Mrs. Ferguson took a few deep breaths, rubbing her forehead. "Forget it. I''m done


    talking about you and ra. The folks overseas keep pressing me-it''s time for


    you to go abroad. When are you leaving? The elders want to meet you."


    "We''ll talk about itter," Dn replied, his tone t.


    Mrs. Ferguson''s face darkened, her jaw clenched. "You-"


    Before she could finish, footsteps sounded from upstairs.


    ra appeared, barefoot and infy loungewear, her hair falling softly around


    her face. She looked rxed, almost glowing.


    Mrs. Ferguson tried to keep it together, but in the end, she couldn''t help but snap.


    "This is ridiculous! Look at yourself! Is this how you should act? If a girl like you


    marries into the Ferguson family, people willugh at us! And you, Dn, you


    want to take her overseas? Are you trying to embarrass me?"


    ra froze in ce, startled by the harsh words.


    She could see it clearly now-Mrs. Ferguson did not like her.


    Dn, unfazed, waved ra over and patted the seat beside him. "Come here."


    ra nced nervously at Mrs. Ferguson, then quietly went to sit next to Dn.


    Mrs. Ferguson''s anger was barely contained; her jaw was so tight she looked like


    she might break a tooth. If she hadn''t been dealing with this kind of stress for


    days, she might have actually passed out from rage.


    "Mother, you''re scaring her," Dn said calmly.


    He picked up a ss of water and held it to ra''s lips. "Didn''t you want to sleep


    a little longer?"


    She''d barely sleptst night, crying herself to sleep, and yet she was already up.


    ra gripped his arm, sneaking another look at Mrs. Ferguson, unsure if she


    should say anything.


    But Dn just set the ss down and spoke gently, his tone steady and


    She nodded.


    Dn motioned for the housekeeper to bring out breakfast.


    The housekeeper approached Mrs. Ferguson carefully, asking if she wanted to


    join them.


    Mrs. Ferguson had no appetite, but she didn''t want to just leave, either. She


    wanted to see what ra would do this time.


    ra ate quietly, letting Dn put food on her te. Every now and then, she''d


    look at him and smile.


    Mrs. Ferguson sat off to the side, gripping her spoon so tightly her knuckles


    turned white.


    It was almost unreal-Dn actually looked happy.


    He''d barely shown any emotion for years, but right now, there was no denying it:


    He was genuinely happy.


    "Watching him take such care of ra, Mrs. Ferguson finally burst out, "What, she


    doesn''t have hands? She can''t serve herself?"


    Dn didn''t respond. He just turned to ra. "ra."


    "Yeah?" she replied softly.


    He tapped the corner of his mouth.


    ra immediately understood, leaned in, and kissed his cheek. "Thank you,


    honey."


    He lowered his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Mm."


    Mrs. Ferguson''s spoon fell to the floor with a tter.


    That was it. She couldn''t sit there any longer. She got up and left.


    Even after she got in the car, she couldn''t calm down.


    Her phone rang. It was Tara.


    She let out a deep sigh. "Tara, ra''s been found. Dn''s watching her closely


    now. I don''t want to push him anymore. Let''s just see what happens."


    Tara''s grip tightened on her phone. ra''s been found? Didn''t her uncle say


    everything would go smoothly? How did this happen...


    But she quickly covered it up. "I''m d she''s safe. Honestly, I was just worried


    about Dn. Is he doing any better?"


    Mrs. Ferguson thought back to what


    she''d just witnessed, feeling a


    strange mix of emotions. "He''s


    better. He''spletely different with


    ra. I''ve never seen him like that.


    Maybe I never should''vee back


    at all. Maybe he knows what he''s


    doing. As long as he stays obedient


    with other things, that''s enough for


    me."


    Tara forced a polite smile, her voice sounding sweet but cold. "As long as he''s


    okay. Mrs. Ferguson, take care of yourself."


    Mrs. Ferguson sighed and hung up, only for her phone to ring again-this time, it


    was Walter.


    Her face went cold. She ignored the call and drove straight to the old family


    house.


    When she entered the study, Walter was practicing calligraphy.


    He looked up. "How''s Dn?"


    "He found ra," Mrs. Ferguson replied.


    Walter''s brush paused. "The people overseas won''t allow him to be with ra. If


    The wants that position, his fiancée has to be chosen very carefully."


    Mrs. Ferguson sat down, her chest tight with frustration. "Tara''s a good match, but


    Dn just doesn''t care for her."


    Walter hung his calligraphy paper on


    the rack. "You like Tara, but her


    family background isn''t strong


    enough. Overseas, they''ll probably


    want him to marry into the Chester


    family. Tara''s well-mannered, but


    she''s an orphan now-just you left.


    You''ve let that girl fool you all these


    years. You can''t see the bigger


    picture-typical soft-heartedness."


    Mrs. Ferguson, who was always so


    strong, suddenly felt humiliated.


    "Walter, I''m doing this for the


    family''s reputation. Dn has to get


    that position. I just can''t stand ra.


    If people abroad find out she''s my


    daughter-inw, I''ll be a


    Walter turned, picking up his brush again. "Let Tara handle it. Don''t get involved,


    or Dn will resent you."


    Didn''t Tara have an uncle? That man''s methods were anything but clean.


    Mrs. Ferguson sighed, a worried look in her eyes. "But Dn and ra..."


    "That''s why I say you''re too soft. She''s just a woman. If something happens to


    her, send Dn abroad for a while. There are plenty of ways to make him forget."


    A sense of unease crept in, but she couldn''t find the words to protest.