Two days ago, Helen sat alone at the bar, nursing her drink. By chance, she found herself seated next to Annabelle. Judging from the girl’s flushed face, it was clear she had indulged in a few too many drinks. Annabelle, being selfish, had missed her chance to marry into the Nelson family when Matthew’s condition improved. Frustrated by her own choices, she vented her anger by cursing Dolores.
Helen inched closer to Annabelle, hoping to establish a connection between them. She discovered that Annabelle was also from the Flores family and harbored a deep hatred for Dolores, her half-sister.
Since Helen was closely associated with Matthew, launching a direct attack on Dolores would raise suspicions. Realizing she needed to manipulate Annabelle to win back Matthew’s affection, Helen took the opportunity.
Although Annabelle resembled Beulah, she lacked the same level of education and refinement. At seventeen, Annabelle still had a lot of growing up to do. Helen, on the other hand, had been well-versed in society’s ways from a young age, and her association with Matthew only enhanced her skills in communication.
Helen claimed to work at WY Group and convinced Annabelle that she could help her get rid of Dolores.
After Annabelle returned home, she immediately shared the details with Beulah. Excited yet fearful of Dolores’ retaliation, Beulah agreed to Annabelle’s proposal. The two of them conspired and sought assistance from a man to execute their plan. They intended to isolate Dolores, have the man assault her, and capture the event on camera. Their goal was to ruin Dolores’ reputation and force Matthew to distance himself from her. However, they hadn’t anticipated Dolores’ escape.
After answering Helen’s call, Annabelle hurried downstairs, eager to discuss their next move with Beulah. However, as she entered the living room, she sensed a tense atmosphere enveloping the space.
Both Randolph and Beulah wore serious expressions.
Annabelle approached them and sat beside Beulah, wrapping her arms around her mother. “Mom, what’s wrong?”
Beulah remained silent.
In an agitated state, Randolph barked, “I never asked you to do anything drastic. I merely wanted you to apologize to her so she would let go of the past. Now that the company is in trouble, and we need her help!”
In truth, they needed Matthew’s assistance. It seemed that Dolores had managed to captivate Matthew’s affections, so they believed targeting Dolores would be the first step to win his support.
However, based on Dolores’ demeanor that day, it seemed she was more focused on the past grievances.
Despite everything, Randolph still had some feelings for Beulah. If their situation wasn’t so dire, he wouldn’t even consider divorcing her.
“Dad, who are you asking Mom to apologize to?” Annabelle couldn’t comprehend the situation.
“And you… Dolores is still your sister. You should try to treat her better,” Randolph glanced at Beulah. “Consider what I’ve said. I will call her now and invite her for dinner tonight.”
Annabelle, less composed than her mother, stood up abruptly and protested, “Dad, how can you ask Mom to apologize to her?”
Randolph’s eyes flickered with confusion, unable to understand why his typically obedient and sensible daughter was acting so defiantly.
“I am your father. Is this how you should speak to me?” Randolph finally erupted in anger. “Let me make it clear. If you’re willing to apologize, we can still salvage the situation. But if you refuse, I will immediately divorce your mother!”
Unlike his wife, he prioritized the company. If he maintained his status in society, finding another woman to marry wouldn’t be an issue. Losing his wealth and status would be his downfall.
“Dad…”
“Annabelle!” Beulah interjected, instantly cutting off her daughter.
She understood Randolph’s priorities. After everything they had been through, why would he care about her dignity? If he was serious, he would divorce her without hesitation. It was all because of what had happened to Jessica and her mother. Despite their long years as a family, he could abandon them as soon as he had the chance.
Annabelle stomped her feet and crossed her arms. “Dad, why? Who does Dolores think she is? Why should we apologize to her?”
With a loud crash, Randolph hurled his glass against the nearest wall and glared at Beulah with cold eyes. “Is this how you’ve been raising our daughter?”
Beulah stood up, wringing her hands. “Randolph, Annabelle doesn’t want to see me humiliated. She doesn’t understand what she’s doing. She’s still young,” Beulah explained, gently pulling at Annabelle’s arm. “Apologize to your father now.”
Reluctantly, Annabelle refused, as she didn’t believe she had done anything wrong.
“Do it now!” Randolph’s voice thundered.
Beulah’s voice was barely audible as she spoke in a hushed tone. Annabelle’s stubborn attitude would have been acceptable at any other time, but they couldn’t afford to be obstinate now. If Annabelle continued to be so headstrong, it would only further enrage Randolph. They would face disastrous consequences if Randolph turned his back on them!
Annabelle was breathing heavily, unwilling to back down. Beulah grew increasingly anxious and gave her a hard slap on the back.
“Is this how I’ve raised you? Apologize to your father now! Quickly!” Beulah urged, her eyes pleading with her daughter.
Annabelle still resisted changing her stance, but she finally sensed the gravity of the situation. “Dad, I’m sorry. I was mistaken.”
Randolph didn’t want to prolong the argument and turned away from both. “Prepare more dishes for dinner.”
After their conversation, he promptly left for work, as he had many matters to attend to in the company.
As he reached the door, Randolph glanced back at them one last time. “You two contribute nothing to me when it comes to company matters. All you know is how to spend my money. What use do I have for you if you can’t even do something as simple as apologizing to someone we need?”
Deep down, Randolph still loved Beulah, but he remained a callous man. He could clearly distinguish between material gains and emotions.
Frustrated, Annabelle clenched her teeth after Randolph’s departure. “Is Dad out of his mind?”
Beulah sarcastically replied, plopping down on the sofa, “He’s not crazy in the slightest. He’s the sanest person I know. Now that Dolores has gained Matthew’s trust, his scheming mind is planning to manipulate her to lure Matthew to his side, so he doesn’t have to worry about losing the company.”
Annabelle grew even more furious upon hearing this. “If I had been the one to marry Matthew, Dad would have never treated us this way!”
Beulah looked at her daughter and nodded. Annabelle was just as good as Dolores, if not better.
Pulling Annabelle to her side, Beulah tried to calm her down. “Now is not the time to be upset over trivial matters,” Beulah scolded, staring into Annabelle’s eyes. “Do you like Matthew?”
Annabelle blushed at the mention of Matthew. She couldn’t hide her emotions well, being young. She shyly lowered her head and mumbled a silent response.
Beulah held her daughter’s hand tightly. “You may still have a chance with him.”
“What chance are you talking about?” Annabelle asked, mildly surprised.
Beulah had a plan in mind. She looked at her daughter. “Don’t worry about that now. Just focus on presenting yourself well and leave the rest to me.”
Before leaving work, Dolores received a call from Randolph, inviting her to join them for dinner with the family. He wanted her to bring Matthew along. Dolores couldn’t decipher Randolph’s motives. Was he suspicious of her? He had been prying into her relationship with Matthew. If Randolph discovered that Matthew didn’t truly favor her, she might not be able to attain everything she desired and seek revenge against Beulah for what she had done. On the other hand, the idea of inviting Matthew to visit the Flores family seemed even more absurd.
After completing her final translation task, Dolores sat at her desk lost in thought. She pondered how she could convince Matthew to accompany her back home. Despite her deliberations, she couldn’t come up with a solution.
Helen was absent from the office, providing Dolores with an opportunity to talk to Matthew. Seizing the chance, Dolores searched for a reason to enter his office. Her eyes landed on one of the translated documents, and she immediately picked it up. Helen had always intercepted any contact between Matthew and Dolores, personally delivering Dolores’ translated work to him.
Standing in front of Matthew’s office door, Dolores took a deep breath, and after a moment…