After dinner, Tiffany diligently massaged her father’s shoulders, the picture of a filial daughter.
Charlie, however, wasn’t buying it. He burst into laughter and asked, “Alright, spill it, kiddo. What are you cooking up this time?”
In Charlie’s mind, whenever Tiffany acted overly sweet, it was a sure sign she wanted something from him.
His daughter had always been clever and cunning, except when it came to matters of the heart. Then, her intelligence seemed to vanish, replaced by blind, stubborn infatuation.
Tiffany rubbed her nose sheepishly. Her dad’s intuition was spot on; she did have something to say.
“Dad, can we visit the Harpers tomorrow?” she asked tentatively.
Charlie’s mood soured instantly. “What for? You’re so eager to run off to their place You’ll end up there soon enough when you marry into their family. Why the rush?”
now.
The thought of his precious daughter being swept away by some undeserving boy was hard for Charlie to stomach.
What made it worse was that the Kenneth didn’t even seem to appreciate what he had! The way he constantly scowled at Tiffany made Charlie’s blood boil.
Which father could possibly be happy seeing his daughter treated with such indifference?
Tiffany, realizing her father’s misunderstanding, quickly explained, “No, that’s not it. I want to go there to… break off the engagement.”
This wasn’t news to Thalia, as they had discussed it earlier. She chimed in, trying to sway her husband, “If that’s what our daughter wants, we should support her. I don’t think that Harper boy is a good match for her anyway.”
“Are you sure about this? You won’t regret it?” Charlie asked, his tone now serious and concerned.
“Tiffany, honey, whether your mom and I like him is beside the point. What matters most is how you feel. Don’t break off the engagement just for our sake, only to end up crying into your pillow later?
“Absolutely not,” Tiffany declared with unwavering resolve, finally convincing her parents to agree.
Believing that swift action was necessary to prevent further complications, the Kelleys decided to visit the Harpers the very next day, taking advantage of the weekend..
The Harpers were a prominent family in Lovell City, known for their wealth and influence. Standing before their imposing gates, Tiffany’s emotions were a tangled mess.
Long ago, she had naively imagined herself as the future mistress of the Harper family, only to be hit in the face by a cruel reality.
Now that she had been given a second chance, her greatest desire, aside from revenge, was to call off this engagement.
From now on, she wanted nothing more than for her and Kenneth to lead separate lives, never crossing paths again.
Five years in prison had taught her enough.
If it was possible, she wanted Kenneth to experience the same suffering she had endured.
With a flicker of resentment in her eyes, Tiffany took her mother’s arm and followed the butler into the Harper estate.
The Harper estate was a masterpiece of meticulous landscaping, with every plant trimmed to perfection. Mrs. Harper had a passion for flowers, and the grounds were a vibrant tapestry of diverse blooms.
Tiffany recalled how, the previous year, she had gone to extraordinary lengths to acquire rare flowers from abroad as a birthday gift for Mrs. Harper.
Unfortunately, her inexperience in gardening led to the flowers wilting, turning what was meant to be a thoughtful gesture into an embarrassing fiasco.
And not a single person from the Harper family had come to her defense.
Recalling the past, Tiffany grew bitter.
The butler, leading the way, turned back and casually asked Charlie, Mr. Kelley and Mrs. Kelley, are you here today to discuss the wedding date?”
When the engagement was first arranged, it was decided that Tiffany and Kenneth would marry once they came of age. It seemed today’s visit was about setting those plans in motion.
The butler’s tone carried a hint of disdain. Although the engagement was long-standing, the fact that the Kelley family was initiating the discussion made it seem as if Tiffany was desperate to attach herself to the Harper family.
Charlie chuckled ambiguously and replied, “Something like that.”
After all, breaking off the engagement was still discussing the marriage.
When they arrived at the Harper estate, Mrs. Harper was arranging flowers. Seeing them enter, she immediately stood up with a welcoming smile. “Oh, our future in-laws are here! Wonderful, wonderful, please sit!”
She then turned to instruct the staff to prepare coffee and beckoned Tiffany over with a warm smile. “Tiffany, dear, it’s been so long! Come, sit with me.”
In the past, Tiffany would have eagerly sought to win Mrs. Harper’s favor and draw closer to her. Today, however, she merely offered a polite but detached smile. “Hello, it’s nice to see you.”
She then sat beside her own mother.
Thalia gently patted her daughter’s hand and began, “To be honest, Mrs. Harper, my husband and I came with our daughter today because we have something important to discuss.”
“Ah, it’s about Kenneth and Tiffany’s wedding, isn’t it? Oh, my memory! I completely forgot about that. Butler, bring me the calendar so we can pick a good date.
Mrs. Harper smiled apologetically. As the matriarch of a prestigious family, she handled such matters with ease, maintaining her poise and elegance.
Yet, beneath her calm demeanor, there was a lack of genuine concern.
Tiffany watched the scene unfold with a sense of amusement.
There’s a saying that those caught up in a situation often couldn’t see clearly, while outsiders had a clearer view. Tiffany had once been so swept up in Mrs. Harper’s seemingly kind and approachable demeanor that she failed to realize she was never truly valued.
Thalia, however, saw through it all.
Without mincing words, she declared, “Mrs. Harper, there’s been a misunderstanding. We’re here to call off the engagement. In hindsight, this arrangement was made far too hastily. without ever considering what the children truly wanted. They’re incompatible-it’s clear that forcing this union would be a mistake. It’s time to put an end to it.”
As Thalia finished speaking, the Kelley family’s driver stepped forward, returning a portion of the engagement gifts the Harpers had given, placing them on the coffee table.
Among them was the heirloom diamond bracelet.
“This is…”
Mrs. Harper was completely taken aback, blurting out, “How could they be incompatible? Hasn’t Tiffany always liked my son? Why the sudden change?”
She almost accused the Kelley couple of interfering and forcing Tiffany to agree to the annulment. But when she looked at Tiffany, she saw her sitting calmly on the sofa, her eyes clear and composed.
Compared to her previous anxious and cautious demeanor, Tiffany now seemed transformed, like a diamond in the rough that had finally been polished to reveal its true brilliance.
Mrs. Harper furrowed her brows.
The engagement had always been seen as the Kelley family aiming above their station with the Harpers.
Despite her reservations about Tiffany, Mrs. Harper had always taken for granted that this seemingly devoted attachment would endure, and the marriage would proceed as planned, regardless of anyone’s true feelings on the matter.
But today, the Kelley family had come to call off the engagement!
This was a turn of events no one had expected.
As Mrs. Harper struggled to comprehend the news, Kenneth lingered in the shadows at the corner of the second floor.