Rose's hand was shaking as she pointed at Jean angrily.
Jean, on the other hand, was still indignant about Rose's comment.
She thought her outfit today looked absolutely ravishing.
However, much to her disappointment, Rose actually thought that it was an outfit so much of an eyesore it was bad enough to embarrass the Fuller name.
Just like that, her pride and confidence were shattered in that instant.
Rose could already guess what Jean was thinking when she fell quiet.
Massaging her temples to soothe her headache, Rose muttered, "Alright, enough of this. I don't care what you think about this outfit. After you go back, you had better change out of this outfit immediately. You are not allowed to wear it ever again, let alone match your outfit by yourself. Don't bite off more than you can chew if you don't have the skills. How shameless of you! Jean, I am saying it now, but if I find out that you secretly match your own clothes and make a fool out of yourself in public, don't blame me for giving you corporal punishment the Fuller way. Do you hear me?!"
Corporal punishment?
Jean opened her eyes in disbelief.
She could only open her eyes halfway at first, and it was probably because of the fright she had upon hearing Rose's words that her eyes actually opened all the way.
However, it was precisely because they were fully opened that the fat on her face tensed up, making it look as though her facial features had shifted. Pairing her face with her outfit, she was the epitome of an eyesore.
Seeing this, Rose looked away in disgust. "Jean White, did you hear what I said?"
"I-I heard you," Jean stammered as her body trembled.
She knew that Rose was not the kind of person who liked to joke around.
Even though Jean hadn't personally experienced the corporal punishment, she had seen how Homer had been caned in order to marry her. She had also seen how Toby was caned because of Sonia.
Having the skin split open was the lightest injury they had.
She could even lose her life if she wasn't strong enough to put up with it.
With her life on the line, Jean could only listen to Rose as she wasn't brave enough to go against her.
Rose's expression only returned to normal when Jean listened to her. "That is good. Also, go back to Fuller Residence right away after you leave. You are not allowed to wander around. If you dare let anyone see your outfit, just you wait and see what happens."
"I wouldn't dare do that!" Jean immediately blurted out while shaking her head.
"Hmph. That is that, then. Now what is the reason you came here for me? You don't usually come for months. It must be something important for you to come now, huh?"
Upon hearing that, Jean let out an embarrassed giggle before she walked toward Rose and sat down in front of her. "Mother, the thing is, the Lore Family called right after I woke up this morning."
"What did you say?" Rose frowned as she came to a pause in the midst of drinking her tea. "The Logans?"
Failing to notice how Rose's expression gradually became cold, Jean swiftly answered, "Yup. Amelia Lestrange from the Lore Family."
Amelia Lestrange was Lynette's mother's full name.
Rose scoffed when she heard those words. "Did Mrs. Lore call you to have you plead for Toby's mercy on their behalf?"
Jean immediately spotted a surprised look on her face. "How did you know that, Mother?"
"How can I not know?" Rose heavily placed the teacup on the stone table, the solemnity making Jean shudder.
Staring at Jean with a deep gaze, Rose continued, "The Internet was abuzz with the news the day before yesterday. The daughter of the Lore Family deliberately created a scandal about Sonny to make Toby misunderstand Sonny and break up with her so that she herself had the chance to get together with Toby. Even though Toby and Sonny resolved this issue quickly, the impact is still there. Based on Toby's feelings for Sonny, there is no way he could tolerate anyone who treated her this way. As expected, he immediately chose to break ties with the Lore Family, but the Lore Family have always depended on our family and Toby to survive. I am sure even someone as dumb as you can guess what would happen to the Lore Family if Toby parted ways with them. Of course they would try their best to recover their relationship with Toby. Since they can't get through to Toby, they want to start with the people around instead. I was the first person they came to."
"What?!" Jean exclaimed in shock. "I wasn't the first one they contacted? I am the second one?"
"No, you are not even the second one," Rose threw out.
Jean's face quickly froze. "Huh? I am not even the second one?"
Seeing Rose nonchalantly raise her chin, Jean had a feeling of impending doom as she blinked her pea-sized eyes. "Mother, who is the second person, then?"
It can't be that woman, can it?"
Gulping, she unwillingly made a guess.
Rose looked at her with a half smile. "Don't you already know the answer? Why are you asking me that?"
"It is Sonia Reed, isn't it?!" Jean sucked in a cold mouthful of air.
"Mm," Rose replied. "That is right. Sonny was the second person."
With that, Jean was so enraged her chubby cheeks almost turned green.
Oh, I am so, so mad!
The Lore Family actually contacted Sonia Reed?!
I have nothing to say if they looked for Mother. After all, she is Toby's grandmother. She is the one with the highest authority in the Fuller Family.
It makes sense for them to contact Mother.
But why Sonia Reed of all people?!
It was fine that the Lore Family contacted Sonia, but they actually contacted Sonia right under Jean's nose! That could only mean one thing—to the Lore Family, Jean, the legal wife of one of the Fullers', wasn't even on the same level as the woman who wasn't even officially a part of the family.
The Lore Family was blatantly humiliating Jean!
Rose, on the other hand, was in a great mood when she saw how Jean's face had twisted from anger. "What is wrong? You're mad?"
Jean had her fists clenched when she spat, "Of course I am mad! The Lore Family have gone overboard. They think I am below Sonia Reed!"
"You are indeed less important to Toby than Sonny is to him. Didn't you already know that?" As Rose kept rubbing salt on Jean's wound, the younger woman stomped angrily and cried, "Mother!"
"Gosh, stop calling me that. You scurrying here means that you have promised the Lore Family to beg for Toby's mercy, no?" Rose glanced at her with cold eyes.
Seeing Rose's gaze immediately made Jean lower her head as shame washed over her. "Um…"
"Since they can make you agree to make this trip with a single phone call, it must mean that the Lore Family are very important to you. If you treat them with such importance, you shouldn't get angry about how they treat you. After all, you did ask for it," Rose mocked.
Jean looked as though she was uncomfortable with Rose's words. "The Lore Family is important to me because they are the family of Toby's teacher. I wouldn't have agreed otherwise. I just never thought that they would treat me this way despite how much I respect them. They didn't even contact me first before contacting Sonia. I am not even as important as an outsider like Sonia is to them."
Jean wouldn't have agreed in the first place if she had known that the Lore Family would behave this way.
As Rose looked at Jean blowing her top, the former didn't sympathize with her, and even thought that Jean deserved it. "You reap what you sow. The Lore Family had only taken your enthusiasm to help them all this while for granted. Do you see the consequences of your actions now?"
When Jean didn't utter a reply, Rose huffed again. "Also, Sonny isn't an outsider. She is the future wife of the head of the household. She is higher than you in terms of status and identity. This is a fact that you can't deny. And another thing—I advise you not to try anything with Sonny again. You have to know that you and your son's survival will be dependent on Toby and Sonny. You should be trying to get on Sonny's good side instead if you want a good life. Treat her well, and she will let go of what you did to her for the sake of your care for Toby in the past. She will also take good care of you. But if you keep trying to butt heads with her, I assure you that you won't be living that cozy a life for the remaining time you have. You could also get your son in trouble. Do you understand me?"
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The readers' comments on the novel: Boss, Your Wife's Asking For A Divorce, Again
Same story i read about Jarred and Amber Reed...