It'll Come Naturally

After what seemed like a long time, Rain finally said, "Well, if that's the case, I'll take your card. And since it's money in exchange for shares in my company, later I'll ask William to prepare a document showing your shares based on the money you put in." Even though she had her shares in the Group Company of the Leng Family, no one would assume that they were too wealthy to earn more. Not to mention, as she said, it was to create a better future for Richard.

"Pfft! You really don't need to be so formal about this!" Leena said in an uneasy tone. She didn't realize he would be so serious about the legalities of the investment proposal. Her mouth twitched. If he was going to settle her shares accordingly with the money she provided, she wasn't completely providing support as she had planned to, but was instead robbing him when he was already in trouble.

"There's nothing to discuss. I insist we do it that way, or I won't accept a single penny from you," Rain said firmly. Looking at her reaction, he frowned and realized that her ultimate purpose was to help him out of his financial trouble. But since she had the will to invest in his company as a shareholder, he would definitely make her investment more valuable.

"All right, then!" Leena said glumly, pouting her lips. As soon as he brought up his conditions, Leena was reluctant to agree as it might put him in a more difficult position in the future. But seeing it was the only way for her to help him at the moment, she decided to accept his proposal. "Well, I want to propose a toast," Rain said happily, raising a cup. "To our pleasant partnership." Clinking his cup with hers, he took a sip of his coffee. Perhaps on another day, somewhere in the brighter future, they would be sharing another toast but with wine instead. "Wow! I guess it's official! Cheers to a happy partnership," Leena beamed, and took a sip as well. She, too, felt it was odd of them to be consuming coffee for the toast. Probably, only the two of them would do something as strange as that.

When it was time for Leena to leave, Rain returned directly to his company. As he reached the entrance of his company, however, he saw Tiana and Sheena having a loud argument free for everyone to see.

"Did you hear me? You need to go back home with me right now!" Sheena yelled, "Stop hanging out with that little bastard! Your sister-in-law found you a suitable man, and it's best that while you're still young, you marry him. If you keep delaying it until you're no longer young, it will be very difficult for you to find a suitable man that will want to marry you." After saying these ruthless words, she tugged Tiana's dress to pull her out of the building.

Tiana stood her ground, but could not escape her grasp. "I don't want to go back with you!" she responded back angrily, "And I don't want to marry that man you're talking about. It's the president of CM Company, isn't it?" She was outraged. "He's almost old enough to be my father!" she retorted, "And I don't love him at all. So it's impossible for me to marry him." The younger woman blinked back her tears. She didn't expect to be caught off guard by her mother as soon as she left the company.

"What are you talking about? He's only around forty years of age, and definitely not old enough to be your father. More importantly, he's filthy rich... you know?" Because Sheena was so accustomed to living an extravagant life, she never knew how to cater to others. But due to the current situation of her family, she had to find a new way to maintain her financial support. Unfortunately for Tiana, she became the latest victim of Sheena's greed.

"Mom, I'm your daughter. Not your moneymaking tool." Tiana answered, seeing red all over. "You have no right to manipulate my life like this." Being sold out by her own mother like an animal, she felt her heart being crushed. Out of fear of being locked up in their house, she had been living with a friend in the last few days. Despite her attempts to avoiding Sheena, she still managed to catch her at work. What terrible luck she had!

"You stupid girl. The fact that you know you're my daughter must mean that you know your obligation to contribute to our family," Sheena snapped. No longer an elegant and wealthy lady like she used to be, she turned into a vulgar she-devil who would go so far as to argue with her daughter in public about fixed marriage. She had crossed a line that neither of them could come back to.

"Why? Why should your happiness be based on my lifelong happiness? Are you sure you're my real mother? Am I really your daughter?" Tiana despaired. Unable to contain the tears, she broke down in front of Sheena. When she was young, she was pampered by her mother. Although she always felt like something was missing in their relationship, it never occurred to her that they would ever find themselves in this situation.

"I'm doing all of this for you. Think about it. When the president of CM Company becomes your husband, you won't need to work here anymore as a slave to that little bastard," Sheena said, running a little out of breath. After all, she wasn't getting any younger herself. Her physical condition wasn't as good as it used to be.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

"I don't care! I don't give a damn about that. If you care so much about it, why don't you marry him?" Tiana burst out, overwhelmed by her rage since she was so taken aback by her mother's words. No mother by nature liked to be talked back. Sheena was no different in that respect. Pissed off by her daughter's insolence, she slapped her in the face.

When Rain witnessed this incident, he was too far from them, so he had no way to stop Sheena from slapping Tiana.

Tiana let out a derisive laugh. "Great! you slap me again! Please, go ahead. Slap the other side of my face and make it swollen as well. That way, both sides would be symmetrical, you know?" Tiana said, provoking her mother despite the sting on her cheek. These last couple of days had brought more pain than her previous years combined. So at this point, another slap in the face wouldn't be such a big deal.

"You stupid girl. Do you think I won't?" seethed Sheena. "You're so disobedient now! I don't know why I ever brought you home that time," Sheena said, increasingly irritated as Tiana intended. Without another thought, the older woman raised her hand, and gave Tiana another hard slap in the face.

"You..." Tiana was too stunned to complete her sentence. She never thought it would be possible to be slapped twice on the same day. Meanwhile, Rain was stunned to witness the second slap as well. Wasn't Tiana supposed to be the favorite princess of the Ke family? It just didn't add up. What he was seeing was totally different from what he had thought this entire time.

"Tiana, you have to stop behaving this way right now. Or else, you'll suffer so much more. So, let's go. Come with Mom now," Sheena said gently. Once she found that tough approach wouldn't work on Tiana, she decided to try a softer approach.

"You know what? These two slaps you so nicely gave me was the last straw. Now I've lost my attachment to the Ke family, and it's completely impossible for me to go back with you." Tiana said firmly, wiping the blood out of the corner of her mouth. She was completely heartbroken now. It wasn't until that moment that she really doubted whether she was Sheena's real daughter.

"It's not up to you. I'm not leaving until you agree to go back with me," said Sheena, starting to get irritated again. Although it wasn't long enough, Sheena figured that the soft approach wasn't going to work on Tiana as well.

"I said it's impossible unless you kill me first," said Tiana, completely resolved. If her mother thought she was going to agree to marry that old man, then she must have gone completely insane. Tiana would rather die than get married to him.00000000