Chapter 11

After saying that, Grandma carefully opened the gift box. To her surprise, inside was also a jade bracelet.

Susanna Lane gave it a casual glance and couldn’t help but sneer.

What a coincidence! Both of them gave the same gift. It’s inevitable to compare them side by side.

“Sis, I know you’re not in a financial good situation right now, but you can’t just give grandma stuff from street stalls!”

The tone was filled with mockery, and his eyes showed disdain.

As soon as these words were spoken, although the elders around didn’t take a close look at the bracelet, they began to discuss it as well.

“Giving something so inferior on such an important occasion is really unacceptable.”

“Both are members of the Raine family, but these two sisters couldn’t be more different.”

“She’s no longer the young lady of the Raine family. Of course, she’ll appear rather humble. But if she had any sense, she wouldn’t come here to make a fool of herself!”

“…”

Hearing these words, Grandma’s face turned solemn, and she yelled, “Enough!”

Although she’s already in her sixties, Grandma still exudes great authority. The elders immediately stopped speaking further.

Susanna Lane frowned and grabbed her grandmother’s arm. “Grandma, I know you feel bad for Sister, but she really went too far this time.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Grandma slapped her hand away and glared at her angrily.

At that moment, a deep voice said, “Let me take a look.”

Everyone turned in the direction of the sound and saw that the eldest uncle of the Rein family had stood up.

Suddenly, someone whispered, “Lord Reine of the Reine family is an expert in appraising treasures. No matter what item comes his way, he can immediately tell whether it’s genuine or fake, and what its quality is.”

The eldest uncle of the Ryan family took the jade bracelet from his grandmother. From time to time, he examined it under the light and felt its texture with his hands.

Everyone’s nerves were on edge, especially Susanna Lane…

After a moment, his eyes lit up. He said calmly, “This jade bracelet is of the highest quality from the Zangjin Pavilion. Its color is clear and bright, and its texture is as smooth as mutton fat. It’s certainly worth collecting.”

After saying that, he turned to Marina Lane and said softly, “This item must be treasured like a jewel in the Gold Pavilion. It seems you’ve put a lot of thought into it.”

Upon hearing this, Marina Lane was utterly shocked.

Weren’t this jade bracelet on sale at a special price? She only paid 3,000 yuan for it. Why does it seem so valuable in my uncle’s eyes?

Before she could speak, Susanna Lane asked, somewhat incredulously, “Uncle, you can’t possibly be mistaken, can you?”

Hearing this, the eldest uncle of the Ryan family immediately became angry. He said coldly, “That jade of yours is worth at most two hundred thousand. I just didn’t say so.”

“How is that possible? I clearly spent five hundred thousand!”

After saying that, Susanna Lane realized she had revealed the actual price. She immediately covered her mouth.

Something that deserves such high praise from the head of the Ryan family must be worth millions. But how could Marina Ryan possibly afford it?

Susanna Lane also thought of this and quickly said, “It’s obvious that she obtained this item through dishonest means. All the money she made was spent on keeping her handsome boyfriend. How could she possibly have the money to buy something so expensive?”

Suddenly, she thought of the man who rushed out to save Marina Lane that day. Since he didn’t seem like someone to be trifled with, why not throw some mud on him now?

Marina Lane grabbed her grandmother’s arm and explained earnestly, “Grandma, I’m not keeping any boyfriend. I’m actually married already. His family is very wealthy. This gift was actually chosen for you by him.”

Hearing this, a flicker of surprise passed in Grandma’s eyes, but it vanished quickly. “Grandma is getting old now. I just hope to see you happy. Since you two are already married, when will you bring her here for me to meet?”

“I’ll go talk to him first, and then I’ll come to see you another day.” Marina Lane smiled sweetly, looking very polite and well-behaved.

“Grandma, you must not let her deceive you under any circumstances…”

Before Susanna Lane could finish speaking, Grandma gave her a cold glance and yelled, “Shut up!”

With that roar, it seemed as though the entire world fell silent.

Susanna Lane had red eyes and clenched fists. Although she was unwilling to comply, she didn’t dare to confront her grandmother head-on.

She had always felt that her grandmother favored Marina Lane. To her surprise, when Marina Lane got married in secret, her grandmother didn’t blame her at all. In fact, she seemed happy about it.

Grandma took Marina Lane aside and said gently, “It’s been two years since we last met. Grandma has so much to tell you.”

Seeing this, the way the elders around them looked at Marina Lane changed.

I used to think that Marina Lane was just a useless girl who had been driven out by the Lane family. But it seems that the old lady really loves her. I guess I need to change my attitude toward her from now on.

Since she was young, her grandmother never really got close to her. Her grandmother treated Marina Lane very differently. If it weren’t for her grandmother’s constant favoritism toward Marina Lane, Marina Lane would have been killed countless times by now.

Throughout the entire banquet, watching how Susanna Lane’s face turned almost green with frustration, Marina Lane couldn’t help but feel delighted. Sitting beside her grandmother, receiving compliments and approval from those around her, Marina’s feelings of resentment subsided a little.

After the party, Marina Lane spent some time talking with her grandmother again. She didn’t leave until her grandmother fell asleep.

Marina Lane knew that without Will Jody’s constant support behind the scenes, she probably wouldn’t have been able to get through today’s situation so smoothly. In that case, it would be Marina Lane herself who would be the one to suffer the mockery.

Marina Lane was thinking about how to properly thank Will Jody when she got back. While she was figuring out the best way to express her gratitude, someone stopped her.

Although Marina Lane was in so much pain that she could hardly breathe, she forced herself to act cold and indifferent.

“Is there something wrong, Mr. Ji?”

Marina Lane’s calm and indifferent demeanor, as if she never knew Chad Dick at all, angered him. Had this woman really forgotten everything about their past together?

Chad Dick really wanted to have a proper conversation with Marina Lane. But Marina’s indifferent attitude hurt his feelings and damaged his dignity.

“What, it hasn’t even been long since we broke up, and now there are men from all over the world ready to serve you. Have you already lost interest in me so quickly?”

Chad Dick tried to get the answers he wanted by humiliating Marina Ryan. But the moment Marina Ryan heard that Chad Dick wanted to marry Susanna Ryan, her heart was already dead.

“What? Just because you became part of the Suzanne Ryan family, do you immediately start acting like a wife who follows her husband’s lead? You haven’t changed at all. You’re naive and believe whatever others say. The esteemed Ji family’s young master has to be led around by a woman. Don’t you think that’s humiliating?”

“Marina Lane, you’re a heartless and despicable woman. If it weren’t for Susanna telling me, I wouldn’t have known how much longer I’d be deceived by you!”

“Lie? Am I forcing you to date me or marry me? When you pursued me, you said you loved me and wanted to protect me for life. Now, just because of someone else’s rumors, you won’t even give me a chance to explain. Is this what you call love?”

“Brother Chad, I’ve been looking for you for so long without success. So you were here all the time!”

Suzanna Lane’s delicate voice reached Chad Dick’s ears, instantly extinguishing the anger in his heart. Chad Dick even felt a tingling sensation throughout his body.

Chad Dick looked at Susanna Lane tenderly. Seeing that she was wearing only a thin dress, he took off his own suit and draped it over Susanna Lane’s shoulders.

That look seemed to be saying to Marina Lane, “So what if you’ve won your grandmother’s favor? The man you love still obeys me.”

“Sis, I accidentally told Brother Chad about your prostitution. I’m sorry. I should have kept it a secret for you. It’s all my fault. Sis, you can punish me however you want!”

Susanna Lane blinked her big, watery eyes, looking at Marina Lane with an innocent, apologetic expression, like a child who had done something wrong. It seemed as though she was trying to tell Chad Dick that Marina Lane often bullied her, her younger sister.

Before Marina Ryan could say anything, Chad Dick put his arm around Susanna Ryan’s shoulders and gently comforted her.

“How dare she blame you? You’ve done me a huge favor. If you hadn’t revealed the truth in time, I’d have probably married such a shameless woman. Then, our Ji family would have truly become a laughingstock.”

“I’m just worried that if Sister does such things, it will damage the reputations of the Ryan family and the Ji family. That’s why I asked Sister to leave the company for now. But Sister wouldn’t listen and even tried to hit me. That’s why things got out of hand. This isn’t what I intended at all. Please believe me, Sister!”

It’s ridiculous that years of relationship were easily abandoned by Chad Dick just because of some so-called evidence and Susanna Ryan’s smooth-talking.

Looking at this former lover, who seemed both familiar and strange at the same time, Marina Lane was in such pain that she felt numb. She didn’t want to waste any more time with those two worthless people.

The sky in the distance was overcast, with thick clouds covering the entire sky. It seemed like it was going to rain soon. Marina Rendondo was wasting her time here with those two.

“Please step aside. I need to go home.”

Marina Lane said coldly.

“Don’t you think you should apologize to Susanna?”

“I’m apologizing to her, Chad Dick. You’re not kidding, are you?”

“Aren’t I right? Shouldn’t you apologize to Susanna?”

“Chad Dick is the one who ruined my reputation by framing me. You expect me to apologize to her instead? I’m already being generous by not demanding an apology from him!”

Chad Dick stared coldly at Marina Rain.

“You’re nothing but a defeated dog right now. I tell you to apologize, and you have to apologize. I say you’re wrong, and you’re wrong. What, have you forgotten how obedient you used to be to me?”

“Alright, Brother Chad, it’s okay for me to suffer a little. Please stop making things difficult for my sister.”

“Silly girl, it’s precisely because you’re always so kind-hearted that a bitch like Marina Rain can take advantage of you. Now that I’m here to protect you, she doesn’t dare do anything to you. But when I’m not around, you need to learn to protect yourself. Can’t you just refuse to let her mistreat you?”

Marina Lane didn’t want to get involved with those two any further. She turned to leave, but Chad Dick grabbed her arm and held her back.

“What exactly do you want to do?”

“What are you doing? I just want you to remember how obedient you used to be to me! You wretched woman! Back then, I wanted to marry you right away and be intimate with you, but you refused every time, acting all innocent!”

“Alright, Brother Chad, we still need to go see Grandma. I’m sure Sister knows she was wrong. Please stop being angry with her!”

Suzanna Ryan’s words made Chad Dixon release his grip on Marina Ryan’s hand. Remembering his past with Marina Ryan, and also thinking about the fact that she worked as a prostitute, Chad Dixon couldn’t help but feel disgusted.

Chad Dick smoothed out his wrinkled suit, glanced at Marina Lane on the ground, spat at her, then left.

Susanna Lane pretended to be kind and wanted to help Marina Lane up from the ground. But instead, she grabbed Marina Lane by the hair and whispered in her ear.

“Even if you win Grandma’s favor, so what? I have a hundred ways to make your life miserable!”

Marina Lane stared coldly at Susanna Lane, who had delicate makeup on her face but a grotesque expression. She seemed completely unaware of the stinging sensation in her scalp. Then, she glanced at Chad Dick’s retreating figure in the distance, and said to Susanna Lane.

“Do you really think your little tricks go unnoticed by Grandma? Grandma may be old, but she has sharp ears and a keen eye. How could your every move remain hidden from her?”

“Marina Lane, I really admire you. You still manage to act like nothing’s happened. I don’t care if that old man likes me or not. But I definitely won’t let you steal the show from me!”

“Is it all for Chad Dick? You’ve gone to great lengths to force me to marry Satan, drugged me, ruined my reputation, and embarrassed me—all just so I could marry Chad Dick?”

“So what if it’s true? In Chad’s eyes, you’re nothing but a dirty, promiscuous woman. Do you really think you can still steal Chad’s heart, just like before?”

“Suzanna Ryan, oh Suzanna Ryan. You’ve schemed against me so many times. What did you think your motives were? It turns out it was all for Chad Dick. I must say, your judgment really isn’t very good!”

“Hehehe, Marina Lane, you’re just jealous because I’ve won Brother Chad’s heart. Seeing your man treat me with such care and attention, I wonder what you’re feeling inside!”

“Marina Lane, I warn you: accept your fate and remain under my feet for the rest of your life. Maybe then I’ll spare you and your handsome boyfriend. Otherwise, not only the Lane family, but even the Ji family will never forgive you.”

Susanna Lane left the scene, wearing ten-centimeter-high heels and swaying her slender waist.

Thunder rumbled in the distance. Soon after, raindrops began to fall on Marina Rain. The rain grew heavier by the moment. Marina Rain walked along the road, feeling numb inside, with the pain in her heart overwhelming everything else.

The rain grew heavier and heavier. Marina Lane wandered aimlessly down the streets, with people passing by pointing at her.

Marina Lane’s dress was completely soaked. The thin fabric clung to her body, revealing her graceful figure.

Marina Lane walked until she arrived at a secluded park. She forced herself to sit down on a bench in the park.

Marina Lane was completely soaked. The area on her head where Chad Dick and Susanna Lane had pulled at her hair hurt terribly.

Marina Lane recalled the first time she met Chad Dick. Back then, Chad was sunny, warm-hearted, and a kind-hearted boy with a strong sense of justice.

Although Susanna Lane always tried to get close to Chad Dick, whether intentionally or not, Chad Dick remained cold and indifferent toward her. Instead, he treated Marina Lane with great kindness.

However, once he left campus, Chad Dick’s wonderful qualities were gradually worn away in the cut-throat world of business.

He no longer showed the same care and consideration for Marina Lane. Now, Chad Dick believed without hesitation the lies fabricated by Susanna Lane.

Not only did he leave her behind, but he also had no idea when it happened—that he had become involved with Susanna Lane!

But Marina Lane still felt a sharp pain in her heart. Tears mixed with rainwater streamed down her cheeks, entering her mouth. Marina Lane tasted a bitter flavor.

As she thought these things over, Marina Rain felt an overwhelming drowsiness. She could barely keep herself upright. The scalp, which had been torn by Chad Dick and Susanna Rain earlier, began to hurt even more.

Marina Lane had no idea how much time had passed. The heavy rain continued to pour down, and she eventually collapsed on a bench in the park, too exhausted to keep going.

For some reason, Will Jody felt a strange sense of foreboding. He waited at home for Marina Ryan, but she never arrived. So, he sent his secretary to find out when the Ryan family’s birthday party would end.

Before long, the secretary brought back the news.

“How’s it going?”

The secretary was surprised. Given Mr. Jody’s efficient and decisive manner of handling things, she had never seen Will Jody look so anxious before.

“Mr. Jody, I’ve already checked. The birthday party for the elderly lady of the Ryan family ended two hours ago. Moreover, those who attended the party indeed saw Miss Ryan leave. The elderly lady of the Ryan family didn’t keep Miss Ryan over for the night.”

“Damn it, something must have gone wrong.”

“Send people out immediately to search for Marina Lane. Let me know as soon as she’s found!”

Will Jody stepped out into the heavy rain without hesitation, driving around in search of Marina Lane.

If only Will Jody could appear now and take her home. There was no warmth left in her body at all; she was shivering with cold.

“Will Jody… Will Jody…”

Marina Lane murmured Will Jody’s name.

It seemed like Will Jody’s scent. Marina Lane couldn’t help but pull her clothes closer around her.

But how could Will Jody possibly be here? She and him were only together because of a one-night stand. How could he know her situation and find her?

Marina Lane couldn’t help but laugh at her own delusions. After just a few brief encounters, how could she expect anyone to truly consider her their wife?

I really want to just fall asleep like this. I can barely hold on any longer. I miss Will Jody so much, and I miss my mom too.

“Will Jody…”

Marina Lane instinctively called out Will Jody’s name. The man in front of her smiled beautifully when he heard her call his name.

But when Will Jody heard Marina Lane calling his name, his anger subsided instantly.

The secretary beside him watched Will Jody’s mood swings.