Chapter 3 Yearning For Independence
“Janelle, today is Rubina’s birthday. We’re having dinner at the Hayward residence tonight.”
The person on the other end of the phone was none other than Janelle’s biological father—Wallace.
Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t even consider answering his calls, let alone step foot into that household.
However, when she thought about the crucial matter she needed to resolve soon, she hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing.
Janelle rarely spoke about her tragic past, reluctant to share it with anyone.
From a young age, her life had been marked by betrayal—her father’s infidelity with Rubina shattered their family. The affair drove her mother into a deep depression, culminating in her untimely death.
In the aftermath, Rubina became her stepmother, and Janelle found herself cast aside, an unwanted presence in her own home.
At just ten years old, Wallace sent her abroad, offering little beyond the bare minimum for child support. Fatherly affection was non-existent, leaving Janelle to navigate life on her own.
Now, as an independent adult, she was determined to cut all ties with her father once and for all.
With this resolve, she set off for the Hayward residence in her car, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows as the clock neared four or five.
Half an hour later, the car pulled up at the entrance of a Epean style mansion located in an affluent neighborhood.
Upon entering the living room, she saw Wallace engaged in a phone conversation, comfortably seated on the sofa.
Rubina, her stepmother was busy giving instructions to the housekeeper when she saw Janelle appear. A look of undisguised disgust crossed her face.
“Haven’t I told you that today is Rubina’s birthday? Why did you show up empty-handed?” Wallace questioned.
Janelle wasn’t one for small talk. Her tone was steady as she said, “I’m not here to celebrate anyone’s birthday. I’m here to pack my things and my mother’s. I’ll move out.”
Wallace kept quiet at that; while Rubina squinted her eyes, sizing up Janelle. She noticed that Janelle was carrying a limited edition Hermès bag and was decked out in luxury brands from head to toe that day.
“I was wondering why you suddenly wanted to split,” Rubina scoffed, “So, you’ve found an uncouth man to keep you, have you?”
Janelle let out a cold laugh. “Yeah, I’ve recently hooked up with an old man, even older than my dad. He’s always showering me with millions, so I’m not short of money to spend now.”
“D*mn brute!”
Upon hearing this, Wallace flew into a furious rage. He pointed at her and bellowed, “You’re always gallivanting around, do you have any sense of shame left? Are you trying to ruin my reputation?”
“Shame?”
Janelle retorted nonchalantly, “I’m sorry, but my parents died early. I was left to fend for myself with no one to teach me about shame or dignity. If you knew what shame was, you wouldn’t have committed such a disgraceful act back then.”
“You—”
Wallace was trembling with rage, gritting his teeth as he spat out, “Do you really think I can’t handle you anymore?”
Janelle turned away, her patience with Wallace completely spent. “Enough with the nonsense,” she said coldly. “I’m leaving. And I’ll change my surname soon—then, when I die, you won’t even have to deal with my body!”
“Cutting ties with the Hayward family isn’t as simple as you think!”
Rubina exuded the authoritative air of a matriarch. “Your father and I have raised you for over twenty years. Surely, we didn’t do it for nothing, right? Either you pay us back the money we’ve spent on you over the years, with interest, or accept the marriage I’ve arranged for you. It’s your choice. Once you’re married, you can take your husband’s surname. How you want to sever ties with us after that is entirely up to you!”
The ‘marriage’ she spoke of was nothing more than a scheme to wed Janelle to a certain wealthy merchant’s disabled son, all in an effort to exchange her for the Hayward family’s business resources.
Confronting this repugnant visage, Janelle retorted sarcastically, “Rubina, do you actually believe you’ve got me completely under your control? It’s fine, we can take this matter to court since you refuse to hand over those things I required.”
Janelle stared at the woman before her, the one responsible for her biological mother’s death. She was reminded of her disgraceful actions from over twenty years ago.
“When the time comes, I’ll make sure everyone knows the truth—that the illustrious Rubina is nothing more than an adopted daughter of the Menard family. You repaid kindness with betrayal, seduced your adopted sister’s husband, and stole her place. You drove your adoptive parents to their deaths and seized Menard Pharmaceuticals through deceit. Your entire status is built on lies. Let’s see how long you last in high society after that—”
“Shut up!” Rubina’s composure shattered as her face turned pale with fury. She raised her hand, aiming to slap Janelle.
But Janelle was quicker. She caught Rubina’s wrist mid-swing and, without hesitation, delivered a sharp slap in return.
“Y-Y-Y-You!”
Rubina’s eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t fathom how this young upstart dared to raise a hand against her.
“Mom!”
Rubina’s daughter, Abigail, had just returned home. As soon as she walked in, she witnessed the scene and rushed over in a hurry, anxiously asking, “Mom, are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?”
“That little b*tch dared to lay a hand on me! I swear, I’ll—“ Rubina, trembling with anger and humiliation, raised her hand again, ready to lash out at Janelle.
But her movement froze mid-air as her eyes darted to the doorway. Someone had arrived.
Janelle turned to follow Rubina’s gaze, her curiosity piqued. A man was striding into the room, his presence exuding an aristocratic authority that made the air in the living room feel icy. The stern set of his features and the commanding aura he carried silenced everything around him.
As Janelle’s eyes locked onto his face, her heart skipped a beat. Her breath caught in her throat.
How could it be him?
