Wendy didn't answer directly but instead shared a story about Keegan's childhood. "When Keegan was about eleven or twelve, she signed him up for a wilderness survival course. The class wasn't well-organized, and the staff was unprofessional. They only realized some students had fallen behind when they were coming down the mountain.

The Kane family was very worried when they got the call. I hadn't known him for long, but I wanted to get closer to him, so I joined the search. The mountain wasn't tall, but it was dense with vegetation, and it was getting dark, which made the search difficult. But we were lucky. We found Keegan soon after we started. His foot was injured, so he couldn't walk. Can you believe it? The first thing Dahlia did when she found him wasn't to comfort him but to pull me aside and tell me not to approach him so she could teach him a lesson.

We were so close to him, watching him scared and helpless. It wasn't until more than half an hour later that someone arrived, and Dahlia finally went to Keegan. At the time, I didn't understand why she treated him that way. Later, I realized she was training him. She appeared when he was most vulnerable to reinforce his dependence on her. I don't know if Mrs. Kane noticed this, but after Quentin passed away, she took Keegan to raise herself. Otherwise, with all of Dahlia's scheming, how could she raise such an outstanding son?"

She then looked at Stella and said, "If you show Keegan what it's like to be truly cared for, he'll eventually wake up from Dahlia's influence. Don't you think Dahlia fears losing control over him?

Dahlia is insincere to everyone. She only cares about herself, whether it's her son or daughter. If Mrs. Kane hadn't lived so long, the Kane family would have been in chaos. You know, ever since Dahlia stopped attending the family gatherings, everyone's been getting along better. I wonder how she feels when she sees everyone's photos without her. It must be frustrating."

The more you learn about Dahlia, the more you realize she didn't get off easy.

"Has she been in touch with anyone recently?" Stella asked.

"The top-tier families have distanced themselves from her. I heard she's getting close to some people in the second and third tiers now. After all, she's the biological mother of the head of the Kane family. If people don' know the truth, they might still fall for her act."

Wendy categorized their social circles herself. The first tier includes aristocratic families like the Kane, Saun, Moore, and Graham families. The second tier includes rising newcomers like Kayla's father's family. The third tier includes families like the former Jewell family.

Dahlia used to dominate the first tier, but now she's dealing with people she once looked down on. It shows how adaptable she is.

"How much tea do you want? I can have my friends help pack it for you."

Stella came back to the conversation. "Please calculate the total, and I'll transfer the money to you."

"Don't worry about it. We can settle it at the engagement party, and I'll give you a discount."

Stella smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Musk."

Wendy replied, "Mrs. Musk sounds so much nicer than Mrs. Chapman. Why didn't I notice it before?"

As they were talking, a young man walked in and served some desserts. Stella noticed that after serving the food, he also poured tea for Wendy. His eyes lingered on Wendy until she waved him away. After he left, Stella teased, "Your new assistant is very handsome."

Wendy gave her a look. "After over 20 years of settling, don't I deserve something nice?"

Stella gave a thumbs up. "How are things with you and Erick?"

"He did something behind my back and now he's in jail. There are people who can deal with him without my involvement. He and his mother still want to divide the family property with me. It's absurd. He's not dead, and we're not divorced, yet they want to use the illegitimate child's inheritance rights to pressure me. What are they thinking?"

She sneered. "Luckily, that bastard is an adult now. Otherwise, I'd have to pay child support. When I can visit him, I'll share this good news with him right away."

"That's harsh," Stella said, then added, "If Erick gets the maximum sentence, he won't be out before he's 70. The Chapman family line can't be cut off. Who will inherit his parents' property?"

Wendy instantly understood what Stella was suggesting.

Erick's parents and relatives all knew about his illegitimate son but hid it from Wendy. They even used her inability to have a son against her. Now that Erick's in prison, they're desperate, trying to get her to pay for his release.

Since they like their grandson so much, it's only fair they raise him, right?

Wendy immediately called someone. "Rent them a better place, assign a driver, and give them whatever they need."

The woman had been in contact with Erick's parents, urging them to ask Wendy for money. Stella's words made Wendy realize-why not let them deal with it themselves? Let them fight among themselves without getting her hands dirty.

After hanging up, Wendy looked at Stella. "Jaylene got scammed when she lent money to Dahlia. That was your idea, wasn't it?"

Stella replied seriously, "I felt bad for her too. After all, it was our Saun family's money."

Wendy showed a hint of approval. "They're no match for you, but your stepmother isn't easy to deal with either."

Stella raised her eyes. "How much do you know about her?"

Wendy poured tea and said, "Not

much. I just know that to marry your

father, she took care of your

m

om

grandmother for years, even when she was sick and difficult to deal

with. It takes a lot of patience to stick

it out with someone so hard to

please and make them like you more over time. But..."

Wendy paused. "There's someone who might know more about her."

Stella asked quickly, "Who?"

Wendy replied, "Romina Aspen."

"Romina Aspen?" Stella looked puzzled.

"You know Nicole Aspen, the popular actress? Romina is er aunt."

Stella was surprised. "Mrs. Clint?"

Wendy was also surprised. "You know Mrs. Clint?"

Although the Clint family is also a noble family, Mrs. Clint runs a section in the company so she doesn't often attend social gatherings. Wendy thought Stella didn't know her.

"We've crossed paths before. Is she familiar with Darcie?"

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