Zack scoffed when his grandmother, Lists, told him to accept Joanna as his new mother.
She had already snatched his phone, so he decided to just run upstairs and ignore her.
Liana’s patience snapped. She marched to the stairs and grabbed Zack by the arm. “Zack, you’re disappointing me so much! Have you forgotten how good Jeanna was to you?”
Joanna glided over from the sola and gently stroked Zack’s cheek. “Zack, sweetie,” she said, her voice dripping with false concern. “Didn’t you used to say you didn’t want Sylvia as your mom? What changed?”
Zack looked between the two of them and suddenly burst into tears. “Stop it! Both of you! I didn’t want my mom back then because I was a dumb kid! Now I’m older, and I know she’s the one who loves me most in the whole world!”
Joanna’s face fell. She turned to Liana, her eyes welling up. “Liana, I guess I just wasted my time. No matter what I do, I’ll never be as important to him as Sylvia.”
Liana, fiercely protective of Joanna, grew even more stern with Zack. “Zack, I’m ordering you to start calling Joanna ‘Mom‘ right now! Have you forgotten everything she’s done for you?”
“What did she do for me?” Zack shot back. “If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have needed glasses in the first place! It was my real mom who made me herbal medicine and helped me get rid of them!”
Liana looked puzzled. “You needed glasses because your father hired too many tutors. What does that have to do with Joanna?”
“Everything!” he yelled. “She was the one who took me to arcades, to karaoke bars, and even to a real bar!”
Liana froze, staring at Joanna in disbelief. “Joanna, is that true?”
Joanna looked flustered and quickly explained, “Liana, I was just worried he was under too much stress. I thought he needed to blow off some steam.”
Liana nodded, buying the excuse. “You see, Zack? Joanna was just looking out for you! And this is how you repay her? You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“Mom! How can you believe her?” A new voice cut through the tension. Angel Blair strode in, dropping her purse on a chair. “She took him to a bar because he was stressed? He was three years old, for crying out loud!”
“Auntie Angel!” Zack cried, running into her arms.
Angel hugged him tightly, stroking his hair. “It’s okay, Zack, don’t cry. We’re not letting this manipulative woman be your new mom. Even if your grandma agrees, I don’t.”
“Angel, what are you saying!” Liana snapped.
“Am I wrong?” Angel shot back. “Mom, I get that you’re his grandmother, but what gives you the right to pick his mother for him? If word of this gets out, people will think our family is a joke.”
Liana huffed, realizing she might have been too hasty. “Angel, you used to support Joanna becoming Zack’s new mother.”
“That was before!” Angel scoffed. “Back when I was blind and couldn’t tell a good person from a snake.”
Joanna’s expression tightened, her hands clenching into fists.
She hesitated, then leaned in to whisper to Liana, “Liana, don’t be angry. Angel is an actress at Sylvia’s agency now. It’s only natural she’d take Sylvia’s
side.”
The reminder was all Liana needed. Her face hardened. “Angel, you will resign from Sylvia’s company immediately! You are a Blair. What are you doing
1/3
Chapter 175
working for someone else? Have you no sell respectr“
Angel couldn’t believe her mother was so unleasonable. Looking back, she realized a lot of her own trust in Joanna had stemmed from Llana’s constant ACCE
You will terminate your contract with Sylvia tomorrow!” Liana commanded. “We can afford any penalty fees. If you don’t do it, I’ll do it for you!”
“This is ridiculous! Why don’t you just run my entire life for me!” Angel shouted, a new, painful understanding dawning on her.
She finally understood how Sylvia must have felt all those years, dealing with her mother’s tyranny.
Angel grabbed her bag. “I’m done. I can’t stay in this house anymore!”
With that, she stormed out without a backward glance.
Liona felt a pang of betrayal. She was only trying to look out for her daughter, to keep her from a life in the public eye, and this was the thanks she got.
“Fine, go! And don’t bother coming back!” she yelled after her, clutching her chest.
“Grandma, you’re so mean! You made Auntie Angel leave! I’m not talking to you anymore!” Zack stomped his foot and ran upstairs.
“Everyone’s turning against me!” Liana muttered, feeling dizzy. Joanna quickly helped her to the sofa.
“Liana, don’t be upset. They’ll come around,” Joanna said, her voice smooth as silk,
Joanna felt zero guilt as the Blair family imploded around her.
Her eyes darted to her phone, which had been buzzing nonstop in her pocket.
She glanced at the screen, and her expression soured instantly.
“Liana, something’s come up. I have to go. Please don’t work yourself up too much,” Joanna said, making a hasty exit from the Blair residence.
The messages were from a creditor.
With the Moore family’s finances in trouble, she’d borrowed heavily, and this particular lender was not someone to be trifled with. She quickly texted back to arrange a meeting.
Joanna went to a small nearby park, waiting under a lamppost.
Back in the living room, Liana was still fuming when she saw Zack tiptoeing down the stairs. She looked at him coldly. “Finally decided to admit you were wrong?”
“Never!” Zack said, sticking his chin out and marching past her out the front door.
Liana’s chest tightened with rage. She couldn’t wait for Byron to get home so he could deal with his insolent son.
Zack slipped out of the Blair residence stealthily, glancing around cautiously.
Zack had seen Joanna leave with her bag, looking sneaky. His gut told him something was up, so he slipped out of the house to follow her.
Just then, a car with its headlights blazing sped past him and pulled over by the park.
A man in a suit got out and quickly found Joanna waiting.
Zack crept closer, hiding behind a thick bush to watch.
2/3
Chapter 175
His eyes went wide. The man greeted Joanna, then wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her on the cheek.
Joanna leigned shyness for a moment, but then she giggled and leaned into him, getting into the car without a second thought.
Zack felt like his head was going to explode. He sprinted back home as fast as his little legs could carry him, bursting into the living room. “Grandma!! saw Joanna with another man! They were all over each other, and then she got in his car and left with him!”
