Ch. 2721..2730

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2721-"You're on your own from now on." Rita grabbed her bag and left.

She did not have any other work on her hands, and as for the meeting later…

Well, she could not care less about doing such menial tasks as pouring coffee for them.

On the way to meet her friends, she became angrier. 'What gives them the right to steal my work? It's obvious I was framed. Not only did the boss not comfort me, but he passed on my interview to someone else! The interview I've worked so hard to secure, and that no one else did! I'm more than capable of doing a better job than Chase, but no, he gets to write about the interview! Is it because I'm a newcomer?' Rita found it impossible to swallow her frustration. "I must get

the front page headline next month. Just wait, I'll make everyone at New Capital Times regret ever treating me like this!"

Rita pondered what other materials she could gather. Suddenly, she remembered the relationship between Sherman and Claire. That could be a good angle to pursue.

However, she would not uncover much insider information if she relied solely on her limited investigative skills. The most crucial thing was to get closer to the two parties involved and get them to admit the relationship themselves. It would be even better if Sherman was willing to accept her interview.

"Mister Sherman, there's a reporter downstairs who claims to be your friend and wants to meet you," Lucy conveyed Rita's request with a troubled expression.

"You're certainly getting better at handling things," replied Sherman sarcastically without looking up. Having 25 hours in a day would not even be enough for him if he agreed to meet anyone who wanted to see him.

"Sorry, but this reporter mentioned that she knows about your relationship with Miss Claire…so I thought it best to inform you," Lucy added.

After all, the relationship between Sherman and Claire was quite secretive.

Apart from Lucy, hardly any other employees had seen Claire.

Sherman raised his head and tapped his desk thoughtfully. "Let her up."

He was curious to see which reporter would be so bold as to do something that would risk his wrath. However, the person who entered after the knock on the door surprised him.

"I was wondering who it could be.

Turns out it's the esteemed Miss Rita Russell. No wonder you dare come here without an invitation and use gossip as leverage to demand a meeting with me. I must say, you're quite the manipulator, Miss Rita," Sherman remarked with a hint of sarcasm.

Rita chuckled awkwardly. Even though Sherman maintained his expressionless demeanor, Rita could sense his underlying anger from his words.

"Hehe… How could I have entered your prestigious office if I hadn't done that?

But believe me, I have no ill intentions, nor do I want to blackmail you with this gossip!" Rita explained hastily.

"Huh." Sherman remained expressionless, but his words created a distance between them as if that night they chatted happily on the balcony was just Rita's imagination.

"So, Miss Rita, what brings you to my office?" Sherman inquired, his tone slightly icy.

Despite having faced numerous criticisms since she started working

for New Capital Times, Rita found Sherman's attitude toward her especially uncomfortable, she m fidgeted with her clothes, thinking, "Why is he so harsh to me? thought we both had a good chat at the dinner party that night…

"Mister Sherman, you have to believe me, I really have no ulterior motives. I just wanted to meet and ask if therels any possibility you would consider granting me an interview,"

Rita explained.

Observing the glint of hope in Rita's eyes, Sherman let out a disdainful chuckle. Miss Rita, what makes you think l' accept your interview? You're just a rookie reporter. Even if I were to grant New Capital Times an interview, it would certainly not be to you. Do you understand?

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2722-Sherman even spread his hands out, and Rita could clearly see disdain in his eyes. At that moment, she felt embarrassed to the point of wanting to flee from the office. She could handle rejection but not be looked down on by othersespecially by someone like Sherman whom she had briefly held in high regard.

Rita grabbed her bag and stood up abruptly. "Thank you for reminding me, Mister Sherman. You've taught me to see things clearly. Otherwise, I might have mistaken you as my friend after our conversation tha night. Since you're unwilling to grant me the interview, I won't bother you anymore. I wish you and Miss Claire a lifetime of happiness."

With that, she left Sherman's office without looking back, leaving him bewildered. 'Wasn't she the one at fault? How did she manage to make it seem

like I'm the one at fault here?' She had projected such strength in front of Sherman, but as soon as she was alone in the elevator, Rita lowered her head in dismay. She could not even force a smile at that point. "Why? Why is everyone picking on me? Do I look like a pushover?"

Rita laughed bitterly. It was true; she was the easiest one to bully in the office.

After all, she was the only newcomer in the entire entertainment department.

Still, did that mean she had no choice but to endure this kind of treatment?

Rita was starting to miss her father. While it was true she had to deal with Karen and Sadie if she were to go back home, the longing for the sense of security her father provided pushed her longing to the peak Thus, she immediately drove back home. Karen and Sadie be damned.

As soon as she entered the mansion, she noticed something was amiss. The halls and corridors were adorned with numerous paintings. Her late mother had always been fond of art; she intentionally collected many pieces in hopes of building a fortune for her daughter.

Rita had shown artistic talent since young, but unfortunately, she had no interest in pursuing that path. A painting she made of their family of three hung prominently in the center of their home's hallway since her childhood, even though her mother had been dead for a long time.

However, at that moment, that spot was occupied by a painting from an unknown artist.

In her urgency to find the doodle, she did not even bother to question Karen, who was leisurely drinking mulled wine prepared by the maid on the couch. Rita searched the entire corridor and even the hallway, but still she could not find the painting anywhere.

Karen was caught off-guard by Rita's sudden return. As annoyed as she felt, she knew she still had to maintain the facade of being a caring stepmother.

Thus, she walked up to Rita and asked gently, "Rita, you're back. Have you eaten yet?"

Unfortunately, Rita ignored her. All she cared about at that moment was finding her painting.

Karen rolled her eyes silently, thinking, 'What a rude child she is.

But it's not surprising since she

didn't have a mother growing up, unlike my precious daughter who so sweet and sensible only Sadie had beem borh into this family from the beginning, she would've been a thousand times better than Rita.'

Rita was unaware of Karen's thoughts; all she knew was that the painting of her family was missing.

She turned and angrily demanded,

"Where did the painting that hung here go? Who gave you the right to move my painting? Huh? Do you even understand art? Do yo even Rhow the name of the painter whose painting is hanging here right now?

Could you please not meddle with things that aren't yours? Stop pretending to know what you're doing. Can you at least do that for me?"

Karen's expression instantly darkened. She indeed had no understanding of art. The new painting seemed passable in o m appeararice, and it was inexpensive, so she bought it. She thought it would be a good replacement for the old, bothersome family portrait. Who would have thought Rita would be so angry and even looked down on her just because she made some changes around the house?

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2723-"Rita, I found that painting inappropriate, so I instructed the servants to take it down. After all, there are more than three people in the house now, so hanging a family portrait of three isn't suitable when guests come over. I'd discussed it with your father before removing the painting, and he agreed as well."

Karen's smug expression made Rita sick to her stomach. "So what if he agreed? I didn't! Where's the painting now?"

Karen was utterly indifferent to Rita's anger. She waved her hand dismissively.

"The servants could've put it anywhere after they took it down for all I care. After all, that painting is meaningless now. Don't you think so?"

Her eyes sparkled with provocation. It was obvious she was mocking Rita with the fact that her mother was no longer alive by saying the painting was meaningless.

Rita raised her hand high. She wanted nothing more than to rip apart Karen's face, but in the end, she clenched her fist and quickly ran off to find the butler.

After she left, Karen patted her chest in relief. "Phew, that girl nearly scared me to death, acting all crazy like that. I thought she was going to hit me…"

At that moment, Sadie, still groggy from sleep, descended from the second floor.

"Mom, what were you guys arguing about? I was sleeping, and you woke me up. Can you please keep it down?"

Karen quickly pushed her back into her own room. "Go back to your room. Rita's painting is missing, so who knows what she'll do next. It's best to stay away from her."

Sadie immediately woke up when she heard Rita was back. "The nerve to come back! In all my life, I've never come across a woman like her who'd steal her own sister's man! What's with all this fuss about a painting? Hmph, she's so despicable for seducing Sherman. Mom, promise me you'll keep Sherman for me. I've already set my sights on him. The next time Dad brings it up, you better speak up for me so that he won't give Sherman to Rita!"

Karen wished she could cover Sadie's mouth. "Oh dear, I forget how delusional you can be sometimes. Sherman might not even fancy Rita, so what makes you think he'll fancy you?"

Sadie scoffed at her mother's skeptical gaze. "I'm young and pretty. Why wouldn't he fancy me? Anyway, just do me this favor and put in a few good words for me to Dad so that he won't give Sherman to Rita. Okay?"

Karen looked at her daughter with suspicion. "Why are you so convinced he'll give Sherman to Rita? I don't think Sherman fancies anyone."

Sadie smiled mysteriously. "That's because I have a plan. Just do as I say. You'll get to enjoy endless good fortune if I become Sherman's wife."

"Yeah, yeah. As if I'm going to believe that."

"Oh, you'd better believe it, Mom.

When the time is right! tell you"

about my plan.

Seeing her daughter so confident, Karen could only nod skeptically. Like she said, what if they did endup"

togethel? Then She would become.

Sherman's mother-in-law! That blessing would be much greater than being a Missus Russell.

"Fine, fine. I promise you. For now, go upstairs so that lunatic won't bother…"

Before Karen could finish her Iunatio?" Rita clenched her fists, trembling all over. She still had not found her painting.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2724-"Oh Rita, you must've heard wrong. I was telling your sister about something else. I didn't call anyone a lunatic at all," Karen quickly responded, trying to appease Rita with a smile while gesturing for Sadie to leave.

However, Sadie could not resist taunting Rita after seeing her in such a disoriented state. "Look at you, acting all crazy. So you can't blame Mom for calling you a lunatic. Isn't it enough that you run yourself silly playing a reporter, but now you're coming home to both my mom? Even though she's a stepmom, she's been more than fair to you! But instead of being grateful, you just keep treating her worse and worse! If I were you, I would've left this house ages ago!"

"What? Why should I be grateful? Wasn't it enough for you two to nearly scare me half to death all those years ago? This is my home. I'm a Russell, which neither of you two are. So stop bossing me around here!" Rita retorted angrily.

Rita realized she had been too easygoing before, which made Karen and Sadie think they could bully her however they pleased. At that moment, having lost her most precious family mementos, it felt as if her heart was bleeding.

"I'm going to let the other things slide for now. Karen, I'm only going to ask you one last time: where is my painting? Don't blame me for what I'm going to do next if you can't find it," Rita demanded.

Karen, also infuriated, crossed her arms. "Is this really the attitude you want to take when talking to me? How dare you address me by my name? Let's see what your father is going to say once he comes back and find out how rude the daughter he's so proud of has turned out! Honestly, the older you are the worse you get. Besides, it's just a worthless painting. So what if I've lost it? It's not worth much anyway. What can you do to me?"

The maids nearby were getting anxious, fearing Karen and Rita were going to start hitting each other. They were unsure whose side to take since Vince, the head of the household, was not around.

"What can I do to you, you say?" Rita repeated Karen's words, and the next moment, she slapped her hard across the face. "Where is my painting? I'm going to keep hitting you until you tell me!"

Sadie screamed and grabbed Rita's hair. "How dare you hit my mom! I'm going to make you regret it!" However, before she could land a slap, Rita grabbed her hand. They both froze in a standoff. The cook on the side was panicking; she urged the other servants to ask Vince to come back.

"Miss Rita, don't argue with them. Don't hurt yourself! Miss Sadie, please let go.

Mister Vince is going to question you about it once he backs if you hurt Miss Rita," said the cook.

"Why you good-for-nothing old fart! Why are you helping her? I won't let go. She was the one who struck my mom first!" Sadie retorted.

Rita gritted her teeth and remained silent. She was committed to letting out her anger the moment she decided to slap Karen. After all, she had endured enough all those years.

Ignoring Karen's grip on her hair, Rita fiercely slammed both her hands onto Sadie's head.

This time, Sadie had no choice but to let go of Rita's hair, She stumbled, feeling dizzy from the impact, and tripped over her mother.

"Ahh!"

"Rita, you b*tch! Always resorting to dirty tricks! I'll show you what I'm capable of —"

Rita had unleashed all her fury earlier.

She was panting heavily with fears streaming down her face. The

old servants who had taken care of her since she was young looked saddened too, and they stood in front of Rita.

"Miss Sadie, you can't treat Miss Rita like this!"

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2725-"Why not? Who do you think you are to stand in front of me? Get out of my way!" shouted Sadie.

Karen struggled to get up, only to be knocked off-balance again by her daughter. "Enough! Come help me up and see if my face is ruined."

"Oh no, your face is bleeding! I'm going to tell Dad about this when he comes back! Rita, you uncultured woman! You're the one who doesn't deserve to be called a Russell! Apart from my background, I'm better than you in every way!

But then again, I guess that's what you get when you have no mother to teach you manners!"

Sadie's words triggered something in Rita. Ignoring the servants' attempts to stop her, she stormed forward and slapped Sadie hard, twice. She did not spare Karen either.

"How dare you! How dare you insult me! You're the one whose mother didn't teach you any manners! Go to hell, all of you!" shouted Rita angrily.

Upon returning home, Vince was met with a chaotic scene. With tears streaming down her face, Rita was hitting Karen and Sadie like a lunatic.

Vince was about to erupt in anger, but when he walked up to pull Rita away, he heard her muttering," You're the one whose mother didn't teach you any manners!"

His heart ached when he heard that.

"Rita! It's Dad!" he said. "I'm back."

Rita slowly stopped hitting Karen and Sadie, turning to look at Vince. Unable to contain her grievances any longer, she fell into his embrace. "Dad, you're finally home."

Karen caught Vince's gaze and understood that he must have heard what Rita said earlier. Even though her face was throbbing from the blows, she dared not be defiant.

However, Sadie was stubborn. As she stood up to retaliate, Vince wrapped Rita in his arms. With a swift movement, Sadie's slap landed on Vince's back, making a loud smack.

"Ah! I'm sorry, Dad, I didn't mean to hit you. It's just that. Rita suddenly started attacking me and Mom like she'd gone mad. I was just… upset…" Sadie stammered, attempting to explain.

"Enough! Both of you, get out of my sight this instant! I don't want to see you or hear your excuses!" Vince interrupted sternly.

"Dad…" Sadie was taken aback by his uncharacteristic harshness. "She attacked us first. Why aren't you scolding her?"

Karen wanted to give her daughter a good punch to make her realize the situation. Did she really think changing her surname made her Vince's daughter?

"That's enough! Come with me upstairs," Karen commanded.

Even Sadie's departing figure seemed unyielding.

Vince felt Rita's tears soaking his chest.

"There, there, sweetheart. Don't cry and tell me what happened. I'll make sure to teach whoever mistreats you a lesson," said Vince.

Rita clutched at his shirt, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. She Wanted to ask him! "What's the point of saying that when l've suffered so many years?"

She knew all along that no matter how upset she felt, not everything revolved argundther wishes.

Especially when it came to her father, she was never prioritized.

After a while, Rita managed to calm down and said, "Dad, the painting hanging in the hallway, it's gone. I can't find it…"

Her voice choked up again at the was momentarily stunned. Then, he chuckled. "Silly child, so that's what you're upset about."

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2726-Karen consulted with me before changing that painting, and I think it's right to change it too. After all, there are four people living in the house now, right? It's not very considerate to hang that painting in the hall, especially to your stepmom. What if someone sees it? Won't they gossip about our family? So I think her suggestion makes a lot of sense. Besides, you can hang that painting in your room, right? I remember your room doesn't have any paintings."

Vince's open agreement with Karen to change the painting made Rita even more heartbroken.

It showed that his first wife had become a thing of the past for him, and Rita was the only one who still missed her late mother.

"Don't you understand what I'm saying? The painting's gone, and I can't find it!

Even if Mom is gone, you can't just forget everything about the past. That painting is of you, me, and Mom! How could you be so heartless to let that woman change the painting?"

Vince's expression darkened. He hated it the most when other people said he did not care about his late wife, especially when he married Karen not long after his first wife passed away. It was one thing for others to say it, but how could his own daughter call him heartless as well? He was only trying to give her a complete family.

"So what if it's missing? It's only a painting, not worth much anyway," said Vince ruthlessly. He even stood a bit away from Rita, devoid of the affectionate father he had just portrayed.

"There are some things I didn't want to say because I thought you were grown up, but I never expected you to still be so childish. It's only natural for your stepmom to want to change that painting. It's been so many years since your mom has passed away. You should learn to accept reality. She's never going to come back, no matter how much you throw a tantrum."

Rita's heart sank.

"What do you mean by that? I'm not a child anymore. Of course I know Mom's never coming back, but can't I even keep any memories of her? Did I object when you said you wanted to marry Karen? You told me you did it for me, but have you ever thought that I don't need anyone to replace Mom? You've always been so selfish. Why don't you just say you did it for yourself, rather than saying it's for me? And now that you have a new family, I bet you can't wait to marry me off, am I right? I should've known. You've always been like that!"

"How dare you!" Vince erupted in anger, glaring at his daughter. He suddenly found her strangely unfamiliar, realizing she had grown up without him even noticing.

Her defiant stance, with her head held high, confronting him, reminded him of someone. Eventually, he lowered his raised hand.

"You've truly disappointed me!" he exclaimed.

"You've disappointed me too," Rita cried out. "You're not a good father."

Since no one was helping her find the painting, she decided to do it herself.

Thunder roared, and it started pouring rain outside. Seeing Rita rush into the rain like that, vince followed after her for a few paces before ultimately stopping.

"You need to experience some hardship to appreciate just now, good you have it with me providing everything Por you," he muttered. H clenched his fists tightly as his gaze followed Rita.

Donna Reeds, who served as their cook, emerged with teans in herleyes.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2727-"Mister Vince, it's a downpour out there. Miss Rita will get sick if she runs around outside," said Donna.

"It's her own fault if she gets sick," remarked Vince stiffly. "No one told her to go out."

Sensing a slight softening in his tone, Donna quickly interjected, "Why don't I help her? That painting is a cherished memento for her, so it's understandable for her to be so anxious about it."

In the end, Vince sighed and waved. Donna immediately followed Rita outside.

It was partly the servants' fault that the painting went missing. They only knew that the painting, which had been hanging for over a decade, was suddenly being taken down, but they completely overlooked where it had been put.

'Oh, what a mess this has turned out,' thought Donna.

She could not bear to see Rita distressed. Thus, she ran into the rain without hesitation.

Finally, Rita found her painting in a small building next door, used for storing junk. She saw the usually clean frame carelessly thrown on the ground and completely covered in dust. It was as if she alone cherished the memories of their family's past.

Unable to hold back any longer, Rita lowered her head and burst into tears.

"Mom, I miss you so much…

Rita returned to the mansion in a daze. Only Donna was there to accompany her. Not even her father, Vince, came out to help her look for the painting.

Donna tenderly wiped Rita's soaking wet hair. "Goodness, Miss Rita, you're soaking wet, and you've always been easy to get sick! You'll definitely catch a fever tomorrow."

Donna could not help but shed tears of her own when she saw Rita tightly clutching the painting with her face streaked with either tears or rain. She watched how Rita remained silent and completely blocked out the outside world.

"If only your mother was still alive…you wouldn't have ended up in such a state."

Indeed, if Rita's mother was still alive, she would never have allowed anyone to mistreat Rita.

Rita missed her mother dearly. It was unfortunate that in such a large mansion like the Russell family's, there was not even space for her longing for her mother.

Rita had no choice. Her resistance was seen as nothing more than troublemaking in her father's eyes; she was the one who disrupted the peace of the household.

She carefully carried the painting she had painstakingly found back to her room.

Only in her room would the painting cease to be an eyesore for everyone in the family.

However, Rita did not hang it up. Instead, she hid the painting in the deepest corner of her closet. The painting depicted the warm family bond of her, her father, and her mother. How beautiful those times were.

Rita hated how her father had changed. She thought him com undeserving of the painting. She did not Want to hang the painting anymore.

'Maybe Karen is right. My family of three had become a thing of the past, and only I remained immersed in it, unwilling to face reality. Mom is dead, and Dad has a new family… I shouldn't dwell in the past anymore,' thought Rita.

She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth as she looked toward a particular direction. She would make Karen pay for this.

"

Rita stormed toward Karen's room.

Donna followed closely behind, trying to stop her. "Rita, you're not a child anymore, You shoudnt' act so impulsively! What if your father sees you? He'll blame you again."

"Donna, why does my father treat me like this when I'm his daughter?

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2728-Donna's eyes welled up with tears as she looked at Rita, who seemed so lost.

She was at a loss for what to say. Vince had always been clear-headed except when it came to matters concerning women.

Even if he doted on Karen, he should not have elevated a daughter with no blood relation to such heights. He only had Rita as his biological daughter; they were the ones truly connected by blood. It was as if he had everything backward.

Donna felt sorry for Rita and could not bear to lay out the harsh reality to her.

She simply comforted her, saying, "Silly child, I'm sure your father loves you

very much. Men aren't great with words, but deep down, your father loves you dearly. Besides, you're the esteemed young lady of the Russell family, and you're his only daughter. His entire fortune will be yours in the future. Rita, your father might be acting foolish right now, but you have to believe that he truly loves you."

"Really?"

"Really. Have I ever lied to you in all these years I've been with you?"

Rita gradually calmed down under Donna's comforting words. However, just as she was about to turn and leave, she heard Sadie's raised voice coming from inside, "Didn't I tell you I have my own reasons? Why are you still asking?"

"Shh, keep your voice down!" Karen quickly pulled her emotionally charged daughter down, and she slumped onto the sofa again.

Rita waved her hand at Donna. "Donna, don't worry. I won't act impulsively anymore. You can go back now."

Donna glanced worriedly at Sadie's closed door. "Okay. I know you're all grown up and have your own judgment now. I'll get going, then. Remember you can always come find me if you're feeling sick. Don't keep it to yourself, you hear?"

Rita smiled and hugged her. "Yes, Donna. Don't worry."

Rita was grateful to know that at least one person cared for her in the household.

"To defeat enemies, one should first understand them.' "Why do you insist on me telling you about this now, especially when you know it's very secretive? Mom, don't you want to discuss this matter with Dad on my behalf?" Sadie could not fathom why Karen had to ask her about it at such a critical moment. What if Rita seized this opportunity and Vince decided to marry her off to Sherman?

"I'm just a little suspicious, that's all. Besides, what can it possibly be that you can't even share with me? Why can't you tell me why you insist on marrying Sherman? If you don't tell me, I can't help but think it's only because you're attracted to his looks," said Karen.

Although Karen secretly thought that liking Sherman for his looks alone.

was enough, his farily background rémained a mystery to her. Even those in the same social circle did not have a full understanding of it.

She also could not help but wonder why Sadie was so confident that Sherman would definitely agree to marry her as long as Vince proposed the match.

'Sherman? So I was right. Sadie fancies Sherman for his looks. I, wonder what her reaction will be once she finds out Sherman has someone else in his heart," thought Rita with a smirk.

She quickly came up with a plan to use this information to her advantage.

Meanwhile, the conversation inside Sadie's room continued. Karen could not understand why her daughter refused to share this called 'insider information' with her, while Sadie could not understand why her mother refused to take care of the matter first before asking her for an answer. After all, it was not like she was trying to hide anything.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2729-"Do you not trust me? Have you considered you might not be able to marry Sherman as you wish if it was anyone else other than me who goes to talk to your father about this?" Karen lounged back, her legs crossed, looking extremely proud.

Sadie immediately understood what her mother was trying to say. If she wanted to successfully marry Sherman, Karen would have to subtly influence Vince to make the match. Thus, it seemed like she had no choice but to tell her.

"Fine, I'll tell you. I happened to overhear from the kitchen door that the Parr family apparently owes the Russell family a favor from years ago. When Dad's

father passed away, Sherman's grandfather even visited and promised Dad that he and his descendants could make any request to the Parr family."

Karen's mouth widened. "Oh, you clever girl! Good job on obtaining such a confidential piece of information. Seems like you're destined to be Sherman's wife. It's fate, I tell you!"

Sadie felt even more ecstatic after hearing Karen's words.

"Right? So, Mom, you don't need to worry at all. Just talk to Dad about it. The Parr family takes their promises very seriously. As soon as Dad brings up the favor to Sherman's grandfather, Sherman will have to marry me whether he wants to or not!"

"Sherman will probably be overjoyed if he knows he's marrying you! You're very beautiful, after all. We won't ever need the Russell family anymore! Don't worry, Sadie, I'll take care of this matter for you and arrange for you to be formally engaged to Sherman."

"Ugh!" Rita heard Karen's footsteps drawing closer and quietly slipped away.

She waited until Karen disappeared into the depths of the corridor, toward her father's study, before silently following.

Since Sadie was so keen on marrying Sherman, Rita decided to do everything in her power to squash that dream of hers. From this day onward, Rita was determined to fight Sadie and Karen to the end, even if it caused chaos in the family.

The two of them owed Rita at least that much since the day they moved into the mansion. Over the years, she had not argued with them over anything, but it was finally time to settle the score. She had to make Karen understand that everything comes with a price.

"Vince, did you find anyone you were satisfied with among the young gentlemen who attended the dinner party that night?" asked Karen. She appeared to be very concerned about Rita's marriage, but in reality, she wished for Rita to marry someone less competent.

Vince sighed and tossed the documents he was reading aside. He was about to massage his temples when Karen adeptly gave him a head massage.

He gently patted the back of her hand. "Your massaging skills have certainly improved over the years. Having you by my side makes my work less dull."

Karen chuckled lightly. "How could I not understand you after being married for over a decade to you?' Every title yol frown is because your head is hurting again. Could it be that.

none of those young gentlemen caught your eye?"

"It's not that they didn't catch my eye, but Rita… She's my daughter after all.

I understand very well how kids from rich family behave. They may look decent on the surface, but who knows what dirty things they do behind closed doors? How could I bear to marry my daughter into such a family? Still…"

"Still, what? Do you have someone in mind? Vince, I'm not trying to o rush you, but Rita is already twenty years ola. Look al Lisa's daughter; she's already engaged and is the same age as Rita!"

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2730-"Only by being engaged can their hearts settle down. In the future, they can also help each other in their careers, don't you think?" Karen asked.

Vince nodded. "I know you care about Rita. It's been tough for you all these years. I do have someone in mind, and that's Sherman. He's different from those playboys, but even if I like him, it doesn't mean he'll like Rita. Sigh! This is more difficult than I thought."

Rita felt uneasy after hearing her father's words.

Karen never expected Vince to have set his sights on Sherman. She stiffened, and she exerted a bit more force.

Vince grunted. "Ouch, that hurts. What's the matter with you?"

"Sorry, sorry, I was trying to recall what Sherman looked like and accidentally poked you." Karen gently rubbed the spot where Vince had been poked.

"Sherman seems fine to me, but I can't shake the feeling that his personality might not be compatible with Rita's."

"Oh? Have you seen them interact with each other?" Vince casually inquired.

Despite Sherman being Vince's top choice for Rita based on both family background and appearance, he feared that Sherman might not even give Rita the time of day.

"I saw them exchange a few words from afar, but I can't say for sure. Sherman has achieved so much at a young age, and Rita is a spirited woman. She moved out as soon as she returned to the country. She even found a job as a reporter, which means she's always on the move. Both of them have strong personalities. Putting them together might lead to chaos," Karen explained.

"But doesn't that just make them ideal for each other? Since they have the same personalities?" Vince closed his eyes, contemplating.

He knew his daughter the best-she was strong-willed and stubborn. Sherman did not seem like an easy person to deal with either. It would be troublesome indeed if they both resisted marriage.

"I guess that's one way to look at it. But I'm sure Sherman has girls lining up to marry him, given his family background. Though, if we really do become in-laws with the Parr family, then…" Karen trailed off. Vince suddenly opened his eyes wide. "If we really do become in-laws with the Parr family, it would only bring benefits to our family. It's just a matter of whether Sherman would consider Rita."

A sense of sadness washed over Rita's heart. In the end, she was reduced to a commodity in the marriage market. She had no say in the matter and could only follow her father's wishes in marrying her off to the man of his choosing.

'Is this the inevitable fate of being born into a family like me?' thought Rita.

"It's true that Rita isn't suitable, but we still have another daughter, you know," Karen whispered, leaning close to Vince's ear, "Don't forget what, you promised me a long time.

ago. You vowed to love my daughter as your own, and with such a good opportunity right in front of us, why not consider Sadie? You know how sweet and gentle she is. She would be so fitting with a strong-willed man like Sherman."

"It's a shame indeed. Perhaps, as you said, Sherman's and Rita's personalities aren't compatible," said Vince.

Vince pondered for a moment. "Sadie's temperament is indeed suitable. But Sadie is only nineteen years

old. It's a bit too early to consider marriage for her. Perhaps when she's in her twenties, She might meet someone even more suitable."