"Teresa, you and Jerome are full siblings. Let''s not fuss over these things," Jerome''s wife said, trying to smooth things over. "We''re not trying to steal anything from Yvonne. If she doesn''t want the engagement, why can''t it go to Caroline?"


    "It''s not that you don''t want to steal it; it''s that you can''t,” Teresa shot back. She wasn''t deaf; she had heard every word of Jerome''s threats to Yvonne in the hospital room.


    "I know that in your eyes, your daughter is the best. But you have to face reality. Caroline is in-looking, has an unlikable personality, and is mediocre in every way. You should find a suitable family for her to marry into. Aiming too high will only end up hurting her."


    After saying her piece, Teresa walked away without a backward nce.


    She walked alone along the sidewalk, heading nowhere in particr. It was as if Mr. James Sr.''s ps had finally woken her up, and for the first time in a long while, her mind felt perfectly clear.


    After the Halloween holiday ended, the matter of Mr. Walker''s promotion was finally settled.


    The appointment was announced, but it wasn''t him who got the promotion; it was his rival.


    This rival was nearly ten years younger than Mr. Walker and had less experience. Mr. Walker had been so confident about securing the position.


    He had already begun handing over his responsibilities in Istra, just waiting for the official appointment toe through so he could take up his new post.


    But reality dealt him a devastating blow. Not only did his promotion fail, but his old position was no longer avable either. Stuck in limbo, he was effectively sidelined.


    Mr. Walker had no idea that Bet had pulled strings behind the scenes to block his promotion.


    He was still frantically using his resources and connections, trying to turn the situation around.


    “Vincent here... I was just calling to ask about my job transfer... Oh, I see. Alright, understood."


    "It''s me, Vincent. Thest time we had dinner, didn''t you say my promotion was a sure thing?... Oh, I see. So that''s how it is."


    Mr. Walker sat on the living room sofa, making over a dozen calls. It seemed everyone was tight-lipped about why his promotion had failed.


    Unable to find a reason, he eventually concluded that the Thompson family hadn''t provided enough financial support, causing him to lose out to hispetitor.


    After years of smooth sailing, this failure was a particrly bitter pill to swallow, leaving him frustrated and furious.


    "Has the promotion been finalized? Could there have been a mistake?" Mrs. Walker asked, seeing her husband''s grim expression as she brought him a cup of tea.


    Mr. Walker took the tea and drank a few sips, but his face remained dark. "The promotion is a lost cause. The best I can do now is try to hold @ to the deputy mayor position. Otherwise, there won''t be a ce for us in Istra anymore.”


    Mrs. Walker didn''t fully understand the intricacies of her husband''s career and was shocked. "I thought your promotion was a done deal. How could something have gone. wrong? If you on''t get promoted,


    what about Ynda''s marriage to


    the Thompson family?"


    They had nned to pressure the Thompson family into making Bet honor his


    engagement to Ynda as soon as Mr. Walker was promoted.


    Now that his promotion had failed, he was stuck in Istra. And in Istra, the Thompson


    family reigned supreme, leaving the Walkers at their mercy.


    "How should know what to do!" Mr.


    Walker was on edge from his career setback. He mmed the teacup down on the coffee table, losing hisposure. "If your daughter had any ability, she would have married into the Thompson family long ago. With their financial backing, would have to fight so hard for promotion? If I''d known she''d be so useless, I never should have saved her in the first ce!"