Rosie's outburst left the small courtyard in suffocating silence. All eyes turned to Susie; even Raelynn's was heavy with disapproval. No matter what John had done, he had been my husband for decades - his death wasn't something I could just dismiss. Still, Susie continued to pack with disconcerting nonchalance, her face aglow with the anticipation of their impending move to better quarters. "Father's gone," she said airily, folding a silk scarf. "Why hold on to resentment? If Zac can be useful to us now, why not take advantage?" Her hands stopped mid-fold as she met their horrified stares. "Arranging this meeting benefits everyone. The Yarbroughs get what they want, and our standing improves. A perfect solution, isn't it?" The casual cruelty of her words struck like a physical blow. Rosie saw red. For the first time in her life, she turned the full force of her anger on her little sister. "Susie Gray!" she shouted, her voice cracking. "How dare you speak so lightly of our father's murderer! His body wasn't even…" A sob choked her. "We can't possibly grovel before his murderer just to curry favor with these people!" Memories of Xylia's veiled insults during dinner made Rosie's vision swim with angry tears. "Didn't you feel her contempt? We have shelter now! Why fight for a gilded cage? We could rebuild in South City!" Her tirade made the courtyard shake with tension. Julie had long since burst into tears. I loved Stephen so much, but I suffered the humiliation of Xylia; among the few people, the most upset is none other than me! I also wanted to have a higher status in the Yarbrough family; I dreamed of marrying Stephen and staying with him for the rest of my life. However, if I am asked to do something to apologize to my father, I will never be able to do it! This kind of dilemma makes her feel miserable. Susie finally became quiet, her head bowed. When she looked up, tears glistened on her cheeks. "You think I want this?" Her whisper carried the weight of broken glass. "That I've forgotten how Father dotes on me? There isn't a night I don't dream of revenge!"She slapped her face angrily, her eyes blazing. "But look at us! What other choice do we have? The Gray name is mud now. Even if we return to the South City, how long before we regain even a fraction of our standing?" A desperate gesture to Julie. "Julie is almost twenty-something! How long should she wait"? The raw fear in Susie's voice stunned them into silence. Somewhere along the way, their spoiled youngest had become frighteningly pragmatic. It was easy to go from frugality to extravagance but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. They were all people who had been used to living a good life, and in this short period of time, they would have to turn into ordinary people, worrying about their money and livelihood every day. This kind of life is indeed hard for them to bear. If we gave up all chances to fight for it now and returned to the South City, then, just like Susie said, it would indeed be very, very difficult for us to make a name for ourselves again. In the Yarbrough family, although we were living under a fence, in terms of food and clothing, the Yarbrough family did not treat us poorly, and compared to when we were in the Gray family before, it wasn't that bad. But if we went back to the South City, we relied on that meager salary income, then of course the standard of living would plummet. Rosie was silent. Why wouldn't I want Julie to marry a good family? Just, the Yarbrough family is too… Ah, at this moment I can only take one step to count one step. Raelynn's fingers trembled around the phone. After an eternity of hesitation, she dialed the number she had memorized. She connected on the first ring. "Mom." Zac's voice, cracked with emotion, nearly shattered Raelynn's composure. That single syllable carried ten years of memories that she had raised him up with. Just as Xylia had predicted, some bonds could not be severed. I hated him. I hated him for breaking up my family, for reducing me to this pitiful state, and for John's death. But a decade of motherhood had etched instincts deeper than reason.