Amara thought it over and decided that meeting with Edith wasn''t unreasonable, so she sent a reply and headed to the office.


    When she arrived at the building, Edith''s assistant came down to meet her and led her to Edith''s office.


    Edith, dressed in a tailored business suit, sat behind her spacious desk, fixing Amara with a cold, scrutinizing gaze.


    Amara walked over. Seeing that Edith didn''t invite her to sit, she pulled out a chair herself and sat down. "Ms. Winters, what did you want to discuss with me?"


    She didn''t want to stand while Edith sat; Edith was a domineering, self-assured woman, and if Amara remained standing, it would feel too much like she was being interrogated.


    Edith had intended for Amara to stay on her feet, but Amara''s decision to seat herself only reinforced what Emma had told her. Still, Edith didn''tment on it, keeping her tone icy.


    "I''ve met with Emma. She told me some things about you."


    She gave a cold, dismissive huff and looked Amara up and down, her expression turning even chillier, tinged with contempt.


    "In any case, you and Keith will absolutely not be getting married. I won''t allow you into the West family."


    "In the past, Keith was willing to give up his career in show business just to get my approval, but let me tell you, even if he quit a hundred times over, it wouldn''t matter. I will never agree to your marriage."


    So Emma had gone to Edith—exactly the kind of thing she would do.


    Amara paused for a moment, then looked up and said, “Ms. Winters, just because Emma told you a few things, you believe everything she says? Why are you so ready to take her word for it?"


    "If you really are that kind of person, how do you manage such a bigpany so well?"


    Edith could hardly believe what she was hearing. Was Amara actually questioning her?


    It was just as Emma had said—Amara had no respect for her elders. Edith''s conviction that Amara could never marry Keith only grew stronger.


    She was about to retort, but Amara spoke first. "Anyway, I''m not nning to marry Keith anymore. After what happened a few days ago, it''s obvious you''d never allow it, so I''ve already let it go. I''m just stating the facts really don''t understand why you''d take Emma''s word at face value."


    She didn''t even bother with any formal titles for Emma anymore, just called her by her name. After all, they''d already decided she was disrespectful; being polite wouldn''t change their minds.


    Edith was truly furious now-Amara had managed to say everything, leaving her with nothing left to argue.


    "You really are just like she saidpletely disrespectful."


    Amara gave a coldugh. "Respect goes both ways. If someone doesn''t respect me, why should I respect them? If you repay malice with kindness, how do you repay


    kindness? I''m not interested on being anyone''s doormat."


    Respect goes both ways—was Amara saying Edith was the one being disrespectful?


    Edith''s gaze grew even frostier. She rapped her fingers on the desk-not too hard, but enough to make her point. You really are not what is expected. I thought you were a quiet, easily managed girl."


    Quiet and obedient? She probably just thought I''d be easy to push around.


    Edith stood up, her eyes regaining a steely calm. She was about to speak when suddenly the office door swung open and Keith strode in. “Mom, what are you talking about?"


    He walked over to the desk and stood slightly in front of Amara, his posture protective as he faced Edith, clearly worried his mother would try to bully Amara.


    Seeing Keith bristle with protectiveness toward Amara, while standing up to her, made Edith''s anger re even hotter.