CHAPTER 175: CHAPTER 176: WE PASSED BY EACH OTHER (1)

Sienna Johnson reined in her temper, trying to speak calmly to Pauline Briggs. "Madam Johnson, my fate hasn’t been as kind as yours, nor my life as perfect. When you were at your maiden home, you were doted on by your parents, elders, and older brothers. Then you married a good man and haven’t had a worry in the world."

"..."

"This is my life now. If you find me annoying, I’ll move out."

If there truly is reincarnation, they must have been enemies in their past lives. Otherwise, why would a mother and daughter, sharing the same blood, despise the sight of each other so?

"You..." Pauline began, but Sienna’s retreat didn’t extinguish the fury in her heart. "I’m doing all of this for your own good! You’re still so young; you can still find happiness. Why are you clinging to that burden?"

"Curly Baby is not my burden, and I have never regretted giving birth to her!"

"I like Curly Baby too!" Samara piped up.

Samara had just finished her homework and came looking for Curly Baby when she overheard her mother. Running to her sister’s side, she said, "Don’t listen to Mom! Don’t give Curly Baby away. Curly Baby and I both don’t have fathers anymore. If she loses her mother too, how pitiful would that be?"

"Samara, go back to your room right now!"

Pauline had indeed been planning to send Curly Baby away. Her daughter was still young, with a long life ahead. Pauline, who enjoyed a happy and fulfilling marriage, believed that a woman’s happiness depended on marrying a good man. Therefore, she saw Curly Baby as a stumbling block to her daughter’s future happiness and naturally wanted to send her away.

"Sister, Mom wants to send Curly Baby away! You have to hide her well so Mom can’t send her away," Samara whispered, having secretly overheard her mother’s conversation with Sabrina Johnson, and now warning Sienna.

Samara was still a child and loved playing with the doll-like Curly Baby. She had made it a habit to play with Curly Baby after finishing her homework from school.

Sienna was aghast. "What? Send Curly Baby away?"

She looked at Mother Johnson, seeking confirmation. Pauline flushed with embarrassment, not expecting her younger daughter to have overheard. But seeing the resentment in Sienna’s eyes, she didn’t hesitate to speak her mind.

"Yes, that was my plan! You’re still young, with a long road ahead of you. I sincerely hope you can be like Sabrina, marry a good man, and live a stable, peaceful life."

Throughout her life, she felt she shouldn’t have tried to control her daughter, but she couldn’t just let this matter be. Sienna was still young and didn’t understand which path led to happiness. As her mother, even if Sienna resented her for it, Pauline felt she had to use every means possible to help her cut off any chance of turning back. Her daughter shouldn’t waste time and affection on indecision; she didn’t have that much youth to squander.

"Marry a good man?" Sienna sneered.

A man like Frederick Stewart? A good man?Sienna would rather become a nun for life than marry a beast in human clothing like him.

"Madam Johnson, let me make this crystal clear to you today: do not meddle in my affairs. You have no right to interfere! If you want to show concern, go find Sabrina Johnson!"

Sienna shot her a disgusted look, not even bothering to waste more words, then turned and went back to her room.

Pauline had never suffered such indignity in her life. Her eyes misted over as she cried out, "I’m doing all this for your own good!"

"I don’t need it!" Sienna retorted coldly.

Pauline was stung by Sienna’s icy glare, and tears welled in her eyes, making her look pitiful. Sienna, however, was heartless and slammed the door shut.

...

"What’s wrong?" Kiki asked, concerned. She was holding Curly Baby and noticed Sienna’s face flushed with anger.

"Keep a close eye on Curly Baby these days!"

"Huh?"

Sienna had been too busy to watch over Curly Baby properly. Kiki spent most of the time with her, so Sienna felt it necessary to warn her about Pauline’s insidious plans, explaining that Pauline intended to send Curly Baby away.

"How could she do such a thing?" Kiki was equally furious upon hearing this, clutching Curly Baby tighter as if afraid someone would snatch her away.

"Madam Johnson’s way of thinking is beyond ordinary comprehension! Just ignore her." Sienna’s chest ached. She frowned, her heart filled with worry as she looked at her daughter.

She hated those two years of confinement and despised the man who had kept her like a mistress. Yet, she had to thank that same man for bringing the treasure that was Curly Baby into her life. With Curly Baby, she was no longer utterly alone in this world.

Her phone rang. Seeing it was Marvin Rafael, Sienna took a deep breath to compose herself before answering.

"Brother, how are things over there?"

"Sienna, I have good news! Those herbal medicines you had planted at the foot of Blackwood Mountain have sprouted."

"Really?" This was truly wonderful news.

Once it was confirmed that Blackwood Mountain was suitable for cultivating black ginseng, fritillary, and other difficult-to-grow herbal medicines, Sienna could completely abandon Eastminster Mountain.

"...Master Avery said they’re growing very well. We’re planning to start large-scale planting."

"Good. Send people to do it immediately..." Sienna paused, still feeling a bit uneasy. "Actually, never mind. I’ll go there myself."

"Alright, you should come and see. After all, Oriental herbal medicine isn’t like growing crops. I’m really not an expert at it."

Her mood, soured by Pauline, was now brimming with joy. Sienna decided this was the best thing that had happened since she took over the Eastminster Group.

"Kiki, I need to go back to Blackwood. I’ll have to trouble you to look after Curly Baby."

"Okay, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her."

Sienna gazed at her innocent daughter, kissed her smooth cheek, and said with reluctance, "Curly Baby, be a good girl at home and listen to your Godmother. Mommy will be back soon."

"MMM..."

"Good girl!"

...

「At the foot of Blackwood Mountain,」

Sienna had specifically brought the best master with her this time. After inspecting the herbs in the experimental plot, the master confirmed that Blackwood Mountain was indeed suitable for large-scale cultivation of black ginseng, fritillary, and other such herbal medicines.

"Master Avery, please stay a few more days and get all the herbal medicines planted."

"Yes, President Johnson!"

"Sienna, a man came to the village offering a high price for Mountain Snow Lotus..." Marvin Rafael reported, having found Sienna in the experimental plot after coming from the village.

Mountain Snow Lotus, which grew on treacherous cliffs and bloomed only once every fifty years, was exceedingly rare. Sienna had recently purchased one from a local, intending to take it home for her grandmother.

"Go tell him we don’t have any."

Marvin, an honest and straightforward man, scratched his head. "I already told him you have one."

Sienna frowned at Marvin, momentarily speechless.