Ch. 2901..2910

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2901-As Rita grew older, she tactfully chose to sleep in another room and rarely ventured into her late mother's. On significant occasions, however, she would still retreat there for a few hours where she could have a sanctuary to reminisce about her mother.

Vince had subtly alluded to that room, using it as a gentle reminder for Rita to return home more frequently and remember her roots as a member of the Russell family. While it was acceptable for her father to broach the subject, it carried a different weight when echoed by Sadie, who had no right to speak considering her place in the family.NôvelDrama.Org owns this text.

"Don't worry, Dad. Just because I'm married now doesn't mean I won't come back anymore. Besides, I'm having dinner with you, aren't I? Now that I'm married, I think it's time I make some things clear. I can't have people assuming that things will continue as it was when I was single. In the future, I'll come back for dinner alone unless it's a special occasion. Sherman has his own family to keep company, and it's not fair to expect him to come with me all the time."

Sherman would have willingly agreed to accompany Rita back each time if she had asked him to, but he knew that she had her reasons for making such a suggestion.

"That's ridiculous!" Sadie interjected anxiously. She feared that she would lose all chance to talk to Sherman again if Rita came home without him in the future.

Everyone looked at her except Sherman, who seemed unconcerned about her sudden outburst and continued eating. Rita had piled his plate up with food, and Sadie believed that it was to keep his mouth occupied enough that he did not have to speak.

"Why is it ridiculous?" Vince glanced sternly at Sadie, aware of her hidden motives. With Rita already married to Sherman, it would be wise for Sadie to keep those thoughts about Sherman to herself. Rather than fantasizing about him all the time, she should perhaps consider what other benefits the Russells might be able to gain from the Parrs as a whole.

Sadie tried to explain in a stammer. "Umm… W-W-What I meant was…"

"You need to watch your words, Sadie," Karen interjected bluntly. "Now finish your soup."

Then, she turned to Vince with a smile, "You spoil her so much that she doesn't even think twice before speaking her mind, even on this sort of occasion. She's much too young to understand the consequences." Vince snorted to himself while maintaining a composed demeanor. "She's only slightly younger than Rita, and I think she qualifies as an adult now. With Rita already married, it'll soon be Sadie's turn. I'll make sure to find a good man for her."

Karen glanced at him in surprise. "I appreciate that."

Vince changed the subject and turned to Sherman. "Do you have any guy friends around Sadie's age? We'd be grateful if you could introduce him to us."

Sherman was an exemplary individual, and his circle would certainly boast similar individuals too. If Sadie's future spouse were chosen from Sherman's friends, then their ties would deepen, and Sherman would be less inclined to contemplate divorce.

Rita's expression soured. Vince did not seem the least bit content with leeching off of the Parrs and was trying to leech off Sherman's friends too.

"Can we not talk about that, Dad? I'd hate for it to ruin our pleasant meal today," Rita interjected.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2902-Rita's attitude was so firm that Vince's expression soured. "You interrupted before he even said anything. Is that the sort of attitude you should be displaying?"

Rita was not happy at that remark, and she would have engaged in a direct argument with her father if Sherman was not around. His presence made her refrain from engaging in any confrontation, as she did not wish for him to see her family make a scene. All she wanted was to end the meal and leave.

Dining at the Parrs was so much more enjoyable than at her own home. Though both sides were a complete family, the atmosphere was worlds apart.

"I can't believe that the daughter I've raised for all these years has changed completely after getting married. I can't help but wonder what lies you've told her to make her show such devotion to you."

"He has never lied to me, Dad. You're the one who is continually siphoning money from the Parrs, but he's never said anything bad about us!" Rita retorted anxiously. Her blatant exposure of the Russells' exploitative behavior in front of Sherman left Vince feeling embarrassed.

He slammed the table and rose to his feet, intent on slapping Rita. However, Sherman acted swiftly and grasped Vince's arm. "This is supposed to be a civil conversation. There's no need for you to lay a hand on her, especially not at the dinner table. It would be embarrassing."

Vince did not anticipate Sherman to be that strong. Though he did not appear particularly athletic, he restrained Vince's arm so effortlessly that Vince could not even retract his hand.

In the end, Sherman relented and released Vince's arm. He did not want Rita to feel any more awkward than she already was. "I believe we're done here."

He took Rita's hand and left the Russells' residence without even looking back at them.

Vince was seething. "This behavior is unacceptable!"

Karen rushed to console him. "They're in their honeymoon phase right now, so you can't fault them for being rude. Let Rita enjoy her sweet time with him. He's only angry because you wanted to slap her. You should be grateful that he didn't get physical on you after what you tried to do. If he's genuinely in love with Rita, I'm sure he'll do much worse than what he did earlier. Don't forget that we're still reliant on the Parrs right now!"

Her words seemed to have rubbed Vince the wrong way. "Are you looking down on me right now?" With a backhanded slap, he sent Karen reeling. Sadie shrieked in alarm and rushed to her mother's defense.

"Why did you slap Mom?! What if something happens to her while she's pregnant with your baby?"

Regret washed over Vince as he realized his mistake. She bore his precious son in her womb. In his haste, he immediately summoned someone to call the family doctor so Karen's health could be checked. He then hurriedly helped her to the sofa and breathed a sigh of relief that she showed no particular signs of discomfort. She simply moved to one side, clutched her belly, and avoided speaking to him.

"I'm sorry, Karen. It's my fault for acting impulsively. You can get mad at me if you want. Sherman and Rita are newlyweds, and it is normal for Sherman not to see things from my point of view. I shouldn't have been so rash, and I shouldn't have ignored your well-being too. I promise not to repeat my mistake again. Please forgive me."

Vince held her hand and apologized earnestly, but Karen refused to look at him. Even Sadie felt that he had apologized adequately, but Karen still refrained from looking at him. "I need some time alone," she said.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2903-When Vince left, Sadie leaned to her mother and whispered, "Don't you think you're being so harsh on Dad? He did slap you by accident, but he already apologized to you. Can't you forgive him?"

Karen then confided, "He reminded me of someone when he slapped me earlier."

"Who?" Sadie asked casually.

"The man who condemned you and me to that dark, damp place. Your biological father." Karen grasped Sadie's hand. "I know you don't want to dwell on the past, but I think you ought to know what sort of person he was. His career wasn't going well back then, and he always lashed out at me when he came home drunk. That was about the same time I met Vince, and I decided that I wanted to leave him for Vince.

"I believed that Vince was the only one who could rescue me from that hell, but now he's turning into the same person that your father was. How do you expect me not to be afraid when the person I thought was my savior is acting like the devil?"

Sadie was too young at the time to remember Esmond's abuse toward Karen, especially since KarenNôvelDrama.Org owns this text.

always protected her by hiding her in a small room. As a result, Sadie struggled to fully grasp what Karen was talking about.

"You're probably overwhelmed because of the pregnancy, Mom. I genuinely think that Dad regretted what he did. It was Rita's meddling that ticked him off, and now's a good time for us to capitalize on the situation! There's now a wedge between Rita and Dad. It's the perfect chance for us to widen that rift between them!"

Sadie was still obsessed with Sherman. Even at that juncture, she continued to urge Karen to help her plead with Vince to encourage Rita to return.

Karen, however, could not let Sadie continue down that path. "You need to let it go. I won't let you do this.

"Why should I? Shouldn't you be helping me? You're my biological mother!" Sadie said in disbelief.

"You are my biological daughter. I adore you and want nothing but the best for you, but we can't involve ourselves with Sherman and the Parrs. Didn't you see just how submissive your father was in front of Sherman today? The Russells aren't taken seriously anymore, and Sherman only came here for a meal because he wanted to bring Rita back. He wouldn't be here at all if it weren't for her.

"You should stop obsessing over things that are beyond our reach, and your actions made it far too obvious at the dinner table. He didn't even spare you a glance, Sadie. He's not interested in you at all. It's high time you faced reality."

Sadie could not accept the truth. She recoiled, shaking off her mother's hand. "I knew you didn't want to help me. You're just trying to take the easy way out! I admit it's a challenge to win Sherman over, but I have a good demeanor and a good figure. I might not be as good as Rita, but there's no reason why I should just let her take someone like that away from me!"

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2904-Sadie then added, "Can't you see that things are still awkward between them?"

"I didn't notice that at all. All I see is how much they like each other," Karen responded helplessly. "You don't have to lie. I know they don't have feelings for each other. If Rita can do it, then why can't I?"

Karen sighed. "You're my daughter. I believe that you deserve the best, but you should at least look at the situation. What you said at the dinner table was inappropriate. You were already asking Sherman to visit more often when your father hadn't even said anything yet! If anyone finds out, you'll have a hard time finding a husband!"

"But I already found the man I want to marry. I want Sherman! You've been living the easy life for far too long, Mom. You've forgotten all those struggles we had to go through. Marrying Sherman would put Rita beneath me forever, and you'll finally be able to vent out that pent-up frustration."

Despite Karen's attempts to reason with her, Sadie remained fixated on Sherman. In Sadie's view, Karen should be inviting Rita back for more meals in the hopes that Sherman would at least come to pick her up even if he did not join for the meal. Over time, they would inevitably cross paths-an outcome that Sadie was dying to achieve.

Karen sighed. She finally experienced what it felt like when other parents watched their children grow up into adults who no longer heeded their elders' advice. As much as she wanted Sherman to be her son-in- law, she realized after their meal earlier that being his mother-in-law was not that easy.

Sherman brought Rita to the car, after which Rita immediately apologized to him.

"Is that all you can say? 'Sorry"?" Sherman asked flatly.

"Well... You wouldn't have been in such a difficult situation if you hadn't come to my place to save me." Rita sighed.

"Does your family do this to you all the time?" asked Sherman.

Rita was surprised at his query and said, "Isn't it obvious? My father has made things super difficult for me ever since I married you. There are times I feel ashamed to even show up in front of you..."

"That explains why you didn't tell me you were going home," Sherman said calmly, but Rita could sense how displeased he was.

"I'd love to bring you with me if our family dinners were normal, but you saw how quickly they demanded things from you even before you had the chance to finish a meal. Haven't they taken enough from you? They're insatiable, just like wolves! I've seen that firsthand from my father."

Rita's anger surged as she spoke, but Sherman's indifferent demeanor left her unsure where to direct her frustration.

"I have the money."

"I know, but you can't just waste it all like that. It's dumb."

Rita looked at Sherman in bewilderment, but he merely chuckled in response to her glance.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2905-"I don't approve of your father's actions, but I'm still thankful to him," said Sherman.

Rita's ears perked up. "What for? I thought his attitude doesn't sit well with you."

She did not understand what Sherman meant. If she were in his shoes, she would have been irritated if someone demanded money from her every day. Sherman, however, could still bring himself to smile in spite of all that. Perhaps such a quality was what made him a good company president.

"I'm grateful that he insisted on letting you marry me," Sherman replied.

Rita fell silent. Her face turned red, and her heart was pounding. She did not dare to entertain the meaning behind Sherman's words, and she immediately looked away when she saw Sherman gazing at her.

"You... You need to stop saying things like that. I'll repay the money my father borrowed from you. You don't need to resort to your tricks..."

"What sort of tricks do you mean?" Sherman teased as he looked at Rita's flushed face and reddened ears. your charm. Stop smiling at me!"NôvelDrama.Org: owner of this content.

"Like"

Sherman laughed when he saw just how flustered Rita was. It was the happiest he had been since marrying Rita, and Rita could not help but smile back, feeling uplifted by his laughter.

Despite the ups and downs of their marriage, seeing Sherman smile like this to her was a precious moment that Rita sincerely appreciated.

Sherman drove Rita directly to Southerhill. "This was the place I mentioned when I was at your house earlier. Let's stay here from now on."

He drove the car into the garage and opened the car door for Rita. He then took her hand and led her into their new home.

Rita looked at their hands in disbelief before glancing at Sherman. He seemed calm, but the slight redness on his ears betrayed his nerves. Rita immediately wondered if luck was finally on her side, and if she was finally receiving certain blessings after those tumultuous events at home.

Rita pondered to herself if everything was this real, and if Sherman was genuinely holding her hand to lead her to their new home.

Rita could not wrap her head around why Sherman's demeanor shifted entirely after just a brief separation. Even if it was a dream, she enjoyed it so much that she did not dare to question him and disturb that rare peace.

Sherman briefed Rita on every detail of their new home and explained each facet. He had purchased the house early on through a friend, and it had been built some time ago. However, the interior remained empty, and Sherman only hired an interior designer after they got married.

Every detail was chosen with both their preferences in mind. As he stepped into the living room, Rita was surprised to see a painting by her favorite artist hanging on the wall.

She glanced back at Sherman and saw the subtle pride in his eyes despite his silence.

He might not have said it explicitly, but his actions showed that he understood Rita's tastes perfectly.

Sherman released Rita's hand so she could look at the home, but she did not stray far and returned to his side after a brief moment.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2906-"What's wrong? Don't you like this design? I can have the designer start over if you don't."

Rita shook her head quickly. "It's not that I don't like it; it's just that this place is too good. I love every detail of the design, I really do, but..."

"But what?" Sherman asked anxiously. He had put his heart and soul into this, just to make sure Rita would be pleasantly surprised when she moved in. All this was so she could feel comfortable living there.

"I love it, but this isn't mine."

Sherman could see the disappointment in Rita's gaze. She was clearly pretending to be strong by saying those words, and that baffled Sherman.

"We're husband and wife. This is our shared home, so why do you say this isn't yours?"

"It's yours, Sherman, not mine. I know you married me out of obligation, and once the dust settles, I'm willing to divorce you. You don't have to act a certain way when we're with my dad. This place will eventually welcome its true owner."

Sherman's expression changed, while Rita's smile seemed forced. She was holding back her pain to say these words to him. How could she not wish to be the owner of the place?

"Are you joking?" Sherman's face became expressionless again, to Rita's relief.

That was the Sherman she was used to. The one who smiled and held her hand was not the Sherman she knew. He was someone else's husband. How would she be able to cope when they would part ways if she got used to his warmth? She would always always miss him.

'He's so good. I shouldn't use my overbearing father as an excuse to dominate Sherman's life,' she thought.

Since she liked him, she had to think about his future. Only when he was happy could she truly be happy.

"How kind of you to even think about my future wife," said Sherman sarcastically. He crossed his arms and looked at Rita, his gaze hardened with ridicule.

Rita smiled bitterly, not even daring to look up at Sherman. She could feel him staring at her, but what could she give him? Someone like her and her family would only be a burden to him.

Rita dared not think about what her father might demand from Sherman in the future. She did not dare think about Karen's pregnancy, and Sadie, who had always wanted Sherman for herself. Just the thought of them made her head hurt.

Being close to Sherman would only drag him into her family's mess, and she did not want that. Thus, what was the point of being married to him if all she was going to bring to him was trouble?

"Is that what you really think? How thoughtful of you. So, what kind of woman do you think would be suitable for me?" asked Sherman.

Rita took a deep breath as if to compose herself. She then forced a smile and lifted her head to look at him. "Ultimately, she should be someone from a similar background so she can help you in your career. Most importantly, she should come from a simple family, preferably a girl who's grown up surrounded by love."

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2907-"So yea, I think this kind of girl is especially suitable for you-"

"But I don't like that kind of girl."

"What? It's okay if you don't like her at first. You can take some time to nurture your feelings toward her. Just like when I first met you"

"When you first me? You mean, you didn't like me at first?"

Rita thought of how they had accidentally met and could not help but laugh. "You were like a block of ice. Who'd like that? Don't be too full of yourself."

"Well, what about now? Do you like me now?" Sherman did not give Rita a chance to evade. He held her shoulder and pulled her closer.

The two of them stared at each other, and Rita could not bear to look away. After all, she would not have the chance to be that close to him again after they parted ways.

"Tell me the truth, do you like me?"

Rita tried to change the subject. What else was there to say between them? Did it matter whether she liked him or not? Apart from caring about herself, she cared even less about other people's preferences. The process of them being together was already wrong from the start, and she did not want to make any more mistakes.

"Stop joking around, Sherman. I know all of this is just a temporary measure. I promise I'll try to persuade my dad later on. I'm willing to end this relationship, and I absolutely won't bother you anymore.

"I'm also working hard to save money now. When the time comes, I'll repay you all the money my dad asked from you. It might take some time, but I'll definitely repay it."

"Who asked you to repay the money? I won't even bat an eye if that money is lost. What I want is you!"

Sherman's words were firm, while Rita looked at him in shock. "Stop, Sherman. Please stop joking around like this. I can't afford this kind of joke."

Rita still took Sherman's words as a joke, even though he was serious in his confession. After all, it was common for someone like him to sweet-talk a girl, but Rita was not someone who could easily be swayed. She took things seriously. No one could reject Sherman's confession, and Rita was well aware of this. Thus, she convinced herself that he must be joking.

"What exactly are you afraid of? We're already married, and I'm seriously confessing to you now. This might not be too formal, but if you need it, I can arrange a wedding for you. I just want you to know how I really feel about you, and I also want to know how you feel about me. Is it so difficult to say you like me too, Rita?"

Sherman felt hurt when he noticed how Rita avoided eye contact. He knew Rita's family had put a lot of psychological pressure on her, but in his eyes, that did not matter at all.

The only reason he tolerated Vince was because of Rita; he would have severed ties with the Russell family if it were not for her. The audacity of Vince to threaten Sherman's family with some amateurish video editing skills was simply ludicrous.

Sherman first thought he was played by Rita and her father, but when he calmed down, he realized that none of this could possibly be related to the woman in front of him.

Then there was their time together, which gradually made him understand his true feelings for Rita. In fact, he felt it was a good thing that Rita ended up marrying into the Parr family. Even though the sequences of their love story was backward, none of that mattered as long as they loved each other.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2908-Why else would Sherman repeatedly bring Rita back to visit his family? His family was the most important thing in his life, and the public had no idea he was the scion of the Parr family. It was evident how much Sherman valued Rita whenever he brought her to attend family gatherings.

Unfortunately, Rita was too deep in her confusion to see that. She assumed Sherman only did that to show his family a loving relationship, even if it was fake.

"You might just be caught up in the moment, which is why you think you like me, but it's not real. When you calm down, you won't feel that way about me anymore. After all, what is there to like about someone like me? I'll only bring you trouble. Sherman, please don't ask me such questions anymore. I can't give you an answer."

Rita knew how hurtful her words were, but she had no choice. She could not ruin him with her selfishness. He was such a promising company president.

Her? The difference between them was too vast.

"I refuse to believe you have no feelings for me at all. If you don't like me, why would you say such things now? Are you turning me down because of your family?"

Sherman let go of Rita. He had always been unwilling to face his feelings, but after waiting for so long, he was not afraid to wait a little longer. He was going to force Rita to face the truth.

"I... I don't like you!" said Rita through gritted teeth, but she could not bring herself to look at Sherman. "Oh? Is that so? Well, in that case, I'll go on a blind date tomorrow. Since we're going to get divorced sooner or later, it's better to find someone else now than to wait."

Rita was astonished by Sherman's ruthless talk about their future. "So soon?"

"Is it soon, though? I'll need to meet a few women in a day and then leave some time for our feelings to develop, so I'm afraid that I'll only find the right person by the time we get divorced."

Frowning in disapproval, Rita said, "Marriage is not a game. You shouldn't treat it so casually."

"It's not like this is the first time I've treated marriage so casually, right? Are you trying to control me?" Sherman looked straight at Rita, but Rita eventually shook her head.

"Who am I to control you? You're right. We got married too hastily. You shouldn't do the same thing with your next wife, of course. You have to make sure to proceed in an orderly manner, from meeting, to getting to know each other, to falling in love..."

Sherman did not get angry at the things Rita was saying. He simply felt that Rita's family had a significant influence on her. She used to be so outgoing and straightforward.

She was reduced to being timid and cautious, even considering entering the entertainment industry just to pay off her family's debts.

He needed to resolve the Vince problem as soon as possible, or Rita might never hear a truthful word from him even when he grew old. However, when Rita suggested leaving the place, Sherman did not agree.

"Don't worry. Even if I get a mistress, I'll arrange for her to live somewhere else. It won't be worse than this place."

Rita felt bitter hearing that, but she was the one who chose this outcome, so she had no right to complain.

No one expected Sadie to approach Esmond on her own.

Esmond looked at the girl in front of him, who was practically a spitting image of Karen, with disbelief. "Are you really my daughter?"

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2909-Sadie frowned at Esmond, who looked like a rough old man, with dissatisfaction. "You're my dad? You were the one who used to beat and scold my mom after I was born?" She smiled disdainfully.

Esmond did not refute her accusation.

"My temper wasn't the greatest back then. I was young and didn't have a job, so I vented my frustrations on your mom. That was my fault. But I've changed, Sadie. Now, come and let me take a look at you. I haven't seen you since you were eight years old. Your mom has hidden you well all these years. She's really heartless to not even contact me once."

Sadie felt deeply grateful to her mother. She would not have been able to live a peaceful life at the Russells' place all these years if her mother had not cut contact with her ex-husband. Nonetheless, she came to find Esmond that day because she needed her help.

"Couldn't you have found us instead? Though, it's understandable that you didn't come to find us. I've been living happily with my dad all these years, and I never want to go back to living in that stinking ditch.

Esmond's expression darkened when he heard Sadie referring to Vince as her father, but he quelled his anger.

"I'm your real dad, regardless of what you call anyone else," he said calmly.

Sadie blinked. "I wouldn't still be alive if I didn't call him 'Dad'. Do you know what kind of life Mom and I lived after you left?"

Esmond, feeling guilty about the past, responded, "The past is the past, and there's nothing more to say about it. Besides, I left because I had no choice. I didn't expect you and your mom to leave that place. I thought I'd go out to make a living for a year and then come back, to improve our lives, but it wasn't easy making a living on the streets.

"It took several years before I earned enough money to go back. But by then, you two were already gone. Who could I spend the money I earned on?

"My sweet daughter, what brings you to your father today? Is it because you don't have enough money? Is it because that old man refuses to spend money on you and your mom already?"

Esmond smiled obsequiously, which made Sadie frown involuntarily.

"Of course not! I'm living well in the Russell family. In fact, they treat me like I'm Dad's real daughter. As for pocket money, Dad has never skimped on me."

"Alright, you've really put yourself in a difficult position! Can you stop calling him 'dad'? How am I supposed to take it?"

In the end, Esmond could not contain his emotions and yelled out, causing Sadie to shut her mouth. "No wonder Mom gets really afraid whenever the past is mentioned. It seems like you've left quite a trauma on her," Sadie remarked, pacing around Esmond's office for a moment before finally stopping in front of him. "I came to see you for a serious matter. Do you know about Rita and Sherman Parr?"

As soon as Esmond heard these two names, his face scrunched in disgust.

"How could I not know? Did you know they came to my place and caused a scene? Just because there was an issue with a piece of land I previously sold to Parr Group? That rat of a woman kept hounding me. She wouldn't rest until she dragged me to court. Can you believe how blind some reporters can be? They're simply unreasonable."

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2910-"And that Sherman, too! He came with her to cause trouble at my place. What's the company president of the prestigious Parr Group doing, coming here to make a scene?"

Seeing Esmond's disdain for Rita and Sherman, Sadie nodded in satisfaction.

"Is this woman bullying you and your mother? Your mother wanted me to get rid of Rita too when she called last time, but I missed my chance because of Sherman."

Sadie looked at Esmond resentfully. "How could you let her slip away when she's already in your territory? I really don't understand. You've been living the thug life for so many years, so you should have a lot of people under you, right?"

Esmond scratched his head. "It's true that she was in my territory, but I also have to be wary of Sherman. You don't know how powerful he is now. He controls our economic lifeline. If something goes wrong, all the men working under me could lose everything. After all these years, I have to think about them too, right? But now, it would be much easier to deal with Rita. I've hated her for a long time. Sweetheart, are you thinking of getting rid of her?"

Sadie nodded, still unsatisfied. "You must succeed this time. There's no room for failure. I haven't asked anything of you, my biological father, for so many years. So, I ask for this one thing now. If you do it well, I'll still consider you my dad. I'll take care of you in your old age. But if you mess it up... Hmph."

Sadie's icy scoff made Esmond shiver; he realized how much control this mother-daughter duo had over him. "Don't worry, it'll be easy to deal with her. I promise to take care of this matter well for you."

Sadie smiled smugly. 'Sherman will surely accept me once Rita is out of the picture! Then I'll be the new Missus Parr.'

Esmond asked obsequiously for Sadie to stay for dinner, but just looking at his rough appearance irritated her. 'How could my biological father be such a loser? He isn't imposing at all.'

Sadie's contrast with Rita was stark in every aspect, especially when compared to her biological father and Vince. It was like night and day.

Vince was refined and gentle. Over the years, he had never said a harsh word to her, except for the few times she had provoked him. He was a stepfather anyone would wish for.

She sighed inwardly. 'It's okay. All Rita has will be mine after she disappears. Then I'll be the one and only Miss Russell! More importantly, I'll get to be by Sherman's side, and his eyes won't only be on Rita anymore.'

Sadie could not help but smirk, and even Esmond could not help but shiver when he saw it.

"Rita, oh Rita, your fate is sealed in the palm of my hand. I'll teach you a lesson for being so smug!"

Sadie became even more resentful as she recalled what Sherman had said to her at the dining table that time.

'Sherman used to have a good impression of me when he first came to our place, but why did he change his mind after getting closer to Rita? I bet it's because that little rat told him all about our family's dirty laundry. Did she really think I wouldn't see through her scheming? She's as cunning as ever, I'll give her that.'