CHAPTER 186: CHAPTER 187: DOES A WOMAN HAVE TO GET MARRIED TO BE HAPPY?

"I’m curious. When you found out that Sabrina and I were switched at birth, didn’t you help her find her biological mother?"

"It was I who didn’t want her found!" Pauline Briggs said.

"Oh, so it was Madam Johnson who couldn’t bear to part with her. No wonder..." Sienna Johnson murmured. She had guessed the reason long ago.

Since the Johnson Family was able to find her, helping Sabrina find Yvette Harris wouldn’t have been difficult. It was probably because Sabrina didn’t want to leave, and Pauline couldn’t bear to let her go, that Yvette Harris was never brought into the picture.

"Mom... I just want you to be my mom," Sabrina sobbed.

"Sabrina, don’t cry. I will always be your mother."

"PFFT..." Sienna couldn’t help but laugh. Seeing Pauline staring at her, she apologized, "Sorry, please continue."

Pauline disliked her daughter’s aggressive attitude. Sienna harbored too much hostility and was too unyielding.

"Sienna, she’s your younger sister. Can’t you be a bit more forgiving? We’re all family. Must we make things so unpleasant?"

"She found a father for Curly Baby for me, claiming it was out of concern. So how is it that when I offer to help her find her biological mother, I’m accused of causing domestic unrest? Madam Johnson, I really can’t tolerate these double standards of yours."

Madam Johnson was speechless.

"Forget it. Whatever I say or do is wrong. I’d better leave so I’m not an eyesore to you." Sienna glared coldly at Madam Johnson, then took Curly Baby and went upstairs.

"Sister, wait for me!" Samara also ran after her.

Sabrina watched Samara, a flicker of coldness in her eyes. She couldn’t remember what she had done to make Samara so distant. So many things had been quietly changing since Sienna returned, and not for the better.

"Don’t be sad. She’s just like that, always sharp-tongued. But she doesn’t have any bad intentions," Pauline spoke up, trying to mediate.

Sabrina knew when to stop; going too far would only make her disliked. "Mom, I know. Don’t worry, I’ll get along well with Sister."

"Good." Pauline looked at her adopted daughter with satisfaction.

"Samara and Sienna are getting closer and closer. Is it because I got married and Samara sees me less, so she’s drifted away from me? I remember she used to be very clingy," Sabrina said, seemingly casually.

Pauline didn’t quite understand her youngest daughter either. "After your father passed away, Samara changed a lot. She used to be very clingy to me too, but now she doesn’t want to stick with me anymore."

Sabrina hugged Pauline’s neck and said coaxingly, "Mom, you still have me. I just want to be clingy with you. Even after getting married, I always think about coming home to see you. Mom, I really want to be with you forever."

Pauline was deeply moved by Sabrina, but still advised her, "Good girl, I know you’re filial. But now that you’re married, you shouldn’t always be running back to your parents’ house. The Stewart Family might have objections."

"They wouldn’t dare..."

Old Madam Johnson looked at Sabrina with a complicated expression. With Sabrina acting like this, no wonder Pauline Briggs liked her so much. However, if what Sienna said was true, then Sabrina’s scheming was on another level. Old Madam Johnson’s shrewd eyes swept over Sabrina. She then lowered her head, picked up her teacup, and took a sip.

"Sabrina, you’ve been married to Frederick for almost two years now. You should have a child," Pauline asked with concern.

Sabrina’s smile stiffened. She whispered, "Frederick said I’m too young, and having a child too early would be bad for my health. He plans to wait a few more years."

Pauline disagreed, saying, "You’re already 22, that’s not too young. When women have children early, their bodies recover faster. Look at Sienna. Her figure and appearance are the same as before she had a child."

Sabrina hated Sienna. A ruined woman others had toyed with, and with a child in tow, yet men still liked her? Even Frederick had called out Sienna’s name in his dreams.

"The last time I saw your mother-in-law at the beauty salon, she seemed to be complaining that you still hadn’t had a child," Pauline said. "You’re really thoughtless. If Frederick doesn’t want you to have a child, you just won’t? The Stewarts only have Frederick. Your mother-in-law must be eagerly looking forward to holding her grandchild."

"Is that what my mother-in-law meant?" Sabrina asked.

"She didn’t say it outright, but her words implied she hopes you’ll have a child soon. You really should have a child."

"I understand, Mom."

Pauline looked at Sabrina with pity and said, "If only Sienna could also marry a good man like you, then I would have no regrets."

Sienna had always been a source of frustration for Pauline. Sienna wasn’t close to her and was very headstrong. If Pauline said too much, Sienna would think she was trying to harm her.

"Mom, Sister will understand your good intentions eventually."

In Old Madam Johnson’s room, Kathryn was massaging Old Madam Johnson’s legs. These days, her legs would swell up at night and required a long massage before the swelling subsided.

"...Kathryn, you’re still young. If you meet someone suitable, you should marry too. It’s too tiring, too hard for a woman to live alone..."

Kathryn had been through a marriage, but it ended in failure. The deeper the love had once been, the deeper the pain was now.

"Is it because of what Madam Johnson and Second Miss said today that you suddenly want to marry me off, Old Madam Johnson?" Kathryn asked.

"Yes," Old Madam Johnson sighed. "Pauline is right. A woman’s life is less hard when married to a man... Sienna... I have truly held her back."

Nowadays, what man with even a little promise would be willing to marry into his wife’s family? And for those who are willing, how good could their own situations be?

"When Dexter was alive, he doted on Sienna the most... His health had been deteriorating these past two years, partly due to Sienna’s disappearance... If he knew that I had kept Sienna at home to have a man marry into our family for his sake, Dexter would have been furious with me." Thinking of her only son who had died prematurely, Old Madam Johnson couldn’t help but shed tears.

"Old Madam Johnson, don’t overthink it. In my opinion, our Miss is not the type to be content staying at home as a devoted wife and mother."

Kathryn wiped away Old Madam Johnson’s tears and tried to persuade her, "Actually, what’s so good about getting married? Old Madam Johnson, do you really think Second Miss has a good marriage?"

"Kathryn, what is it that you know?"

There were many things Kathryn was unwilling to say. "Old Madam Johnson, I’ve spoken out of turn." Kathryn kept her lips sealed; that was how she had managed to stay in the Johnson Family for so long.

"Sienna said Sabrina and Frederick were trying to kill her... I didn’t believe it at first, but now..."

Kathryn interjected, "Now you’re not so sure anymore, are you, Old Madam Johnson?"

"Yes!" Old Madam Johnson admitted.

"Kathryn, you’re an outsider, so you see things clearly. Tell me honestly, would Sabrina really do such a thing?"

Kathryn lowered her head and replied ambiguously, "I daren’t say for sure. I only know that Second Miss is very jealous of Miss."