Chapter 851
chapter851
Roseanne is the granddaughter of the Rodriguez patriarch and matriarch?" Cliff marveled again, finding it more unbelievable the more he thought about it.
Wait a minute...
"Doesn't that make her and Corley... family?"
The discovery blew Cliff's mind. Was this the legendary trope of would-be lovers turning out to be cousins?
Oh, dear lord.
His first thought was that Corley must be losing his mind. His second thought was to look at Murray.
He turned and glanced discreetly at his friend. Murray was staring at the stage, his expression shifting rapidly from stunned confusion to dawning realization, and finally, to unadulterated, ecstatic joy.
Cliff had never seen so many emotions cross a person's face in such quick succession, each one distinct from the last.
"...Murray? Murray?!"
Murray snapped back to reality. "What did you say?"
"Roseanne and Corley, they're..."
"Yes, they're family. No wonder they were always together... no wonder he was meeting her parents." A grin spread across his face, impossible to suppress.
"Dude, rein it in a little," Cliff warned.
"Not a chance."
Ugh.
"You're enjoying this way too much. It's pure schadenfreude.
"Compared to all the times Corley deliberately tried to get under my skin, I'd say I'm being quite merciful," Murray retorted coldly.
You were the one overthinking things. Cliff thought silently.
In another corner of the hall, Kathleen Rodriguez watched the stage with a blank expression.
From her father formally introducing Madge and Norris, to her mother joining them to announce Roseanne's identity and calling her their 'beloved princess,' and finally
to her own son, Corley, escorting Roseanne on stage as if to personally endorse her -Kathleen's emotions had spiraled from cold amusement and scorn to shock, jealousy, and finally, a bitter sense of defeat.
Her composure had completely shattered.
What a birthday banquet.
What a grand family reunion.
"...Kathleen? Kathleen!"
Hmm? What did you say?" Kathleen turned to Silver with a practiced smile.
The other woman's brow was furrowed, her gaze fixed on the stage with a mixture of surprise and confusion.
"Are you sure your family hasn't made a mistake? That they have the right daughter?" Silver asked.
This Ms. Rodriguez... She remembered meeting her at a clothing boutique once. The woman had even helped her pick out a perfect outfit.
During their chat, Silver had found her to be thoughtful and insightful, and had even felt an impulse to befriend her.
She never imagined... that this was the long-lost daughter of the Rodriguez family.
But that wasn't the most shocking part. The most shocking part was that Roseanne was her daughter.
A woman she'd felt an instant connection with and that manipulative girl she'd disliked from the start... this...
Silver's feelings were a tangled
mess. She didn't know whether to let
her admiration for Madge soften her
opinion of her daughter, or let her disdain for Roseanne taint her view of the mother.
"A mistake?" Kathleen feigned
surprise. "How could that be? Miet
father and mother must have been incredibly thorough before confirming my sister's identity."
It seems your parents value your sister a great deal.
Kathleen fought back the wave of jealousy churning in her gut. "Do you think so?
"Look at this whole affair. And they both went on stage to introduce her. It's a very formal gesture."
"My sister was missing for so many years. It's only natural they'd shower her with attention now that she's back. She deserves it."
Silver sighed softly. "I'm glad you can see it that way."
Kathleen's smile didn't waver, but she was clenching her jaw so tightly her cheeks ached.
See it that way?
Bullshit!
Her parents were treating her like a complete outsider.
She hadn't even received her
invitation to the banquet until tweet
days ago and had been kept
completely in the
about this
public reunion.
How could she possibly be okay with any of this?