At that moment, Derek longed for his earlier life in Adagend. Though he had been poor as a child, his life had gradually improved under Marissa’s care. Now, returning to his wealthy family had plunged him into turmoil!
Unbeknownst to Marissa, Derek wasn’t entirely under her control. After leaving the apartment, she planned to visit Caylee at the hospital. On the way, she received a call from Balthasar
“When are you coming home, Tiffany?” Balthasar’s voice was unexpectedly gentle, a stark contrast to his typically cold and scornful tone
Marissa scoffed, “Did you dial the wrong number? I’m no longer a part of your family, remember?”
“Ahem!” Balthasar sounded slightly embarrassed. “You have a twin sister, Tiffany. Would you like to learn more about her?”
Marissa’s eyes widened. “I’ll be right back!”
Ever since Marissa discovered she was Brian’s daughter, she felt a connection to the Nash family in Blebert, despite their coldness toward her. Although the Nash family was known for their contributions to medicine, the true acclaim belonged to Marissa’s father. She was determined not to let his legacy be tarnished on her watch. Therefore, Marissa only caused the downfall of Sansa and her daughter today, while the Nash family not only avoided disgrace but actually gained more prominence
Yet, Marissa hadn’t planned on rejoining the Nash family so soon. The family members lacked a genuine interest in medicine and were primarily motivated by greed. They were not inclined to put in the work themselves but hoped to reap the benefits of others’ successes. It was precisely this collective laziness that had allowed Sansa and Ayla to stir up trouble, threatening the family’s stability. Marissa felt compelled to intervene, teach them a lesson, and then distance herself for a period. Unexpectedly, Balthasar informed her that Tiffany had a twin sister. Shocked by this revelation, Marissa felt compelled to return. The Sanchez family had claimed Caylee had only one child, yet the Nash family knew of Tiffany’s twin. What was the truth?
Marissa sped back to the Nash family’s residence on her motorcycle. She entered the villa quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone. Before walking into the living room, she overheard heated discussions. Peering in, she saw almost all the Nash family members gathered. Balthasar occupied the most prestigious seat, clutching his crutch, his expression stern. Sergio, the new family head, and his wife Hannah were seated to Balthasar’s left. Landen, who had brought the family acclaim that day, was on his right
It was evident that these three had ascended significantly in status. Previously, Sergio and Hannah had been relegated to positions behind their peers, their opinions overlooked and disregarded. Once regarded as much of a failure as Tiffany, Landen typically sat in a corner, unable to voice his thoughts without being reprimanded for the smallest errors. Now, they sat beside Balthasar, elevated above the other family members
If Sansa had experienced such a rise in status, she would have become arrogant and overbearing. However, Sergio and Hannah stayed calm and friendly despite their newfound prestige. Transformed from a perceived failure to a celebrated figure, Landen seemed unchanged. He lounged casually on the sofa, paying little attention to the ongoing conversation. In the past, he would have faced criticism during the meeting, but today, he was regarded with anticipation and respect
Observing these changes from behind the door, Marissa couldn’t help but be amused. The debate in the living room was intense. “Ayla, that wicked girl! She fooled us for so long and nearly ruined our family’s good name. We cannot let her off easily.”
“And Sansa, as the hostess of the family, is selfish. She favors her daughter and mistreats her niece. She should be divorced and expelled from the family!”
Upon hearing this, everyone turned to the former family head, Rex. “Rex, say something!”
Seated next to Sergio, Rex appeared uninterested. When called upon, he merely shifted in his seat and remained silent. “Look at you! You’re such a coward!” Balthasar grabbed his crutch and tapped him sharply. Then he scolded, clearly frustrated, “Sansa has pushed you around for years. Now, when you need to decide, you stay quiet. I was so stupid to give you power!”
“Ha-ha…” Landen suddenly chuckled softly. “Grandpa, don’t get worked up. It’s not just you. Everyone in our family was stupid before.”
Landen was being disrespectful and rude now. In the past, such behavior would have earned him a swift hit from Balthasar’s crutch and scorn from the entire clan. But today, no one dared to scold him. Balthasar merely pursed his lips, embarrassed
“Landen, don’t be rude!” Hannah admonished him. Landen shrugged and replied, “Did I say anything wrong? Now you’re all criticizing Uncle Rex for being manipulated by women. Yet for years, you’ve all been flattering Sansa.”
The Nash family members were left speechless, hanging their heads in shame. Landen looked around, his gaze suggesting he saw them as fools, and with a snort, he fell silent. He chose not to continue
Over the years, to support Ayla, Sansa had ruthlessly undermined Ayla’s peers, especially Landen and Tiffany. Landen had been so marginalized within the family that he had joined an organization just to make ends meet, and Tiffany had become the butt of jokes throughout Blebert
Hadn’t these people criticized Rex for his incompetence before? Why?
After a quiet moment, Balthasar said again, “Landen, I’m to blame for what you and Tiffany have endured. I’ll make it right.”
Glancing briefly at Balthasar, Landen responded coolly, “I’m a man. I can handle some hardship. But you’ve seen the pain Tiffany endured. Grandpa, think about how you’ll make it up to her.”
Speaking of Tiffany, Hannah sighed deeply. “She was so bright as a child. She could already read many words when she was three years old and had beautiful handwriting. She was never a failure.”
“She’s Uncle Brian’s daughter. Both her parents were brilliant. How could their daughter be anything but exceptional? Tiffany is smart. Only Sansa and Ayla’s oppression stopped her from showing her talents,” Landen declared angrily. After a pause, he clenched his teeth and added, “Even though she posed no threat and never tried to outshine Ayla, Sansa couldn’t stand her. Tiffany was forced to drop out of high school in her freshman year and had her engagements broken off five times. Her life has been ruined!”
Recalling Tiffany’s struggles, the Nash family members lowered their heads, ashamed. They all knew the wealth they enjoyed came from Brian. Yet when Brian’s daughter needed them, they turned away. Balthasar’s heart ached deeply. Brian, his beloved son, had been missing all these years. He should have cherished and protected his granddaughter. Yet, when she faced difficulties, he stood by, offering no help at all
Landen glanced at the quiet Rex and sneered. “Uncle Rex, you led our family, but you’ve done nothing as it crumbles. Your wife and daughter have harmed us, and you haven’t corrected them. You’re worse than a failure. You’re the Nash family’s disgrace. Don’t think your kindness makes up for your neglect. With your control over the family, your lack of action is more damning than Sansa and Ayla’s misdeeds. Your crimes are inexpiable. The priority now isn’t just to deal with Ayla and oust Sansa from the family, but to have you kneel in the ancestral hall and admit your wrongs before our ancestors’ photos. You should kneel there for as long as you’ve led this family!”
Rex listened in silence until Landen finished his tirade. His expression shifted subtly, indicating he didn’t think it was fair
“Landen, don’t you think you’re being too harsh? I acknowledge that Sansa and Ayla have made some mistakes over the years. However, Tiffany’s expulsion from school and her broken engagements weren’t Sansa’s doing. Tiffany brought those on herself.”
“Bullshit!” Landen exploded with anger. He grabbed a nearby teacup and hurled it at Rex, disregarding that Rex was his elder
Nobody was prepared for Landen’s aggressive move; Rex was caught completely off guard. The situation quickly turned comedic. Previously, Rex had been sluggish in both speech and action, like a worm. But when the cup was thrown at him, he sprang into action, narrowly dodging it. The cup just grazed his clothes
“Bang!” It hit the floor, shattering loudly and scattering pieces everywhere. The sound sent a chill through everyone present. Despite Landen’s harsh behavior pushing the limits, no one dared to criticize him. After all, he was considered a rising star in the family. Rex was visibly shaken, his face dripping with cold sweat and flushed with humiliation. He stood there cautiously, not daring to retaliate
Balthasar said, “You’re out of line, Landen. Rex is your uncle, an elder. You can’t treat him with such disrespect.”
“Humph!” Landen scoffed dismissively. He settled back onto the sofa, taunting Rex. “Why did you jump up? Why didn’t you just play dead like you always did? When Tiffany was suffering so badly, why did you do nothing, acting like you were already dead?”
Rex hung his head in shame, looking both humbled and miserable. Yet, this did not soften Landen’s stance. He continued, “Rex Nash, you don’t deserve the honor of being called Uncle by Tiffany, nor do you deserve to be Brian’s brother or the patriarch of our family. Your daughter lived a life of glory, while Tiffany struggled in obscurity. Do you expect me to believe you haven’t noticed? You’ve been pretending to be ignorant. You enjoyed the prestige and respect your daughter brought but completely ignored Tiffany’s plight. If my parents hadn’t stepped in to protect her secretly, Sansa would have probably killed her by now. Back when you were in charge, we couldn’t stand up to you. Now that you’ve stepped down, how can you still have the shame to pretend like nothing happened? Consider how you would feel if you met Uncle Brian again
If Uncle Brian is still alive, he will surely seek justice one day. If he has passed and is in Heaven, he will haunt your dreams, and you will find no peace in sleep.”
Hearing Landen’s harsh words, Rex suddenly fell to his knees, covering his face as he sobbed, “I’m sorry, Brian. I’m at fault. I deserve to die. You were always so good to me, yet I failed you. I didn’t take good care of your daughter…”
Rex’s tears flowed freely, causing discomfort among the onlookers. Balthasar attempted to intercede on his behalf, saying, “Landen, Rex has always been timid. He couldn’t stand up to Sansa. Can’t you forgive him for his past mistakes?”
“Forgive him?” Amused, Landen asked, “Just because he’s crying now, you want me to forgive him? Tiffany has suffered her entire childhood because of them. She had to leave school, and her reputation was ruined. Who will rectify that for her?”
At that moment, no one dared to speak up for Rex. Landen’s aggression was palpable. Sergio and Hannah also sided with their son discreetly, offering no intervention. When Balthasar sought their help, they avoided his gaze, acting as if they hadn’t noticed. With no support, Balthasar had no choice but to ask, “What do you want to do, then, Landen?”
Landen directly expressed his opinion. “Riss’ team has filed charges against Ayla, and she will face the consequences legally. The Nash family will not provide a lawyer or use our connections to aid her. She must face her punishment alone. Afterward, she is forbidden from entering our family’s lands. Uncle Rex must divorce Sansa and remove her from the Nash family. She can no longer carry the title of Mrs. Nash. As for Uncle Rex, I see two options. First, he should kneel in the ancestral hall for as long as he served as patriarch. Alternatively, he must leave the Nash family and never return.”
Before anyone could react to his demands, Rex looked up sharply. “Landen, are you trying to drive me to my grave?”
Everyone agreed that the punishment for Landen was overly severe. Not hiring a lawyer for Ayla, not pulling any strings, and allowing the law to handle her seemed fair enough. After all, she had brought shame upon herself and the Nash family. Trying to rescue her with money would only deepen the disgrace. Similarly, divorcing Sansa and casting her out of the family was viewed as justifiable; everyone concurred. However, the choices presented to Rex were simply too harsh
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
Leave a Reply