"Mom has spent years trying to teach you, but you''re still so petty and small-minded. What a waste of her efforts." Jeffrey red at Yvonne, his dislike palpable.
Yvonne, who had been sipping her tea, merely smiled. Then, without warning, she hurled the teacup at him.
Jeffrey wasn''t as quick as she was. The cup hit him squarely in the chest, soaking his shirt with scalding tea.
"Yvonne, are you crazy?" he yelped, jumping up from the sofa, his face contorted
with rage.
"Sorry, my hand slipped," Yvonne said with apleteck of sincerity. "But a man as forgiving and magnanimous as you wouldn''t hold a little thing like this against me, right?"
"You-!" Jeffrey''s chest was wet and stinging. He was so furious he was shaking.
"Me what? You won''t find the words ''forgiving'' or ''magnanimous'' in my dictionary. Those words just mean sacrificing yourself for someone else''s benefit. Why on earth would I do that?"
"You''re incorrigible," Jeffrey muttered, unable to argue further. He turned and stormed off.
"Jacob, are you alright?" Queena asked, feigning deep concern as she followed him upstairs.
"Is dinner ready? I''m hungry," Yvonne said, turning to a maid. Whether Jeffrey was burned was of far less importance to her than what was on the menu.
"Yes, it''s ready. Sir, Madam, shall we serve now?" the maid asked timidly, sensing the tense atmosphere.
"You all go ahead," George said, also fuming. He stood up and left the room. Teresa, having lost her appetite, followed him.
Soon, only Yvonne and Joseph were left in the living room.
"Hey, kid, want to eat with me?" Yvonne asked with a smile.
The look in her eyes sent a shiver down Joseph''s spine. He remembered her warning about tattling. I''m not hungry! My butt hurts im going to my room!". he yelled, clutching us sore bottom as
fled.
het
Yvonne sat alone at the dining table, surrounded by a feast. Without anyone
annoying to spoil her appetite, she ate with great pleasure.
After her meal, she went upstairs. Queena''s room was opposite hers, and as she passed, Yvonne''s sharp hearing caught their conversation.
"...Dad, do you know what they''re saying about me at school? They''re calling me the housekeeper''s daughter saying I''m low-ss Bub I''m your daughter too... I don''t want to go back to school ever again," Queena sobbed.
"There, there, don''t cry," George''s voice wasforting. "If you don''t want to go, you don''t have to. Mr. Turner is casting for a new crime thriller''ll use thepany''s influence to get you the lead role. Filming starts next month in Vexel and willst for at least three months. By the time youe back, everyone will have forgotten about these rumors."
"But Vexel is so far away," Queena fretted. "What if Yvonne seduces Matt while I''m gone for three months?"
“Don''t you worry. As long as I''m here, I will never let Yvonne marry Matthew. You are the only one worthy of bing Mrs. Gonzalez and living a life of wealth and luxury," George promised.
"Thank you, Daddy,” Queena''s tears finally stopped, reced by a triumphant smile.