Next Man, Better Plan novel Chapter 170

A hotel attendant led Stephanie to a private lounge.

Inside, Susan and Arnold were waiting for her.

Perhaps it was the bright lighting in the room, but the first thing she noticed was the brooch pinned to Susan's chest.

Stephanie's hand tightened into a fist. The diamonds had fallen into the thick carpet, and it had taken her a great deal of effort to find them all. The metal prongs dug into her palm, but she barely felt the pain.

"Mom, you were looking for me," Stephanie said, trying to sound casual as she walked toward them.

Susan looked up. "Stephanie, did you bully Vivian out there?"

Stephanie was stunned. She hadn't expected her mother to summon her just to reprimand her.

She watched Susan's lips move. "I was told that Vivian had a wardrobe malfunction in public. You're a woman too, how could you do that to her? How is Vivian supposed to face anyone after this?"

Stephanie lowered her eyes, her expression unreadable. "She insulted Dad and my brothers. She said the entire Jackson family deserved to die. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing."

Did the dead have no dignity? She was protecting her family. What was wrong with that? Stephanie had a clear conscience.

Susan faltered, glancing instinctively at Arnold. She clearly hadn't known about that part.

Seeing Arnold's impassive face, Susan continued.

"Even so, you shouldn't have laid a hand on Vivian. This incident will reflect badly on her, and on you too. Neither of you are married yet. Think of the scandal it will cause. In the end, she is your sister."

Stephanie stood there, her voice ringing with conviction. "We have no blood relation. How is Vivian my sister?"

"Stephanie... how can you talk like that!" Susan exclaimed.

She seemed desperate for them to get along, and her voice softened slightly. "You're older than her. You should be the bigger person. Go and apologize to Vivian, and we can put this behind us."

Stephanie looked at her mother in disbelief. The family she remembered had been a happy one, and Susan had always been a kind, smiling mother.

But the woman standing before her now was almost a stranger.

It was then that Stephanie understood where Vivian got her arrogance from.

"So now you're concerned about my manners? My father died young, and my mother was in such a hurry to marry you that I was left to fend for myself in the Jackson house. Who was there to teach me?"

"The two of you couldn't even wait until my father's wake was over to start embracing each other. Is that what you call having manners?"

Stephanie let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Mr. Yates, as the old saying goes, the fish rots from the head down. The one who needs to be taught a lesson is Vivian."

Arnold was aghast that she would bring up such an old scandal. It was damaging to his reputation. "What nonsense are you talking about?" he denied.

Compared to Arnold's rage, Stephanie was unnervingly calm.

"Your first wife passed away long ago, and you've been busy with work for years, so I imagine you haven't paid much attention to your daughter. My mother is a stepmother, so there's only so much she can say. That's why Vivian..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Arnold lunged forward in a rage and slapped Stephanie across the face.

She hadn't expected him to resort to violence. By the time she registered his movement, a stinging pain had already exploded across her cheek.