“Do tell me, Aunt Catherine,” Jacqueline pleaded.
Catherine suddenly looked sorrowful, taking out a handkerchief and dabbing at the corners of her eyes
dramatically. “Shane’s been trying to capture Sean lately, so Sean can’t even come home. I came here to
convince Natalie to call Shane off, but she refused. Jacqueline, please help to persuade Shane,”
Catherine begged.
“Oh,” Jacqueline stated, a crafty gleam appearing in her eyes. She beamed at Catherine, saying, “Got it,
Aunt Catherine. Don’t worry. I’ll do my best to let Shane know.”
Natalie frowned but said nothing.
Upon hearing that, Catherine held Jacqueline’s hands tightly and exclaimed with gratitude, “That’s
fantastic! Thank you, Jacqueline.”
“Please, there’s no need to thank me. I’m just doing what I can. After all, Sean took care of me last time.
I’m just repaying the debt,” Jacqueline replied modestly.
“You’ve got a conscience, Jacqueline, unlike some people,” Catherine said, deliberately emphasizing the
last two words. She cast a baleful glance towards Natalie as she spoke, her eyes like two daggers
pointing at her.
The latter shook her head in contempt. She decided not to dignify them with a response, however and
remained silent.
“All right, Jacqueline. It’s getting late, so I’ll be going home. I’ll leave Sean in your hands, then. I’ll be sure
to invite you over some time,” Catherine concluded, getting to her feet.
Jacqueline likewise rose from her seat and extended her hand towards Sean’s mother. “Sure, Aunt
Catherine. Let me see you on your way out.”
The two of them then headed off towards the door.
Mrs. Wilson came over after Jacqueline and Catherine had left, bearing a plate of fruits in hand. Looking
after them, she tutted, saying, “This Ms. Graham doesn’t know her place. Does she think she’s the owner
of this house? How dare she send Mrs. Thompson off? It’s your role here, Madam! She snatched it right
away. She’s the one with no manners.”
“It’s all right, Mrs. Wilson. She can do what she likes,” Natalie said smoothly, nibbling on a slice of
watermelon.
After all, Natalie was confident that she could defeat Jacqueline at any given moment.
Besides, Catherine had thoroughly irritated Natalie for the entire conversation, and she was in no mood
to send her off. Let Jacqueline have the honors if she wants, Natalie thought contemptuously.
“She’s… Forget it,” Mrs. Wilson began as if she had something on her mind but shook her head gravely
without continuing.
Natalie smiled at her. “It’s fine, Mrs. Wilson. Please take a seat and accompany me.”
Mrs. Wilson had finished her tasks for the day, so she sat down next to the woman.
Jacqueline returned at that moment and greeted them haughtily, “Ms. Smith, Mrs. Wilson.”
“Ms. Graham, do you know that when you agreed to Mrs. Thompson’s request, it was tremendously
unfair to Madam?” Mrs. Wilson abruptly scowled in a trembling voice, unable to contain her outrage.
The smile on Jacqueline’s face instantly faded. “Mrs. Wilson, what are you referring to?” she asked
innocently.
“Mrs. Thompson came here to speak to Madam because she wanted her to persuade sir. Mr. Sean
kidnapped Madam, and if she refused to agree, it would have been her business. You had no right to
interfere!” Mrs. Wilson declared hotly.
It was exactly what Natalie had been trying to convey to Catherine. The victim was simply unwilling to
forgive her abuser.
It was comical that a bystander should be able to forgive the abuser on the victim’s behalf.
Natalie was surprised to hear Mrs. Wilson reprimand Jacqueline on her account. However, a warm
feeling rose within her, and she looked at the housekeeper with deep appreciation.
Jacqueline, on the other hand, looked as if she had just tasted something nasty.
She fiddled with the hem of her shirt, saying feebly, “I was only trying to help Ms. Smith. She’s the
daughter-in-law of the Thompson family, and if she refused to help Mrs. Thompson, things might be
difficult for her in the future.”
“That’s not up to you,” Mrs. Wilson said coldly.
At that remark, Jacqueline’s eyes turned red, and tears sparkled in them. She turned to Natalie and said
mournfully, “Ms. Smith, do you think it was wrong of me to do that?”
“I think it was unnecessary of you to step in, Ms. Graham,” Natalie replied curtly. “You knew what
happened to me, but you ignored it and took the moral high ground, insisting that I was wrong for being
rude to Mrs. Thompson. You even agreed to Mrs. Thompson’s suggestion on my behalf. Do you think it
was right of you to do so?”
“That’s right. It didn’t cost you anything to agree,” Mrs. Wilson added.
Jacqueline bit her lip as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. Sobbing, she turned away from
the two women without another word and dashed upstairs.
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