Ch. 1196..1200
Chapter 1196
Shannon went after her, stopped her, and nervously asked, “Where did John bring you? What did you two do outside?” Sherry pouted. “Shannon, why do you think | have to go out with him?”
Shannon’s gaze shifted. She widened her eyes and continued questioning, “Where did you two go?”
Sherry just wanted to sleep, so she simply said, “We attended a meeting at a restaurant.”
Shannon‘s gaze turned cold. “He brought you to a meeting?”
Sherry failed to understand why she was so mad. “Yeah. | was there just to hold his briefcase. What's wrong with that?” Shannon continued to glare at her. “How did he introduce you to the others?”
Sherry finally knew what Shannon was trying to do. Shannon must be afraid that she wrongfully flaunted the title of Mrs. Stockton.
Sherry honestly said, “He said that | was the maid.” Shannon‘s frosty expression eased up a little, but her
eyes remained widened. “Sherry, you'd better not step out of line. Know your place. If you dare to even think of John, Dad and Mom won't forgive you.”
“Hmph. Shannon, Shannon, do you really think I'm afraid of them?” Sherry scoffed. Shannon‘s expression changed as she was rendered speechless.
Sherry approached her and said, “Shannon, | think you should keep an eye on your Johnny John instead of worrying about me getting close to him.”
Asudden thought rushed into Sherry‘s mind. She continued, “Did you tell your Daddy and Mommy about the eight hundred million?”.
Shannon‘s eyes flickered. “That's your debt to John. They can’t do anything about it.”
“They can't do anything about it? Or do they not want to? Don't they know | can leave John if they give him eight hundred million?” Sherry clicked her tongue. “Shannon, my dear, it seems like you are not as important to them as you think.”
“At least, I'm more important than you to them!” Shannon bawled. “Sherry, you are just a bitch from some village. Don't try to provoke me with your tricks. | want you away from John, or you will regret it!”
Abitch from some village? There was nothing wrong with coming from a rural background, and she had no right to call her a bitch. As Sherry glared at her coldly, Shannon walked past her, seemingly going back to her place.
Sherry curled her lips into a grin. “Shannon , shouldn‘t you thank the bitch from some rural village? If that woman hadn't swapped me for you when we were born, you wouldn't be scolding me today.”
Shannon froze. She turned around and saw Sherry grinning at her. Fortunately, she was able to recover her composure and curled her lips into a smile. “That woman that you are referring to is your mother. | have only one mother, and that's Janine Williams. She told me many times that she only has one daughter—and that's me!” Sherry pursed her lips in annoyance. Shannon cackled with laughter upon seeing Sherry‘s silence before she turned and left.
Vv
The night was chilly with the breeze whipping her hair around. Sherry‘s hands and legs somehow felt cold. She watched Shannon walk away from her sight with a self mocking grin. She could never beat Shannon when it came to their parents. If she could choose, she would rather be born in a village as a normal person and have parents that loved her like
their own, just like the girls that she used to play with back when she was young.
She would not have to be tortured by her uncle when she cried for her parents, and she would not have to be jealous when that fake mother of hers loved others more than herself.
Maybe she had done something wrong in her past life, so she was punished without parents in the present. She sighed and sniffed as she walked towards the staff quarters.
After she left, a maid in uniform came out of the dark.
The maid headed to Julie’s place after both Shannon and Sherry returned to their respective places.
Sherry took her time to return to the quarters.
Chapter 1197 Sherry returned to her quarters, washed up, and went to bed.
She instinctively reached out for her phone under her pillow. Her phone was usually turned off, so when she turned it off, she saw a text from Sylvia.
The texts had come earlier in the day, asking her how she was doing in the Stocktons‘ residence. The text was brief but was not short of care and love from her friend.
Sherry curled her lips as her friend's caring text washed her grievance away.
“I'm great, Syl. | got a lot more freedom compared to the past year. Though | still can't go out of the compound, | can walk around wherever | want.”
She assumed Sylvia was already asleep at this hour, so she put her phone away after hitting “send*.
To her surprise, her phone buzzed.
“Sherry, did John do anything to you?” Sylvia replied almost immediately.
Sherry smiled. “No. He just likes to order me around.
There‘s no more ravaging me whatsoever. He ordered me to hold his briefcase for a meeting just now, and | got to eat a feast.” “What about Shannon ? Is she giving you a hard time?”
“Don't worry. She might harass me, but the Stocktons know that | am her older sister, thus she has to play the role of a kind and understanding wife, so she can only do so much.”
A few seconds later, she received another text from Sylvia.
“Sherry, Odell arranged for his men to go undercover at the Stocktons. If you want to leave , just let me know. We will think of a way to get you out.”
Sherry‘s eyes glimmered, but it only lasted for a second. She had tried to escape earlier, but the bodyguards came out from nowhere and stopped her.
Given Odell's capability, it was not difficult for him to put his men in the Stocktons‘ residence, but getting her out would be a huge hurdle to overcome.
If John found out about her escape attempt , aside from making him mad, it might also affect the relationship between Odell and John's companies.
She did not want Sylvia to worry about her. Besides,
someone else wanted her to be away from the Stocktons‘ residence more than she did.
She just did not know when Shannon could come up with a plan to send her away.
Back at the Carters’ in Westchester, Sylvia was in the room with Odell. She was leaning against his broad chest in her pajamas. Ding!
She got a text from Sherry.
“Okay. | still have something to do here. When | want out, I'll let you know.”
Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. “Okay. It's getting late. Rest early.”
“Okie. Goodnight, baby <3”
Sylvia put her phone away with a smile.
The man, in the midst of reading his book, looked at her and saw the smile on her face. “What did Sherry say? Does she want to leave the Stocktons?”
“She said she still has some things to settle there, and she'll let us know if she wants out,” Sylvia said.
Odell nodded. His gaze slightly shifted when he saw her put the phone away. He put his book on the table beside him and then hugged her in his arms.
Sylvia was caught off guard by the hug. She blushed and said, “Odell, it's late. You have to work tomorrow.” He smiled. “There‘s nothing important to do tomorrow. | can wake up late.”
“I told Isabel and Liam I'll send them to school —”
Her lips were locked before she could finish.
The three little rascals occupied her during the day, and now they wanted to disturb his private time at night? Keep on dreaming, kids!
Chapter 1198 After a dreamless night in the dorm, Sherry was woken by Emerence‘s shouting again. She cleaned up quickly, grabbed two buns in the cafeteria, and went straight to John’s place.
John did not come back after he left for his office last night. Sherry only spotted Shannon with a grumpy expression and Celine who stood by her side cautiously when she came.
She simply glanced at them and went out of the house. With her hands pocketed, she wanted to have a stroll around the yard.
While she was enjoying her stroll, she ran into Julie and Queenie in the garden. However, Sherry glanced at them and continued forward.
Queenie snapped, “Sherry, can you see us?”
Sherry said, “Yeah. What's wrong?”
Queenie was rendered speechless for a moment. She then said, “Then, why didn't you greet us?” Sherry pursed her lips. It seemed like the girl really
enjoyed giving her a difficult time whenever they met.
Before Sherry could argue, Julie stepped in with a smile.” Queenie, don't be rude.”
“She's a maid at our house now. She's no one. Her family doesn't even—“A sudden thought rushed into Queenie‘s mind before she could finish and silenced her.
Julie immediately said, “Ms. Fowler, Queenie is just a straightforward child. She doesn't mean anything else.” Sherry grumbled, “Yeah, | know. She just needs to control her mouth.”
Julie did not expect Sherry to adhere to her words and mock Queenie using them.
Angered, Queenie bawled, “What did you say?! Who needs to control her mouth!?”
Sherry‘s hands remained pocketed. “I don't see anyone else here except for you.”
“YOU!” Queenie glared at her.
Julie smiled. “That's enough, Queenie. Ms. Fowler might be a servant at our house, but she’s John’s personal maid. The rules clearly state that only John can order her around, so we can't request her to do anything.”
She sounded patient and gentle.
Queenie hummed a reply and calmed her feisty attitude, but she continued to stare at Sherry
Sherry was not concerned, and she continued walking, assuming that there was nothing else from the two of them. “Ms. Fowler.” Julie suddenly went up and stopped her. “I heard you argued with Shannon. Is everything alright?”
Sherry was taken aback. “Since when did we argue?”
Julie‘s expression changed and said in a small voice,“ Yesterday night, someone heard you arguing with Shannon at the fork.” Sherry narrowed her eyes at her although Julie maintained her gentle look with an extra sense of care and concern However, Sherry had no idea if that care and concern were authentic. She smiled and said, “Yeah, we bickered.”
Julie lowered her voice and said, “I didn't know your family background. Don't worry, I've told them to keep it a secret. No one will find out”
Sherry was truly surprised, and she could not help but glance at Queenie.
Queenie knew about her background on the wedding day, yet judging from Julie's tone, she seemed to have just found out about it last night. Had Queenie kept it a secret all along?
Queenie sensed her gaze and glared back “What are you looking at?” Sherry smiled. “Cause you're cute.” Queenie's eyes flickered and turned away awkwardly
Sherry then said to Julie, “You don't need to worry, Julie. | can't control people‘s mouths. I'm fine with it.”
Chapter 1199 It was a fact that her own family disliked her.
Julie tightened her lips. She curled her lips into a smile and said, “If you're not bothered by it, that's great. But if you need any help, just tell me. John cares about you, which makes you my friend. If | can do anything to help, | will do anything within my capabilities.”
Although Sherry did not know why Julie approached her with goodwill, she put on a polite expression and thanked her. “Well, thank you in advance, Julie.”
Julie said, “Don‘t mention it.” Sherry then walked off without pause.
The Stocktons‘ residence was huge, bigger than Sherry could imagine. The gardens alone were a few times bigger than a common house outside.
She took a long stroll around the garden before she came back.
Because her stomach was growling in hunger, she wanted to search for something to eat, but she accidentally arrived at Queenie's place where she saw Queenie helping herself to a table of snacks and pastries.
It was a feast for the girl, so assuming that the girl could not finish them, she went up and snatched a piece to put into her mouth.
Queenie was stunned for quite a while before she realized that Sherry had just eaten one of her pastries. She glared and grumbled, but Sherry ignored her and continued eating.
Queenie was both speechless and breathless. After a while, she sat down sulking and glared at Sherry.
It was until Hailey pushed another cart of pastries over that Queenie bolted up and went over to the cart to protect it as though she was a mother lion protecting her cubs from hunters.
Sherry was surprised to see Hailey here. “Why are you here?”
Haily was similarly surprised. “That should be my question to you. Shouldn't you be at the master's place? What are you doing here? Don't you know you are breaking the rules by running away from your workplace during working hours?”
Queenie was confused. “What are you two talking about?”
Sherry swallowed her food and asked, “You're working here at Queenie's place?”
“Yeah,” Hailey said.
The questioning went on for a few more minutes until Sherry connected all the dots.
On the day of the wedding , after Sherry left, Emerence summoned Hailey back to rearrange her work schedule .
However, she had been taking care of Sherry before that, and Sherry was some secret lover to the master of the house. With the new Mrs. Stockton moving in, the other maids found Hailey to be a disgrace , and some of them bullied her.
It was Queenie who spotted her being bullied by the others, so after some rearrangements, she ended up working for Queenie.
Sherry glanced at Queenie in disbelief after hearing Hailey's story. She could not believe that the arrogant Ms. Stockton would help someone in distress.
Queenie sensed her gaze again. “Why are you looking at me? | brought her in because | need more people here, not because of you.
Sherry giggled. She picked an ice cream from the cart and ate it in front of Queenie.
The rich chocolate taste and the creamy vanilla were a perfect combination on the tongue
Queenie grunted while Hailey pouted in silence.
John usually left for work early in the moming and came home late at night. He would leave for work again after dinner. He only spent a handful of days at home, so other than being ordered around, Sherry lived a rather carefree life,
Julie was polite to her whereas Shannon dared not do anything to her because of her reputation, and no one else dared to order her around, especially the other maids.
Sherry slept when she was tired and freeloaded at Queenie's place when she was hungry. The carefree days went on for half a month.
On this particular night, when John stayed out again, Sherry got off work and returned to the staff quarters where she ran into Emerence holding a meeting with the other maids.
Chapter 1200 The maids stood in a single line with Emerence talking sternly in the front
It seemed serious, so Sherry stayed outside and listened.
Basically, the meeting was about the event that would be held the next day in the Stocktons‘ banquet hall.
Madam Stockton was starting a charity organization, and many guests were invited to discuss their agenda. It was considered a social event for their guests to mingle.
The maids in line were the ones responsible for working at the event tomorrow.
Emerence went through the details with them again and again, emphasizing many things on the agenda, and even requested them to memorize all the guests’ names. All the names she read out were strangers to Sherry except for one: Mason Brown.
The meeting lasted for half an hour.
Before dispersing the maids, Emerence gave one last piece of reminder, “Be prepared. Madam Stockton regards the event highly. No one is allowed to make any
mistakes.” “We understand, Aunt Emerence,” the maid answered en masse before they scattered to their quarters.
Emerence turned around and saw Sherry by the door. Her already stern look got even colder. “Sherry, why are you back at this hour?”
“John is not coming back, so | figured I'd return.”
Annoyed, Emerence snapped, “How would you know Master John is not coming back? Who told you that?” Sherry said, “Queenie called John, and he said he's not coming back tonight.”
Silenced by Sherry‘s explanation , Emerence glared at her and walked away.
Sherry pocketed her hands and walked into the quarters.
Sherry woke up on time the next morning. She dressed up neatly and went to the canteen for breakfast. She then wandered to John's place.
John did not come home last night, so when she entered the living hall, she saw Shannon having breakfast alone. Shannon had a bitter expression on her face, seeming to be sulking because John had not come home.
It was natural for her to feel bitter because John had not come home or stayed for the night for the past two weeks. She had to go to bed alone every night, and no married woman could be happy about that.
Sherry was baffled how John was able to keep himself this busy, but it was none of her concern. She walked out and discarded the problem behind her head. Since John was not around, she planned to walk around to kill time.
“Sherry , stop! | have something to talk to you about!” Shannon suddenly called and stopped her. Sherry turned around. “What is it?” Shannon looked at her coldly. “There‘s an event happening in the front courtyard. Many influential figures will be coming, and
some of them might recognize you. If you don't want people to know that you are serving as a maid here, you better stay here in the afternoon and not go out.”
“Oh. | got it.”
Shannon continued eating her breakfast and Sherry left.
Shortly after that, Shannon slammed the plates and cutleries on the floor. Startled, Celine immediately asked, “Madam, what's wrong?”
Shannon clenched her fists tightly in silence.
Celine nervously said, “Madam, | believe Master John is too busy with his work. | heard he was barely around the house even before the wedding. I'm sure he’s not staying outside on purpose.”
Shannon‘s expression remained frosty.
It had almost been two months since the wedding. The first month he had gone out for a business trip, and the following month, he did not even spend a single night at home.