s home, Susan had been emotional and irrational, arguing with Mara. But now, sitting opposite her, Susan was calm, composed, and nothing like the girl from that day.

“Well, it’s good to see you. Have you been in Ansport recently?” Amanda inquired, her tone laced with curiosity.

“Yes, I’ve been back for a while. Didn’t Mara mention it?” Susan replied, blinking in mild confusion.

Amanda’s eyes flicked to Mara, her frown evident. Moments earlier, Mara had mentioned that Susan wasn’t in Ansport.

Mara felt the weight of their stares, and a cold sweat prickled at her spine. She had spent so much time spinning tales about Susan, never expecting to be caught off guard like this.

With a strained smile, Mara forced herself to respond, “Yes, Susan returned a few days ago, but she hasn’t been around much. I assumed she might have left again.”

Susan’s gaze sharpened, locking onto Mara. “Mara, you’re aware my grandfather’s in the hospital, and I’ve been there taking care of him, right? Oh, you must have forgotten because you’ve been busy arranging my marriage. After the Norris family’s collapse, it’s clear I can’t marry Onyx now.”

The air seemed to tense as the weight of Susan’s words hung in the air. Onyx’s misdeeds, exposed in the wake of his family’s downfall, were well-known.

How could Mara have even considered such a match for her stepdaughter?

But Mara didn’t panic. Her expression shifted to one of innocence, her voice dripping with practiced sincerity. “Oh, Susan, that was your father’s decision. I remember he discussed it with you, and you agreed. If I’d known Onyx was such a scoundrel, I would never have supported the match. Surely you’re not blaming me, are you?”

What a hypocritical old witch! Madisyn silently fumed, but Susan didn’t let her down. With a sharp, knowing smile, she looked at Mara and said, “Even if that’s true, I’d appreciate it if you stopped spreading rumors about me. People might start thinking I’m off gallivanting, refusing to come home.”

Madisyn chimed in with a smirk, “But Susan, doesn’t Mrs. Riggs often give you a hundred thousand dollars? With that kind of money, why are you still working?”

“A hundred thousand?” Susan’s brow furrowed in confusion as she reached for her phone. She scrolled through her messages with Mara and then looked up, her expression calm. “I haven’t received any money from you, Mara. Are you sure you didn’t send it to the wrong person? Maybe you mixed me up with my sister, Jada?”

Amanda was sitting close enough to see the messages on Susan’s phone. One of Mara’s texts read, “Susan, your match has been found. Come back quickly. Your father said that once you’re married, he’d cover your grandfather’s surgery costs.”

“Fine,” Susan replied.

Mara’s next message was, “You should marry Onyx soon. Don’t have any wild dreams, Susan. You won’t inherit anything from the Riggs family!”

Susan hadn’t even bothered to respond to that one.

The chasm between Mara’s earlier words and the cold, hard evidence now glaring on the screen was unmistakable.

Mara’s heart pounded, cold sweat beading on her brow. Rage and panic intertwined—how could Susan dare to reveal those messages?

Amanda’s face darkened, her eyes narrowing as the truth became painfully clear.

From the messages, it was clear Mara was a mean-spirited, selfish stepmother.

Elaine, sensing the tension, subtly signaled Susan to show her the messages.

As Elaine scanned the texts, her expression hardened. As a woman who never minced words, she turned to Mara with a steely gaze. “Mrs. Riggs, is this really how you treat Susan?”

Cursing Susan silently, Mara quickly adopted a helpless demeanor. “Susan, I didn’t mean to come off so harshly. These were actually your father’s instructions; I was merely passing them on to you. As for the money, your father must have stopped the transfer—I wasn’t aware.”

Even now, Mara was pretending, shifting the responsibility onto Esteban without missing a beat.

Madisyn’s eyes narrowed, her voice laced with irony. “According to you, you must have sent Susan millions over the years. How could you not know that the money had never been transferred to her account?”

Mara tried to maintain her composure. “To be honest, I don’t usually handle the family’s finances. I only have access to the sub-card my husband gave me.”

Madisyn’s lips curved into a sly smile. “Well then, why not transfer the money to Susan now as a gesture of goodwill?”

Mara’s smile faltered, but under the weight of those watchful eyes, she forced herself to nod, turning to Susan with feigned sincerity. “It’s my fault for not catching this oversight. I’ll transfer the money to you right now.”

With no other option, Mara transferred ten million dollars to Susan.

Susan accepted the transfer without hesitation, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction as she observed Mara’s composed exterior, despite her simmering fury. After years of being under Mara’s thumb, this small victory tasted sweet.

“Thank you, Mrs. Riggs,” Susan said, her voice dripping with innocence. “I’ve never asked you for money before, but I didn’t expect you to be so generous. Can I come to you if I need money in the future?”

Mara’s smile was strained, her mouth twitching at the edges, but she managed to reply gently, “Of course, Susan. The Riggs family is your family too.”

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