Chapter 855

chapter855

"Of course, of course..."

After hearing such a massive family secret, the guests certainly didn't feel like outsiders anymore.

They were more than happy to make themselves at home.

The drama concluded, and everyone cheerfully headed to the banquet hall, except for Silver, who remained rooted to the spot, a stunned expression on her face.

Kathleen had been standing right next to her, so she'd had a front-row seat to her reaction: the terror, the panic, the helplessness, the resentment... So many emotions that had no place on Kathleen's face.

Could it be true... that back then, she really...?

But the Kathleen she knew was always so poised, so virtuous and kind.

For the first time, Silver began to question her own judgment of character. "Mrs. Reynolds? Why are you just standing there? Shall we find our seats?" "... Yes, coming!" Also frozen in place were Beverley and Hertha Sherwood.

Hertha had been cooped up at home through the Christmas and New Year holidays, shutting herself in her room like a recluse.

Her meals were brought in by the staff; she was practically an invalid.

Beverley had finally managed to coax her out to attend Neely's birthday banquet, hoping it would lift her spirits.

Instead, they were met with a devastating blow.

"Mom..." Hertha clutched Beverley's arm, her voice lost. "Please tell me this is a dream, that none of it is real..."

Beverley's eyes were vacant.

Though the stage was empty, she stared at it as if searching for something to confirm or deny what she'd just heard."

Yes, it must be a dream..." she murmured, echoing her daughter.

How could Roseanne Cole be a Rodriguez?

The Rodriguez family was old money, a true dynasty.

It was said that wealth rarely lasts past three generations, but the Rodriguez lineage stretched back to aristocrats and officials. In modern times they had been titans of industry and patriots who had helped the nation in times of crisis. They were not impeccable and deeply respected name. Only in the last few decades had they adopted a lower profile.

a strich they had an

So many people dreamed of a connection to a family of such stature, yet Roseanne

was the very person their patriarch held in the palm of his hand.

Beverley vividly remembered a holiday season years ago when Roseanne had

come to their home with gifts.

She hadn't even let her in the door.

"Holiday greetings? Look at yourself. Do you think you're worthy? Murray might be

naive enough to treasure you, but not everyone is so foolish!"

"You want to marry into the

Sherwood family? Are you the

daughter of some noble house? The

l.ne

scion of a political or business dynasty? Since you're neither, you should know your place. Dont dream of things that don't belong to you, or you'll only bring ruin upon yourself and everyone else!"

Roseanne had just watched her calmly, letting her finish her tirade before replying softly, "Is a person's family background the only measure of worth in your eyes? My family is ordinary, but I don't consider myself inferior to any heiress or socialite. Just as you hold the title of M Sherwood amatriarch of high society, in my eyes, you are simply Murray Sherwood's mother."

"Even if one day you lost everything and were a beggar on the street, your identity in

my heart would not change. You would still be Murray's mother."

And only Murray's mother. Nothing more.

"It is for that reason alone that I am willing to come to your door with gifts and speak

to you with respect."

But at the time, all Beverley had heard was: you lost everything and were a beggar on the street.

Enraged, she had thrown Roseanne out.

When Murray tried to go after her, she had stopped him with a vicious threat.

"If you walk out that door today, I'll consider myself without a son!"

Murray had stopped, pleading, "Mom..."

But he hadn't followed Roseanne.

Beverley thought she had won.

But now, she understood just how wrong she had been, and how completely she

had lost.