biNo /i/bbAds /b

    bChapter /bb409 /b

    In the private dining room, Madeline sat stiffly, one hand tugging at her scandalously short skirtb, /bthe bother /bbidly /bscrolling through her phone. Every so often, she’d nce impatiently toward the door.

    After the third nce and still no sign of them, she frowned. “Mom, Dad, when exactly are Miguel and his girlfriend going to get here?”

    She fumed inwardly, ‘I’ve been stuck here waiting with them for nearly half an hour already. Do they not know how bto /bbbe /bpunctual at all? Isn’t this supposed to be a serious ‘meet the parents‘ dinner?‘

    to

    “Don’t worry, dear. Candice probably stopped to grab some snacks on the way, and Miguel’s keeping herpany. bWhat’s /bthe harm in waiting a little longer?” Grace tried to calm her down.

    Madeline’s anger only surged at that. “Mom, are you seriously telling me this isn’t the first time she’s stood byou /bbup/bb? /bbAnd /byou just… put up with it?”

    ‘Forget about standing them up. When I was a kid, I’d get pped just for opening the door a secondte, she thought bitterly. ‘Why does Candice get such special treatment? Aren’t I their real daughter?‘

    “Come on, Maddie. Miguel finally got a girlfriend, and she’s from such a good family. What’s the harm in being a little bmore /bamodating to her? Be a little more sensible,” Grace said dismissively.

    Madeline’s indignation rose like a wildfire. She was just about to snap back when, suddenly, the private room door swung open.

    Miguel practically bent over backwards as he ushered in a balding, middle–aged man with a gut that could rival a beer keg.

    Madeline’s heart lurched with a sickening premonition, but she still forced the question out. “Is that… Candice’s father?”

    She thought, ‘What if I’m seeing things wrong? Or maybe there’s something off about that guy himself?‘

    Madeline instinctively shielded her chest with one hand, turning her body away to avoid the lecherous gaze of the balding man at the doorway, only to be reprimanded by Peter. “What nonsense is that? He is your future husband.”

    Peter barked at her, then practically tripped over himself rushing to the door. stering on an ingratiating smile, he gestured proudly to Matthew Hughes. “Mr. Hughes, look at her. Isn’t she stunning? She’s still a virgin, so you’re really getting a bargain for that 600 thousand dors.”

    “Exactly. Mr. Hughes, my daughter isn’t just iprett /i

    She’s also a top university graduate. She’ll definitely give you a smartb, /bbeautiful baby boy one day,” Grace chimed in obsequiously.

    Madeline clenched the skin below her corbone so hard that deep red marks appeared on her skin bthis /bbpoint/b, everything had be painfully clear to her.

    So Candice wanting to meet her was just a lie. The truth was, her parents were trying to sell her boff /bbto /bbsome /bbold /bbcreep /bbfor /b

    money.

    Madeline thought in anguish, ‘But why? Just because I’ve been stalling and haven’t bgiven /bthem bthat /bbthree /bbmillion /bbdors /b

    yet?

    b1/2 /b

    b13:39 /bbWed/bb, /bb30 /bbJul /bb163 /b

    ‘I told them I’d pay as soon as I had the money. They’re my parents. Why couldn’t they bwait /bba /blittle blonger/b? She couldn’t understand it. And in that moment, she realized that she was done trying.

    She red daggers at Miguel, shouting in rage, “Was it you? Miguel, you fucking monster!”

    Feigning innocence, Miguel raised his hands. “What are you saying, Maddie? I was just trying to find you a rich bhusband/b. What did I do wrong?”

    Madeline’s chest heaved violently with rage. She sprang to her feet, jabbed a finger at the old man, and bbegan /bbto /bbcurse /bhim.

    “He’s old enough to be my father! How dare you even suggest he could be my husband? Let me tell you bright /bnow bthat /bbI /brefuse to marry him.” With that, she grabbed her bag and stormed out.

    But the next instant, Peter seized her arm and viciously yanked her back.

    He shoved her back into the chair, mming her so hard that her back hit the edge of the table, sending a sharp bpain /bshooting through her and forcing her to double over in agony.

    Yet at that moment, no one spared her a nce, let alone cared about her pain and suffering. Right beside her, Peter was already groveling, apologizing to Matthew with an ingratiating smile.

    AD