CHAPTER 152: CHAPTER 152: MEMORIES (52)

Florence Fuller blushed, buried her face in the embrace, and shyly said, "Aunt Monrose."

Abigail Monrose burst into laughter.

___

Florence Fuller began her new school year. Clara Fuller, learning her lesson from being scolded and beaten, dared not provoke her again. Florence also moved to live at Starlight Residence, rarely returning to the Fuller Family home.

On this weekend, Florence was home working on exam questions, Ethan Harper was there with her when the doorbell rang.

"I’ll get the door." Ethan put down the fruit and went to the entrance.

As he opened the door, he met Laura Yates’ gaze.

Laura paused, almost mistaking she had the wrong place, but this was a one-flat-per-floor residence, and this was indeed where Florence lived.

"Who are you?"

The man before her was young and handsome, as gentle as jade. Could she really have the wrong place?

"Are you looking for Florence?" Ethan stepped aside, "Come in."

Laura changed her shoes, pondering who he might be, and walked into the living room as Florence looked up to see her, instinctively frowning, "What are you doing here!"

She put down her pen and stood up, glancing at Ethan behind her.

"You often don’t come home, I came to see you." Laura looked around the elegantly furnished living room.

Ethan went to the balcony, leaving space for the two of them.

Florence wondered what Laura needed to see her for, as Laura didn’t usually show much interest in her; this sudden visit felt like it sure had an ulterior motive.

"Who is he, and why is he here?" Laura asked.

Florence glanced at her, "Why shouldn’t he be here?"

It was clear Florence was unwilling to discuss it, making Laura even more suspicious. Her eyes caught the books and computer in front of Florence, wondering if he was perhaps a tutor.

It seemed plausible too.

"You’re hardly ever home." Laura softened her tone, "Though you have a place here, you should at least visit us at home."

Florence raised an eyebrow, "When Dad kicked me out last year and cut off my allowance, and I wasn’t home for almost a year, you didn’t give me a call. Wasn’t the house already quiet then?"

Laura froze, though Florence was her biological daughter, they weren’t close, and this kind of interaction made her extremely uncomfortable.

"Just say it, what are you really here for?"

Laura hesitated, "Well, Clara got an invitation from Miss Dawson, who she’s friends with, and thought about taking you with her... "

"No!"

Florence refused outright.

"Your nineteenth birthday is coming soon, and your dad and I are planning a big party to formally introduce you. You’ve been back for years now, and it’s time people know about you."

Florence looked at her, "No party!"

Michael Fuller never let go of his idea of using her as a tool for an arranged marriage, especially since she was getting older, and with the Somerset Family out, he must have been scouting for the next prestigious family.

"It’s not up to you to not have it." Laura stated. Michael had discussed this with her: Florence’s nineteenth birthday was to be a big event, on one hand to let people know the Fuller family’s biological daughter was back, though Michael had ulterior motives.

"He’s merely anxious to find me a new match." Florence sat on the sofa, "Why is he so eager to find another path with the city official out of the running? I’m curious, Clara is older than me, so why isn’t Dad finding her a marriage alliance?"

Laura stiffened, "She... she focuses on her studies."

"And I don’t?" Florence laughed coldly, "What is she studying, three days fishing two days drying nets? You give her endless pocket money and spoil her without limits just because she is the one you raised, and I am not?"

"You are willing to sacrifice a biological daughter with whom you have no emotional bond to protect the daughter you raised, maintaining Clara’s favor in front of Dad, using me as a shield."

Laura’s face stiffened and turned pale under Florence’s words, because Florence was right.

Michael’s little marriage thoughts were applied to both daughters. Since the incident Florence had with Andrew Somerset concluded, Michael knew Florence had some rebellious streak, so his eyes were also set on Clara Fuller.

The family from Cloudsea was quite aristocratic, but the man was a bit older, with less handsome looks. Clara knew and resisted fiercely, often crying to her.

She felt heartbroken too.

She had mentioned it to Michael, but his temper and character are as they were — strict and unyielding.

Clara, determined, refused, often playing weak in front of Michael.

Michael insisted the marriage had to involve one of their daughters.

Laura had no choice but put her idea onto Florence.

"You know now." She asked guiltily, "I have no choice, after all, the Woods Family holds a nice status in Cloudsea; marrying into them won’t do you harm..."

"What Woods Family?" Florence frowned.

Laura choked.

Florence abruptly stood, burning with anger, "So you really are using me as a shield now! Are you even a mother, huh?"

"I..." Laura was speechless, and Florence fumed, "Get out!"

"It’s not even certain, our main goal is so people know you are back, you are the real daughter of the Fuller Family, you..."

"Get out!"

Florence went over, grabbed her hand, throwing a bag into her arms, pulling her to the door, "Get out!"

"Florence!"

Laura was somewhat disheveled from the push and pull, "I am your mother, and you treat me like this."

"Yes!" Florence pushed her out of the door, "I treat you like this because you’ve never been my mother!"

"What did you say!" Laura looked at her, "After all, you were born of me after ten months of pregnancy, you say you don’t recognize me just like that. What, you only recognize the one lying in a hospital bed now?"

Florence took a step, confronting her, "Tell me, with what you’ve done, are you fit to be a mother in my eyes? You unconditionally favor Clara, knowing full well that when I came back, she harbored animosity. Didn’t you know those things she did were to target me and drive me away? You knew, but still chose her side. You, as a mother, were unreliable from the start."

Laura just stared wide-eyed at her daughter in front of her.

She never expected Florence to say such things to her.

"From now on, you’d better stay out of my business, don’t think of using me to back Clara, and stop planning around me. Yes, I can’t do much to you, but I can make Clara’s life a living hell."

"You are really..." her chest heaved, "How... how can you be so scary..."

Scary?

Florence sneered inside.

"Don’t come looking for me again." She turned and headed inside, shutting the door with a bang.