Chapter 7 You're Going to Marry Joseph's Father!

• The weather was cool in mid-January, with the rain drizzling endlessly outside.
• Nicole's eyes dimmed a little when they darted upon the date. Today was January 18—her mother's death anniversary.
• Nicole had wanted to take Hayden to visit her mother today, but the weather was really bad, so she decided to only do so after the weather had gotten better.
• The graveyard was desolate with few people. Holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a black umbrella in the other, Nicole slowly walked up to her mother's grave. To her surprise, there was already a man and a woman standing before the grave. The woman was Queenie, whereas the man was William Anderson—her so-called father.
• William's wrinkled face had a touch of emotion to it. "It's been a while since we last saw each other, Nicole. I heard from Queenie that you're back, so I came here to wait for you, thinking that you'd be coming here." When he heard from Queenie that Nicole had come back, he had been somewhat skeptical. After some mental calculations, he realized that Nicole's mother's death anniversary was around the corner. Since Nicole was very attached to her mother, she would definitely come here to visit her mother's grave. Therefore, he came here early in the morning to wait for Nicole, and here she was, coming just as expected.
• William was ashamed of what had happened five years ago. However, it was all thanks to it that Queenie managed to attach herself to the Gardner Family, which resulted in a turnaround for the then-declining Anderson Family. He would never allow anyone—including his biological daughter right before him—to destroy the Andersons' peace!
• Nicole coldly walked past the hypocritical man before her. "Go away! Don't disturb my mom's peace."
• "Let bygones be bygones, Nicole. Let's have a heart-to-heart talk. Nicole…"
• Regardless of what William said, Nicole placed flowers on her mother's grave and paid her respects. After that, she turned around and left without even taking a glance at the two people behind her.
• Queenie's exquisitely made-up face contorted at once when she saw how Nicole looked down her nose at them. Just what entitles this b*tch to assume such a haughty air?!
• Just as Nicole was walking past Queenie, the latter seized her wrist with so much strength, as though her fingernails were going to dig into the former's flesh. "Nicole, don't you want your mother's stuff anymore?"
• Nicole stopped in her tracks.
• Seeing the woman's response, Queenie smiled smugly. "If you want to get her stuff, then come home with us!"
• The rain was getting heavier and heavier. Standing before the familiar villa, Nicole gave off an aura of gloom through every pore as her exquisite features tautened. And here I am, standing before the Anderson Residence—the cold-hearted and disgusting home, she thought. Five years ago, in order to save her mother from a disease, she came here in tears to borrow money from the Andersons, only to enter into a deal where she had prostituted herself in return. To think that I'm back again five years later…
• Seeing Nicole entering the house, William immediately ordered the servants to serve her coffee, acting all caring as though he really were a loving father to her. "Let's have something warm to drink, Nicole. The weather's a bit chilly."
• Loving father? Nicole let out a sneer. This scumbag of a man had been fooling around outside when Mom was pregnant, she thought. Nicole's mother had been in poor health ever since she gave birth to Nicole, but William forced her into divorce when Nicole was eight years old. After the divorce, Nicole's mother was left penniless. Having no money to raise Nicole, she had no choice but to let Nicole stay at the Anderson Residence.
• Less than a month after the divorce, William married Nicole's stepmother, who brought along with her a little girl—Queenie—who was merely three months Nicole's junior. Nicole's stepmother detested Nicole, so it was routine for the then little Nicole to be cold-shouldered, fed with spoiled food, and beaten up savagely, but William turned a blind eye to all this.
• I'd have nothing to do anymore with the cold-blooded Anderson Family after Mom's death! thought Nicole to herself. "Just spill it. What the hell are you getting me to come back for?" she asked in a cold voice. The pains they took to get me to come home, their groveling and hypocritical demeanor—it's a no-brainer that they're coming to me with an ax to grind.
• "Just cut the bullsh*t with her, Dad," Queenie chimed in. Getting straight to the point, she said to Nicole, "I'm gonna be straight with you, Nicole. We can allow you to return to Anderson Family and continue being the family's eldest daughter—but on one condition."
• Looking at Nicole as if she were a piece of trash, she then continued disdainfully, "As long as you're willing to marry President Mann, we'll let you marry him as Young Lady Nicole of the Anderson Family for the sake of dignity." Eyeing Nicole with a flicker of jealousy in her eyes, she added sarcastically, "You could prostitute yourself for 200,000 five years ago, anyway, so you don't have to act all sanctimonious right now. With the title of Young Lady Nicole, after becoming President Mann's woman, you'll at least be living the rest of your life without having to worry about food and clothing."
• Queenie envied Nicole for having slept with Colton. Ever since Nicole slept with the man five years ago, Queenie had never had the opportunity to touch him. Even though Colton had aided the Andersons a lot and granted her every wish, what Queenie truly wanted was nothing but the man himself!
• A hint of surprise flickered across Nicole's face when she heard Queenie's words. "President Mann? You mean Joseph?" Is she talking about Hayden's father?
• "Joseph? What makes you think you deserve to marry him?" Queenie couldn't help but laugh when she heard Nicole mention Joseph's name. "How dare you even think about marrying Young Master Joseph? I'm talking about Robert Mann, Young Master Joseph's father!"