Chapter 60

Chapter60 We Should Release A Statement

The Fletcher family's servant slipped in through the side door, arms full of groceries, when she caught Susanna's unsettling grin. A shiver ran through her,urging her to dart into the kitchen.

Susanna's demeanor had grown stranger by the day.Once refined and poised, she now carried on like a brash street vendor, her voice echoing even into the kitchen.

Susanna continued speaking into the phone to her husband, "I thought Marissa would treat Evelina nicely,but she's so selfish! Not only does she refuse to embrace Evelina like we do, but she can't even handle Evelina taking back what is rightfully hers! She has had so much already and still wants more, always jealous and competing with Evelina!We raised her all these years, and she doesn't even show gratitude! She thinks I shouldn't have scolded her in front of everyone! If she hadn't stirred up trouble at Evelina and Bryson's wedding, would I have had to? Honey, don't you think she really goes too far?"

After venting, Susanna fished for Phil's support. Unlike her, his focus wasn't solely on Evelina;he had broader concerns.

To him, Marissa had always been dutiful and reasonable. If not for Susanna's and Evelina's public jabs, Phil had other plans for Marissa,though he couldn't share them with Susanna in front of company staff.

He turned his phone's volume to a whisper, audible only to him.

When Susanna got no reply, her face darkened,and she asked suspiciously, "Honey, are you at the company?"

She wondered if he was with some secret lover.

Unaware of the shift in her tone because of the low volume, Phil replied, "Didn't I already tell you?Something came up at the company, so I'm dealing with it."

"Oh." Susanna kicked aside a stray object, and seeing the mess she had made, she bellowed,"Someone clean this up!"

The servants hurried out, silently clearing the clutter from the floor.

Plopped on the sofa, Susanna's anger festered as she ranted, "Marissa is just like her low-class slum parents, demanding hundreds of thousands like it's nothing. She need a reality check. Is she worth that much? That wretch should go to hell..."

The servants tidying the living room exchanged discreet eye-rolls.

Meanwhile, Phil's face grew icy in the conference room as Susanna's crude tirade continued."Enough with the cursing," he said, unable to stomach her vulgarity.

"I..." Susanna's shrill complaints faltered at Phil's cool response, her tone shifting. "I'm just so frustrated-we've raised an ungrateful brat!"

Phil's expression soured. He thought he knew Marissa, who had grown up under his care. In his view, she should have played along to liven up the wedding's drama.

But Marissa cared little for the family and chose to walk away.

"You know Marissa's temperament. Young people are touchy and can act rashly. It's normal for her to shut us out when she's upset. We shouldn't hold grudges against her. I've got things to handle here;I'll call you back," Phil comforted her.

Clutching the phone, Susanna bowed her head slightly, her disheveled hair from her earlier outburst falling over her forehead, hiding the shadow in her eyes.

Getting no response, Phil thought the call had dropped and was about to pass the phone to his assistant when Susanna spoke. "We should release a statement."

"About what?" Phil asked.

"That Evelina is our real daughter, and Marissa is the one we brought home by mistake." Susanna's tone was earnest, dripping with affection for Evelina. "Now is the time to set things straight. If the wedding drama spreads before we make the announcement, it will get messier. Honey,you know how vicious online comments can be. Evelina is so sensitive-I'm worried she will overthink if she reads some negative comments." Phil had already planned to have the PR team draft a statement. Hearing Susanna, he quickly soothed her with a gentle tone. "Don't worry, honey, I'm already on it. Everyone will know that Evelina is our real daughter. Trust me, I will take care of everything." On the sofa, Susanna dabbed at her dry eyes, her face betraying a flicker of triumph as she sobbed,"Honey, really? Won't this upset Marissa?" "Marissa is reasonable," Phil reassured her. "She understands what this statement means right now.Don't worry, it's fine. She won't be upset with us;it's just setting things right."

"What about the dividends we planned for Marissa?" Susanna's grip on the phone tightened,her voice laced with concern. "I accidentally let it slip in front of Evelina..."