Chapter 207
“I can’t believe you agreed to this!” Sylvia fumed as soon as they were inside the sedan. Dina sat silently in the backseat, too exhausted to engage in the argument. She couldn’t shake the disbelief that she had lowered herself for Rain. Watching her father’s soft treatment of Rain only stoked her anger.
They were already on the road, but her mother couldn’t stop voicing her annoyance. Dina silently agreed, her frustration growing. Rain must be so happy right now, and the thought of her life turning out so great only irked her further.
“That’s enough, Sylvia. I made a decision, so you must not question it,” Tim snapped, gritting his teeth. Dina struggled to understand what was going on in her father’s mind.
“Rain is nothing! A nobody! I don’t understand why you’re so obsessed with keeping her around, especially after treating her like she doesn’t exist! Isn’t it enough that we already took her away from p>
A loud, resounding slap echoed inside the sedan, making Dina’s eyes widen in shock. She watched, horrified, as her father struck her mother, blood trickling from the corner of Sylvia’s mouth. “Mom,” she gasped, stunned by the sudden violence.
“Open your mouth again, and if you dare to speak about that incident with anyone else around, you’ll regret it, Sylvia. You were just as responsible for it as I was!” Tim barked, his voice sharp and unwavering.
Dina stared at her parents’ backs, her frown deepening. There was something strange, something she couldn’t quite place. She squinted, replaying their heated words in her mind. ’What on earth was this ’incident’ they mentioned? And why did it seem tied to Rain p>
Her mother had looked shaken, actually shaken, and her father had been angrier than Dina had ever seen him, his voice cold, even dangerous. Dina gritted her teeth. For as long as she could remember, her parents had treated Rain with barely concealed disdain, acting as though she were an inconvenience, a shadow.
But this? This was different. They weren’t just indifferent to Rain; they seemed to be hiding something, something that had her mother so unnerved she’d been slapped into silence.
’Just what was that incident they’re so desperate to keep hidden p>
Sylvia fell silent, and tears continued streaming down her cheeks. ’What a loser,’ Dina thought, her mother’s sobs only amplifying her disdain. But then it struck her: her life could end up just as pathetic if she didn’t play her cards right.
So far, Michael had been treating her well, probably because she had managed to get on his good side. Dina gritted her teeth at the thought. To avoid any physical abuse from him, she had done everything in her power to fulfil his wildest dreams, pretending to be Rain, allowing him to call her by that name while she catered to him as if she were the very person he desired.
“Fuck!” she cursed, recalling how Michael had even purchased the same gown Rain wore on the night of her ruined engagement party. “That crazy asshole!” But right now, Michael was truly her lifeline. He could be so generous when she met his expectations.
Back at the Lancaster Ancestral Mansion, Rain was still reeling from her father’s unexpected agreement. She could hardly contain her excitement at finally arranging Aunt Melanie’s freedom. Tomorrow, they would file the petition first thing in the morning.
Her father had only one request: to keep the family name intact and unblemished. To meet this condition, they would simply need to prove in court that Aunt Melanie was fully healed and mentally stable.
Rain hadn’t mentioned her decision to decline any claim to Aunt Melanie’s shares, money, and properties because she enjoyed seeing Sylvia’s anxiety too much.
“We should celebrate!” Ben suggested with a smile.
“Isn’t that a bit early, Uncle Ben?” William remarked. “It’s only a verbal agreement. A lot can happen, and those Claytons might change their minds once we go to court p>
Rain nodded in agreement, but Alexander replied confidently, “Even if they do, we’ll still win. We’ve got more than enough leverage to expose their secrets p>
“Anyway, if I may say so, sister-in-law, that father of yours seems highly suspicious,” William added.
“Alright, enough about that,” Rock interrupted, urging everyone to focus on the meal. With that, they resumed their dinner in a more cheerful atmosphere.
“I’m planning for us all to take a family vacation. Maybe out of town or even out of the country, let’s say for a week?” Alexander remarked suddenly.
All eyes turned to him, and Rain swallowed, noticing the surprise on Uncle Ben’s, William’s, and Father Rock’s faces. They looked as if they couldn’t believe Alexander had suggested such a thing.
Ignoring their astonishment, Alexander held his father’s gaze. “What do you think, Dad? How about somewhere nice? Maybe a cruise? I remember how you used to pester William and me about it p>
Rock’s expression softened, a smile breaking through his surprise. “Well, that does sound tempting, son. A cruise would be wonderful.” He chuckled, glancing around the table. “Maybe it’s time to make it happen after all p>
Uncle Ben grinned, and William looked intrigued, nodding thoughtfully. “Alright then, I’ll make the arrangements,” Alexander said, nodding with resolve.
After dinner, Rain walked her aunt to her room. The two of them continued talking, and as always, her aunt grew sentimental, thanking Rain again for everything.
“It’s really nothing, Aunt. You don’t need to thank me,” Rain replied, smiling gently. But after a moment, her smile faded as curiosity crept into her expression. “Do you think Father is genuine this time p>
Aunt Melanie’s smile softened, though her eyes held a hint of sadness. “Rain, your father’s intentions have always been hard to read, even for me. But perhaps… perhaps he’s realizing that some things are more valuable than pride p>
Rain nodded thoughtfully, though a part of her wasn’t entirely convinced. “I just can’t help but wonder if this is all because of the Lancasters. He seemed almost… eager to please p>
Melanie sighed, reaching for Rain’s hand. “Your father may have his own reasons, but don’t let his motives cloud your happiness or your goals. You’ve built a life for yourself, surrounded by people who genuinely care. You deserve to focus on that p>