"Do you think you’re the belle of the ball, huh?" ine nced at Carole with a mix of amusement


    and disbelief. "Carole, the only reason I''m even bringing this up in front of Irvin is that we''re sisters.


    Otherwise, do you think this deal would just fall into yourp? Do you think everyone gets this


    lucky?"


    The unspoken message was clear that Carole should stop ying hard to get! Why bother to


    pretend?


    "Then, by all means, pass this great opportunity to someone else! I can''t handle this blessing,"


    Carole retorted with a soft but firm tone that betrayed her usually gentle nature.


    After all, she wouldn''t have chosen to bravely move out on her own with her child if she were the


    type to be easily manipted.


    "ine, you''re a woman too, and you’re a wife. Put yourself in my shoes, how would you feel if


    someone tried to set your husband up with a mistress?" Carole challenged.


    ine choked on her words, her face contorting with displeasure.


    This was not going ording to n.


    She thought Carole would be grateful for introducing her to such a fine man like Irvin!


    But instead, Carole was biting the hand that fed her.


    She even suggested that Hancock would have a mistress. Ridiculous!


    "Alright, let''s not get nasty. We''re all family here, no need to ruin the harmony," Saul stepped in at


    the right moment. "Carole, ine''s just looking out for you. Since Irvin seems like a decent catch, I


    think you should give it some thought! You''re a single mom, have you considered how you''re going


    to manage in the future?"


    Saul, ever the schr and the moralpass, his stance was always upright.


    Who would''ve thought he''d stoop to such skewed morals?


    Deep down, Saul wanted no part in this mess, but ine had dangled a carrot that if Carole and


    Irvin hit it off, he''d receive a house as a thank-you gift.


    Money talked after all.


    Especially a house, considering the average price in Cloudcrest was skyrocketing.


    Carole looked up at Saul, as if seeing him for the first time, "The poor have their way of living, and


    the rich theirs. Saul, you needn''t worry about our household."


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Are you sure you won''t regret this?" Saul pressed.


    "I''m sure."


    He continued, "I hear Anthea''s high school tuition isn''t cheap. School''s about to start. Do you have


    enough for tuition, living expenses, misceneous fees, rent, utilities... We''re not lending you money


    this year!"


    Traditionally, Carole would borrow money from them around the start of the school year.


    Saul''s words left Carole with no exit.


    If she refused, Anthea would have to drop out, and their lives would be plunged into hardship.


    Taking a deep breath, Carole stood her ground, "Don''t worry. From now on, even if we die poor or


    starve, we won''t ask for a penny from you again!"


    With those final words, Carole stormed out of the study.


    "That ungrateful bitch. She even turned the world upside down! I’m still alive, and she dares to show


    such disrespect!" Gemma fumed, smashing the teapot on the table to the ground.


    Saul chuckled, cing a reassuring hand on Gemma''s shoulder, "Mom, don''t worry. It''s a done


    deal. Nobody''s lending her a dime this year. She''lle crawling back to us."