After resting in her bedroom for a while, Sarah sent Sophie a text, letting her know she was heading over to make lunch for Jason Jenkins and his daughter, and that Sophie should go out to eat with Gavin.
Harold's arrogant claim—that he could provide Sophie with endless wealth and career opportunities—had struck a devastating chord.
She vividly remembered his mother's vicious insults—how a pathetic, uneducated factory worker had no right dreaming of marrying a promising college boy.
His mother had practically shoved Victoria's elite pedigree in Sarah's face, bragging about how the wealthy heiress would build an empire for Harold, while Sarah would only drag him into the gutter.
Sarah was paralyzed by the fear that Sophie would eventually see her as nothing but a pathetic burden.
She couldn't afford to rest, and she absolutely refused to break. She had to work. She would not be an anchor dragging her daughter down.
After lunch, Mia Jenkins handed Sarah a storybook. Sarah skipped lines and stumbled over words entirely.
Having practically memorized the book, Mia kept correcting her. "Grandma Sarah, you read that part wrong."
Jason noticed her heavy distraction and walked over. "Are you alright? You seem miles away."
"I'm perfectly fine," Sarah lied quickly.
But Jason wasn't an idiot. He looked at her, clearly unconvinced, but opted for a gentle approach. "If you're tired, go take a nap in Mia's room. I've got her covered."
Embarrassed at being caught, Sarah grasped for a plausible excuse. "Sophie is visiting Gavin's family for Memorial Day Weekend. I'm just sick to my stomach worrying that his parents will look down on her because of me."
"Sophie is incredibly sharp, and you've raised a wonderful daughter. Don't sell yourself short. I'm sure they'll handle it perfectly," Jason reassured her.
Sarah thanked him, but the terror still churned violently in her gut. She was terrified that if Sophie ever learned the truth, she would choose Harold and his endless fortune without a second thought.
When Sophie received the text, she turned to Gavin. "Let's crash Gwen Grayson's place for lunch. She's been practicing her cooking. Let's go be her test subjects."
Gavin laughed out loud. "Alright, let's go see what kind of poison she's brewing."
Last week, Gwen had proudly posted a picture of her "artisan salad." It looked like she had just dumped the entire contents of her fridge into a bowl and poured dressing over it. Just looking at the photo had given Gavin a phantom stomachache.
Gwen proudly served a viral diet meal she'd found online: boiled chicken breast, steamed broccoli, and an ungodly amount of plain greens.
When Gwen eagerly asked if her skills had improved, Gavin couldn't bring himself to lie like Sophie. Choking down a dry piece of chicken, he winced. "You have a massive amount of room for growth."


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