Chapter 5
Jason hadn’t fully recovered when his mother insisted that we come home for dinner.
There was no getting out of it.
He put a lot of thought into picking out supplements and gifts, making sure they were all his mom’s favorites.
I wanted to tell him not to bother. It was a waste of effort.
When we arrived, Lily was already there.
The moment we stepped inside, she rushed over and threw her arms around me.
“Jason! You’re finally back!”
Then, glancing at Jason–who was standing beside me in my body–she giggled.
“Jo, you’re not jealous again, are you? You know I’m just used to hugs and kisses from living abroad.”
Jason hesitated before letting out an awkward laugh, scratching the back of his neck.
We moved on to greet Jason’s mother, Anne Miller.
Jason eagerly handed over the gifts he had prepared, but she barely spared them a glance.
With polite indifference, she said, “I don’t eat this stuff, and I certainly don’t need it. Keep it for yourself.”
Jason frowned. “Mom, these are all your favorites…”
Anne’s expression hardened slightly, her tone cooling.
“I’m not your mother. You’re not married to Jason yet–stop overstepping.”
A brief silence followed.
Jason flushed, embarrassed. “Sorry, Mrs. Miller, that was a slip of
tongue.”
Anne didn’t acknowledge the apology.
Instead, she linked arms with Lily, then took my hand and led me to the dining table.
Smiling, she picked up her chopsticks and placed some food on my plate.
“Jason’s not getting any younger. It’s time he started thinking about marriage.”
I offered a polite smile. “No rush. Career comes first.”
I knew for a fact that marriage wasn’t on Jason’s radar anytime soon.
Anne’s expression stiffened.
“No rush? I’m waiting for my grandkids,”
Then, her tone shifted.
“But marriage is a big decision. It has to be carefully considered. The two families need to be a good match–well–bred, respectable, and trustworthy.”
She paused, then added with deliberate emphasis,
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“Someone like Lily, for example. She’s exactly the kind of woman I approve of.
“Unlike the shameless social climbers out there, especially the ones lurking around the company. Jason, you should stay far away from those kinds of women.”
She practically spat out the words “well–bred” and “respectable.”
It couldn’t have been more obvious who she was referring to.
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I had come from an ordinary background. The Millers were old money.
Jason, now in my body, didn’t seem fazed. He just kept eating.
Anne’s patience wore thin.
Her expression darkened.
“Jason, go upstairs and grab my blood pressure meds. I forgot to take them earlier.”
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I got up, but instead of going straight up, I lingered just behind the staircase.
She didn’t need the meds. She just wanted me out of earshot.
And sure enough, the second I was gone, the atmosphere at the table shifted.
Anne set her utensils down with a sharp clang, her gaze turning cold.
“Jo, let’s be clear. A secretary like you has no place in the Miller family.
“The future Mrs. Miller can only be Lily.
“I’ve warned you before, but you just keep clinging to
my
”
Jason–still in my body–stared at her, completely stunned.
Anne had always been warm and doting toward him. He had never seen this side of her before.
“Mrs. Miller… Did I do something wrong?” he asked cautiously, caught off guard.
He had assumed Jo must have done something to offend her.
Now he had to clean up her mess.
Anne let out a sharp, cold laugh before slamming her hand down on the table.
“Your mistake? Your very existence is a mistake.
“Being born poor is a mistake.
“Clinging to my son is a mistake.
“Thinking you could ever be part of this family is a mistake.”
Jason’s face went pale. For the first time, he had nothing to say.
Lily, sitting beside her, arched a brow and sneered.
“Just because Jason has been nice to you lately, don’t get cocky.
“You actually think you can marry into this family?”
Her expression twisted with disgust.
“You must have used some dirty tricks to seduce him.
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“But as long as I’m here, don’t even dream of him ever marrying a low–class gold–digger like you!”
Jason watched, frozen in place, as their expressions turned sharp and cruel–predatory, almost.
The people who had always been so gentle and kind to him…
Now it looked like they wanted to tear him apart.
