Chapter 7

Jenna told her the entire story in feigned innocence. She pinned a manipulative, materialistic label on Judy's forehead. Judy stood to one side, her gaze fixed and unyielding as she observed the charade. Her face remained impassive, offering no defense against Sally's piercing stare. She knew it was futile—Sally harbored no fondness for her and was unlikely to lend an ear to her side of the story. As expected, Sally's face twisted into a mask of disdain as she spat at Judy, "No wonder you're clinging on here like a leech, you're just after the Reid family's wealth. What a gold-digging wretch!" A satisfied smirk played on Jenna's lips as she approached Judy, whispering, "Dad told you to play nice with me, remember?" Judy shot her a sharp look, signing, "What do you want?" Jenna, who understood sign language, chuckled softly in reply, "You don't need to worry about that. Just play your part. Or else... I'll tell Dad." Observing their exchange, Sally turned to Jenna with a quizzical expression. "What did she say to you?" Feigning distress, Jenna sighed, "Judy seems to despise me now. I was only trying to apologize, but she's being hostile." "The audacity!" Sally scoffed. "I've encountered my fair share of gold-diggers, but never one as brazen as this mute." Judy had long grown accustomed to such barbs. Afterward, Sally warmed up to Jenna and the pair soon began conversing pleasantly. After all, Jenna striked her fancy more than speech-impaired Judy did. She was good with her words too, and won the woman's affection almost instantly. As evening fell, Clark returned to the manor. Dressed in a crisply tailored suit, his hair slicked back to reveal a striking forehead, Clark entered the room, exuding the aura of a business tycoon. The scar on his face lent an air of intimidation, but the firm set of his lips exuded a rugged masculinity, adding to his refined appearance. Jenna froze at the sight. Word on the street was that Clark Reid was horrendous, and she'd believed them. She never expected him to be so handsome despite the scar on his face! Regret gnawed at her. If she had known of his allure, she wouldn't have let Judy seize this opportunity. But then, she remembered her father's instructions... Her heart wavered, torn between conflicting desires. Yet, in the end, her ambition prevailed. She wanted both Dominic and Clark for herself! If she could ensnare both men in love with her, her father's scheme would be realized. "You're back, Clark," Jenna greeted, adopting a coy, demure demeanor as she approached him. The notion of such a successful man once seeking her hand in marriage filled her with pride. However, to everyone's astonishment, Clark remained impassive as he regarded her. It wasn't just Jenna who was puzzled, even Sally couldn't hide her disbelief. Hadn't Clark proposed to her? Shouldn't he harbor some affection for her? Why the detached response? Was it because Judy had been inserted into the equation? Was he resentful over that maneuver? The thought brought Sally immediate relief. "I need to speak with you urgently, Clark," Jenna announced, a hopeful gleam in her eyes. Aware of the woman's presence due to the incident involving Matthew, Clark paused before responding, "Follow me." Jenna's face lit up with excitement as she trailed after him. Meanwhile, Judy remained by the sofa, her gaze fixed on Clark throughout. Without so much as a glance in her direction, Clark ascended the stairs to the second floor. Sally shot a look at Judy, who'd been ignored the whole time, and laughed coldly. "See? Clark likes Jenna, there's no place for you here. If you're smart, you'd leave before the situation gets worse for you and you make a fool of yourself." Judy had heard too much of Sally's mockery at this point, and was completely numb to them. There was one thing she didn't understand though. Initially, before they got married, the Reid family assumed that Jenna was the one marrying into the family. If so, why wasn't there a wedding, let alone guests? It was Clark Reid himself that asked to marry her too. It was strange, but it didn't really concern her. She didn't want to analyze the situation. Back in her own room, she noticed a couple of missed calls on her phone. She took a closer look and realized it was from Admiralty Hospital. She called them back. "Ms. Blake? There's been a situation with the patient, please make your way to the hospital as soon as you can." Did something happen to grandma?