Chapter 39
Even Suzanne instinctively shuddered. She glanced over at Austin, confused by the sudden shift in his demeanor. His gaze was even colder than before.
Had she said something wrong?
The silence in the car stretched on, thick and heavy. Without warning, Austin slammed his foot down on the accelerator, causing the car to speed up suddenly. His icy voice broke the tension, his words cutting through the air like a knife. “As expected of Jane Smith.”
Suzanne was once again caught off guard. “What? What’s wrong?” She wasn’t sure if he was referring to her or something else entirely.
Austin’s expression remained frosty, his eyes on the road, and he didn’t answer her. The coldness in the car was palpable.
Just then, her phone rang, cutting through the oppressive silence. Suzanne pulled out her phone and saw the caller ID: it was Mandy. Her eyes immediately darkened. What could Mandy possibly want now?
After a brief hesitation, Suzanne answered the call, her tone sharp. “What is it?”
Mandy didn’t seem to mind Suzanne’s icy reception. Instead, she replied in a sweet, overly polite tone, “Suzanne, when are you coming home?”
Suzanne’s frown deepened. She could already guess where this was going. Were they still trying to pressure her into marrying Todd Lloyd, France Lloyd’s son?
Her expression grew colder as she replied flatly, “I’m not coming back.”
Austin’s grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly, but he didn’t speak. He kept his attention on the road ahead, his silence adding weight to the moment.
On the other end of the line, Mandy’s expression faltered for a second, but she quickly recovered, forcing a smile. “Well, we really need you here, dear. We’ve made arrangements, and…”
Before Mandy could finish her sentence, Suzanne cut her off, her voice sharp and final. “Don’t call me again.”
Without waiting for a response, she hung up the phone, cutting the conversation short.
She knew exactly what Mandy was trying to do, but Suzanne wouldn’t give her the chance to manipulate her into doing something she didn’t want.
Meanwhile, Mandy sat fuming on the couch, staring at the now-ended call on her screen. Her fake smile had disappeared, replaced by pure fury. She gritted her teeth in rage and, in a burst of frustration, threw her phone onto the floor. It hit the ground with a loud crash, shattering into pieces.
“That bitch!” Mandy seethed, her voice low and venomous.
Seline, who had been sitting next to her, admiring her freshly done nails, glanced up at Mandy with an expression of understanding. “She rejected you, huh? Would it really surprise you if Suzanne couldn’t be convinced so easily?”
Mandy scoffed. “She must come back no matter what.”
Seline smiled faintly, a knowing glint in her eyes. She leaned in closer to her mother, her voice lowering to a whisper. “Mom, I have an idea. Want to hear it?”
Mandy raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “What’s your idea? Will it work? Suzanne is tough to crack.”
With a confident grin, Seline nodded and whispered her plan into Mandy’s ear. After just a few minutes, the doubt on Mandy’s face faded, and she smiled, her eyes lighting up with intrigue.
“Well, well,” Mandy said, tapping Seline’s forehead lightly in approval. “Look at you. You actually came up with such a good idea!”
Mandy, usually the mastermind behind their schemes, was impressed. It seemed that her daughter had finally learned the art of manipulation.
Seline beamed, proud of herself. “Of course! I’m your daughter.”
The two women exchanged a look, their eyes filled with the quiet satisfaction of their shared scheming. They had a plan in mind, and this time, Suzanne wouldn’t be able to avoid them so easily.
Back in the car, Suzanne, having hung up the phone, stared out the window, the tension in the air still thick around her. The weight of the conversation, and what it meant, pressed down on her chest.
Mandy’s call had been nothing more than an attempt to pressure her into marriage with Todd Lloyd, and Suzanne let out a faint smile.
She had never been seen as Henry’s true daughter. In his eyes, Seline was the only one who mattered. Suzanne was just a tool, a pawn in their game, but she refused to be manipulated any longer.
Her smile was faint but resolute. She had long learned to stand on her own, and no matter what they threw at her, she would continue to stand firm.
She had a family now—someone who had already made a promise to protect her. That was enough.
