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Chapter 22
Mabel’s serious tone suggested she wasn’t joking at all.
Whether she was adopted or not, her aura alone made it impossible for Rhea to compete with her. In the face of her. Rhea was narrow–minded and petty, and it seemed she was best at acting pitifully for sympathy. In short, she didn’t have what it took to be the heiress of the Harper family at all.
It was the first time Mabel insulted Rhea like this. To think Mabel asked her to choose between apologizing and slapping herself was impossible.
Rhea was burning with rage. If there were no one around now, she’d have slapped Mabel’s hateful face. Unfortunately, all her friends and family were present, so she had to maintain her pitiful, harmless persona
Either apologizing or slapping herself was a great humiliation. Of course, she didn’t want to choose at all.
All she could do was look at Matthew pitifully, hoping he’d step up and make things right for her.
However, his eves wo
practically glued to Mabel. It seemed as if he had totally forgotten about Rhea.
In fact, he had been hesitating these days. Mabel didn’t take him seriously, whereas Rhea was full of herself, trying to replace Mabel. He was wondering if he should give them the cold shoulder for a while and wait for them to come to their senses. Then he’d marry Mabel while keeping Rhea as his mistress. How wonderful would that be?
Yet the second he saw Mabel tonight, he regretted it so much. Only a fool would choose any other woman over her, who was simply perfect.
He even had the urge to propose to her right now in front of everyone and make her his. In such a way, other men would stop getting any ideas.
Seeing Matthew practically drooling over Mabel, Rhea knew he was captivated.
And of course, getting him to stand up for her would be wishful thinking.
Gritting her teeth, she bowed to Mabel, putting away her ego. “I’m sorry, Mabel. I shouldn’t have badmouthed you behind your back. Please forgive me.”
Now she could never get rid of the name of the jealous gossiper who spoke ill of her sister.
Mabel remained indifferent. She said in a flat voice, not even bothering to look at Rhea, “If you do it again, I’ll make sure you pay a heavier price.
Dale and Beatrice couldn’t hold back anymore.
They had thought that since Mabel turned 18 today, she had now reached the legal age to sign the share transfer agreement. To get her to do that, they’d accommodate her anyway. It was OK that Rhea suffered a bit for now. After they owned the Barrett family’s billions of dollars worth of inheritance, they’d deal with Mabel, who was so ungrateful.
But what had just happened was too much. In front of so many people, Mabel embarrassed Rhea utterly. It was the same as humiliating them
“Enough!” Dale said sternly, his tone carrying the harshness of the head of the family. “Mabel, are you done yet? Rhea is your younger sister. Even though she made a mistake, giving her such a hard time is uncalled for!”
Being given a chance to start over, Mabel had been waiting for day.
No one but her knew how sick she felt when she called them Mom and Dad while living with them during this period of time.
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Chapter 22
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“Exactly how young is she?” she sneered. “She’s a few months younger than me, but she’s about to become an adult, right?” You’re her parents. Since you fail to discipline her properly and allow her to badmouth me as she pleases, don’t blame me for punishing her in my way in public.”
Dale was secretly surprised, as he had never seen this side of Mabel. In his mind, she had always been meek and even timid. The realization that she was slipping out of their control somehow terrified him. Driven by both fury and uneasiness, he pointed at her and was about to scold her.
Noticing that he was about to lose it. Beatrice grabbed him in time to stop her. She whispered, “Let go, Dale. Don’t forget our plan.”
Being reminded, Dale cooled down at once. He gave Mabel a somewhat angry look as a warning, swallowing his words back.
Meanwhile, Beatrice lectured Mabel, acting like a stern mother, Mabel, don’t talk to Dale like that. He’s your dad. Even if you want to throw a tantrum, at least do it after we get home. Today is your birthday party, and there are so many guests present. Others may think we fail to raise you properly.”
Rhea chimed in, “Mom, that’s enough. As you said, it’s Mabel’s birthday today, and I should let her have her way. It’s just…. I’m sorry. You spent a fortune on her party, but she still found me an eyesore. I guess I shouldn’t have gone back. I feel that I’m such an intruder…
Compared to the beautiful and tough Mabel, she seemed a lot more vulnerable. Her words successfully made some people feel sorry for her again, and they felt that her apology to Mabel earlier was kind of a compromise.
“Mabel enough is enough. You’re just Dale and Beatrice’s adopted daughter, but they didn’t make a big deal out of Rhea’s homecoming party for fear of hurting your feelings, OK? Be grateful.”
“Rhea is so sensible. Why can’t you be more like her? She’s the real daughter, yet you make her feel like an outsider. Where’s your conscience?”
“Thanks to the Harper family, you’ve lived a privileged life for so many years, while Rhea suffered out there alone. Don’t you feel guilty at all?”
“If she hadn’t gone missing and Dale and Beatrice had adopted you, who knows how miserable you would have been now?”
“One ought to be grateful. If I were you, I’d treat her better than any own sister. She’s immature and speaks ill of you. It’s not a crime, is it? Go easy on her.
“Dale and Beatrice pampered you. That’s why you’re so willful
“They’ve done their best. If I were them, I’d kick you out right away!”
They all pointed fingers at Mabel.
Hearing this, Rhea was secretly overjoyed. Yet she still acted innocently, burying her head low with tears in her eyes, looking nothing but pitiful.
But little did she know her act would be in vain, as Mabel would on expose her true colors.
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