Chapter 4

My sudden change of heart was like throwing a stone into a still pond, sending ripples through the entire house.

Eileen and Gerald were ecstatic, practically floating with joy.

Gerald, in particular, strutted around in his designer clothes like he was the "king of the world." To everyone else, he just looked ridiculous.

He started acting like the Welch family's important member, ordering the staff around and criticizing everything.

"Brielle, this coffee is cold. Make a fresh one, please. How hard is it to get something right?" Gerald said.

He sat there with his legs crossed, bossing Brielle around, even though she'd been our maid for ages.

Brielle's face turned sour, but since I was "siding" with Gerald, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and make another pot.

I watched from the side, keeping quiet.

I'd let him keep showing off. The harder he crashed later, the sweeter it would be.

Eileen didn't see anything wrong with Gerald's attitude. She thought he was just "settling into the family" and "showing off his style." She looked at him like he was some sort of superstar.

Gerald even shamelessly barged into Miguel's study while he was busy with paperwork and asked if he could "learn the ropes" at the company. "I think I should start with management and help out a bit, Mr. Welch," he said.

Even if Miguel could be clueless sometimes, he still knew what mattered. Staring at Gerald, who probably couldn't even read a balance sheet, he frowned so hard that it looked like his face might crack. But for my sake, he turned him down gently. "Gerald, the company has its own rules. Just focus on the wedding for now. Work can wait."

Gerald got shot down, his face darkening instantly. He let out a huff and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Miguel was fuming. He turned to me and grumbled, "Just look at him. What's he even thinking? I really don't get what Eileen sees in him."

I poured him a cup of tea, my voice "resigned" but "gentle." "Young people have temperamental moments. He's been through a lot, and everything is happening so quickly. It's normal that he needs some time to adjust. As long as he treats Eileen well, that's what matters."

Miguel looked at me, his eyes complicated. He sighed. "Sharon, you've really changed. You used to be so strict, but now you seem so laid-back. Sorry that you have to deal with all this."

I lowered my gaze, hiding the coldness in my eyes.

Dealing with all this? Compared to the nightmare of my previous life, this was nothing.

This was just the beginning.

At first, Fiona was suspicious, thinking I had some hidden agenda. But when she saw me actually spending real money to dress Gerald up and plan a lavish wedding, her doubts faded, only to be replaced by something else. She cringed at the thought of money spent on it.

She pulled me aside and lowered her voice. "Sharon, are you out of your mind? You're really giving that punk so much attention? Buying him designer clothes and planning this fancy wedding? Do you have any idea how much all this costs? Money doesn't grow on trees. Eileen's already gone overboard, and now you're doing the same."

I put on a troubled expression. "Fiona, I've already made the promise. If I back out now, Eileen will hate me for life. Besides, throwing a grand wedding is about the Welch family's reputation. We can't let people gossip that we shortchanged our daughter and the man she chose."

"Reputation?" Fiona scoffed. "What kind of reputation do you get from marrying her off to a punk?" But seeing how firm I was, she could only mutter under her breath and walk off, directing her frustration at Eileen and Gerald, who she now looked at with even more disdain.

*****

One day, Eileen came over again, this time with Gerald in tow. The first thing she brought up was the wedding apartment.

"Mom. Gerald and I can't stay at home after the wedding. It's just too awkward. Can you buy us a place? Nothing too big, just a nice apartment in a good neighborhood," she said, like it was the most normal request in the world. Gerald nodded eagerly, his eyes wide with expectation.

I sneered inwardly, but put on a perfectly awkward look. "Eileen, it's not that I don't want to buy you a place. The company has been struggling financially lately, and your dad has been stressed about it. Dropping money on a new apartment just isn't realistic right now."

Seeing their disappointed faces, I softened my tone and said sincerely, "But I'd never leave you without. When I married your dad, your grandma gave me a place as a gift. It's a little old and not in the best location, but it's spacious. Fix it up a bit, and it'll make a great starter home for you two. That's my way of showing I care. You can stay there for now, and once things improve, we'll get you something better."

I knew exactly which apartment I was talking about. It was an old apartment in the city's rundown area, the one I received years ago. It had been empty for ages because no one wanted to rent there. But lately, there had been talk of redevelopment. No one knew for sure what domain compensation would be, but it could be enough to catch their attention.

Eileen and Gerald exchanged glances, clearly not thrilled about the idea of moving into an old apartment.

I quickly tried to sweeten the deal. "Sure, it's old, but it's quiet, and no one will bother you. Perfect for you two to have your own space. And I've heard... well, it's just rumors, but there might be a new development planned for that area. Who knows? It could turn into something valuable in the future." I kept it vague, leaving plenty of room for their imaginations to run wild.

Sure enough, Gerald's scheming side kicked in. He asked right away, "Sharon, what kind of rumors? Are they planning to tear the place down?"

I waved my hand casually, smiling. "It's just talk. Don't get too excited about it. But if you want, I can take you to see it tomorrow."

When Gerald heard there was a chance the place might get torn down, his eyes practically lit up. He tugged at Eileen's sleeve.

Eileen had her heart set on a shiny new apartment, but with all the talk about the world of the two of them, the possible cash if the place really got torn down, and my playing up the whole "money's tight" situation, she got the hint and backed down gracefully. "Alright, thanks, Mom. We'll go check it out."