Chapter 9

Marissa let out a faint sigh, her lips curling into apolite smile.

With graceful ease, she slipped her arm free from Holley's grasp and gave her a light shove back toward Rita. "I'm afraid I'm not the type who puts up with people so easily."

"Marissa, you!" Holley gasped as she lost her balance,wobbling for a moment before Rita and Barry rushed forward, catching her just before she hit the floor.

"Marissa! You have the audacity to push Holley?!"Rita's shrill voice cracked with rage. Her calm facade vanished as she rolled up her sleeves, ready to lash out.

Marc, on the other hand, actually admired how calmly Marissa handled herself, but seeing Rita and the others ganging up on her made his patience snap. He strode forward and caught Rita's wrist firmly, his voice turning icy. "Rita, if you keep this up, I will take back the winery that was under Uncle's name."

Rita's face froze, her bravado faltering as a flicker of unease crossed her eyes. "I just wanted her to show

some respect. What's wrong with that?"

"Respect? For a mistress who clawed her way to status with a fake pregnancy?" Marissa's tone dripped with venom.

She reached over calmly and gestured for Marc to let go. She had never been one to start a fight, but if someone pushed her, she always made sure they regretted it.

"Utter nonsense!" Rita barked, her face blanching. Of all things, her affair and shameless climb to power were the last topics she wanted brought up.

Marissa's voice turned cool and cutting. "If you've got so much free time to meddle in my life, why not focus on your own? That old man you're keeping company with seems quite taken with another woman lately.And that younger lover of yours? He's been planning to use a few intimate videos to find himself a new girlfriend.Maybe you should spend less time scolding me and more time keeping him... satisfied."

"Enough!" Rita roared, her face flaming red.

Fury twisted her expression as she struggled to hold her composure in front of her family. How could Marissa possibly know all that?

"Rita, isthat true?" Holley's voice trembled as she looked between Rita and Marissa in confusion.

"Don't believe a word she says!" Rita snapped, forcing herself to steady her voice for Holley's sake. Then she turned back to Marissa, her eyes blazing. "Say another word, and I'll teach you a lesson myself!"

Marissa adjusted her cuff with a faint, unbothered smile. "Don't try to test me."

With that, her gaze shifted to Holley, her tone calm but edged with quiet warning. "Holley, you should understand something. Just because you want something doesn't mean everyone else does. So next time,skip the games. I like things straightforward."

She gave Holley's cheek a light pat, which was enough to make the cosmetic fillers under her skin shift slightly.

Barry's stomach twisted. He had a bad feeling that he was next. Swallowing hard, he clasped his hands together and shot Marc a desperate look. "Marc..."

Marc noticed Barry's silent plea out of the corner of his eye but ignored it. His sister clearly had things under control, and he wasn't about to ruin her fun.

"Holley can't have children, but you can help her with that,Barry."

Marissa's words landed like an explosion.

Barry's face went blank with shock, his mouth opening

and closing soundlessly before he finally stammered,"I... I'm a man! This is... this is a mother's role, a woman's work!"

Marissa's cold gaze locked onto him. "You're a Curtis,"she said flatly. "Put your fortune into research. I'm sure you can buy yourself a miracle and figure out how a man can conceive."

Her tone was almost conversational, but the chill beneath it was unmistakable.