By now, Emma had left the hospital and returned to Thompson Manor.


    For once, Frank had no evening engagements and was sitting on the living room sofa, sipping a cup of fine red tea.


    "Weren''t you going to stay with Bet? Why are you back so soon?" Frank asked as his wife walked in.


    "Your precious son is in his room getting cozy with that actress. I would have been in the way. What else was I supposed to do bute home?"


    Emma sat down next to Frank, fuming.


    Frank merely raised an eyebrow, not nearly as upset as she was. He gestured for a maid to pour her some tea.


    "Have some tea and calm down. I thought it was something serious. It''s just a woman. If Bet likes her, what''s the harm in keeping her around?"


    "He and Ynda aren''t even married yet, and he''s already keeping a mistress! What kind of disgraceful behavior is that?" Emma took the tea from the maid and drank half of it in one gulp, which only seemed to fuel her anger.


    "You men are all the same."


    "You were talking about our son. How did I get dragged into this?" Frank said defensively.


    He felt like an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire. Deciding it was best to keep quiet, he raised his teacup and continued to sip his tea.


    The living room fell into a brief silence, broken by the vibration of a cellphone.


    Frank picked up his phone, nced at the caller ID, and frowned slightly before answering.


    Emma watched as her husband''s expression soured. "What is it?" she asked after he hung up.


    "The Walker family is calling to demand an exnation," Frank said, tossing the phone back onto the coffee table with a look of annoyance.


    "Ynda was certainly wronged this time. Should I have my assistant prepare some gifts to send over to them?" Emma asked.


    "There''s no need. Let''s give them the cold shoulder for now. It''s not like Ynda is some goddess. The Walkers are getting a little ahead of themselves," Frank said coldly.


    He had never been particrly fond of Ynda.


    She was cunning and maniptive, and her health was poor. She''d had two major surgeries; it wasn''t even certam she could have children have children


    Wasn''t that the reason the Rogers family had refused to marry her?


    Even though Mr. Walker''s career had been on a steady rise, Ynda was still not a worthy match for Bet.


    Frank had only agreed to the marriage alliance because his wife found Ynda to


    be sweet and obedient, and because his son seemed to like her.


    But now, Frank was btedly realizing that Bet might have never liked Ynda at all. The marriage was likely, off, but the -Walkerally hadn''t faced reality yet


    and were still trying to y hard to get.  s?novel


    "Well, once Bet is out of the hospital, we''ll have him go to the Walker''s and apologize to Ynda personally. As for that actress don''t like her. If he wants to y around, fine, but if he thinks he''s bringing her home as his wife, I will never agree to it."


    Emma continued to grumble.


    Frank sipped his tea and said nothing. *What good will your approval do?* he thought. *It''s not like our son listens to you. You told him not to be with Yvonne, but they were about to get married anyway.*


    "Let the children handle their own affairs. Bet isn''t a child anymore. We should stay out of it," Frank said, putting down his teacup tofort his wife.


    Emma was about to say more, but Frank cut her off.


    "You haven''t eaten, have you? Mrs. Smith, is dinner ready? Are we having my wife''s favorite sweet lotus seed pudding tonight?"


    With that, Frank took Emma''s hand and led her toward the dining room.


    ...


    Bet''s injuries were severe, and he remained in the hospital for half a month.