rissa had a knack for conversation that left the Brown family blushing, skillfully hitting them with her words. Jason was stunned; he''d never seen his mom use her words as weapons like this before. Each remark was as sharp as a knife wrapped in silk-ufortable, yet hard to call out.


    With a smile on her face, rissa''s verbal jabs hit home, and the Browns had no choice but to sit and take it. Malia took the chance to escape, "I think there''s some soup left in the kitchen. I''ll go grab it. You all start without me."


    "I''ll help you, Mom," Alisa said, clearly feeling the heat from rissa, and followed her into the kitchen. Once there, their masks came off.


    Malia, simmering with anger, whispered, "Did you catch what rissa was hinting at? She''s basically saying because I don''t have a son, we''re all living off hers. Who does she think she''s kidding?"


    Though boiling inside, Malia kept her voice low, letting out her frustrations quietly. The more she talked, the angrier she got. "Alisa, if you marry into the Morton family, you''ll have to fight someone like rissa."


    Alisa, still sore about rissa suggesting divorced men as matches, narrowed her eyes and said, "If she doesn''t want me in her family, I''ll make it my mission to get in. Let''s see who ousts who."


    Malia''s fighting spirit was contagious. Pulling out a small packet, she said, "This is what your father and I got. Pour it into the soup and serve it."


    Alisa was curious, "Mom, what''s that?"


    Malia smirked, "Sleeping powder."


    "Mom, what are you nning?" Alisa was puzzled. "Even with rissa here, drugging Jason won''t solve anything."


    "Then let them all drink it. Once Jason''s out cold, we''ll make it seem like he ended up in your bed. That''ll show rissa what''s what," Malia dered, pouring the sedative into the soup before bringing it out.


    Back at the table, rissa was still going strong, leaving Daniel so embarrassed he looked like he''d swallowed something sour.


    "Soup''s ready," Malia announced with a smile. "This meatball soup is delicious. Jason, rissa, let me serve you a bowl. You must try Alisa''s cooking."


    "Thanks, Aunt Malia," Jason replied.


    rissa, suspecting nothing, epted the soup with a smile, unaware of the secret ingredient. As Malia served them, I, drawn by the aroma, reached for a bowl, "Grandma, I want some too."


    Quickly, Alisa intercepted, feigning nonchnce, "The pot''s running low, sweetie. I''ll get you some from the kitchen. Everyone else, dig in." With that, Alisa retreated to the kitchen.


    Being naturally suspicious because of his job, Jason noticed something off about Alisa''s behavior. rissa, oblivious, sipped her soup, continuing her sharp- tongued exchange with Daniel and Malia.


    Malia urged, "Jason, drink up. This meatball soup is something else."


    "Alright," Jason said, taking a sip. "Uncle, Aunt, my mom can be blunt, but she means well. Please don''t take her words to heart."


    Daniel and Malia forced a smile, "No worries, Jason. We''re family. No need to stand on ceremony."


    Alisa returned with a fresh bowl for I, then sat silently, picking at her meal. Sensing an opening, Jason decided to address the elephant in the room. "Uncle, Aunt, there''s something I need to rify today, for Alisa''s sake."


    The room fell silent; all eyes turned to Jason, curious about what he was going to say. Turning to Alisa, he said, "I''m sorry, Alisa, but I can''t marry you. I want to make it right, though, and the best way I see ispensation."


    Jason ced a bank card in front of Alisa. "There''s fifty thousand on this card, and the PIN is thest six digits of the card number. In front of Uncle and Aunt, I want to settle things amicably. If you''re willing, Alisa, take the card."


    Hearing the amount, Alisa felt a twinge of temptation, but her debts had ballooned


    to over seventy thousand with interest. The offer wasn''t enough.


    Feigning outrage, she snapped, "Jason, what do you think I am? This is an insult."


    Malia chimed in, "Jason, are you trying to humiliate us? You made the first move, and now you''re trying to pay us off? What do you take Alisa for?"


    Daniel, equally incensed, mmed the table, "Jason, take your money back. ording to our family''s rules, you made amitment. Now, as a man, you need to stand by it."