"No need!"

Her Bun didn’t need a brother who refused to acknowledge her.

"I can’t help you with this, nor do I want to!"

Cedric Grant’s every word was chilling, but as his mother, she had an obligation to teach him right from wrong.

Taking a deep breath, Sophia Shaw explained patiently, "The reason your great-grandfather and grandfather gave that order was that your father orchestrated a scheme to have someone sell off your great-uncle’s company shares."

"This forced your great-uncle to race cars just to save his company, and he was seriously injured."

"That sort of thing is a major taboo in the Grant family. Even if it hadn’t been your great-uncle who got hurt, your grandfather and great-grandfather would still have punished your father."

The only thing she had a hand in was the beating Vincent Grant took.

’Her uncle had been so grievously injured; she couldn’t just do nothing.’

"Really?" Cedric Grant was skeptical, his little face still fraught with conflict.

Sophia Shaw saw it, and a tangle of wild weeds seemed to sprout in her heart, leaving it utterly desolate.

Before, Cedric had never doubted her. He believed whatever she said.

’She had never lied to him, so how had even this most basic trust been lost?’

’Forget it. Just forget it.’

Sophia Shaw walked over and opened the car door for Cedric Grant. "Hurry up and go to class."

Cedric Grant held the car door, crestfallen, and reluctantly got in.

After getting in, he poked his head back out, unwilling to give up. "Mom, the base was Auntie Joanna’s passion project. It’s so pitiful that it got shut down."

"She hasn’t eaten in days and has gotten so much thinner."

Sophia Shaw’s hand paused on the car door.

Before, when Cedric Grant had worried about Joanna Sherman, he had at least tried to be discreet about it in front of her.

Now, he was being blatant.

Just because his Auntie Joanna had missed a few meals, he had gotten so worked up that he’d come running to plead her case, disregarding everything else.

The Grant father and son had always been experts at hurting her.

They had frozen her heart to ice, only to then chisel it apart and shatter the pieces.

"Cedric Grant." Sophia Shaw felt as though she were cradling her own shattered heart, no longer expecting an ounce of pity from this father and son.

She said calmly, "Your Auntie Joanna might be a star in the sky, but my uncle is a priceless treasure. She just missed a few meals, but my uncle nearly died!"

"Your Auntie Joanna chose not to eat, but my uncle was injured because of a conspiracy between the Sherman Family and your father!"

"Do you still think she’s the pitiful one now?"

She had originally planned not to mention the Sherman Family, wanting to spare his feelings.

Sophia Shaw had never spoken to him so sternly. Cedric Grant was momentarily unable to process it and didn’t dare say another word.

He allowed the car to drive away.

After standing in place for a long time, Sophia Shaw decided to call Vincent Grant.

The call connected.

Sophia Shaw took a deep breath. "Vincent Grant, the rocket base was shut down because of your malicious scheming that nearly got my uncle killed."

"You did wrong, so you should be reflecting on it. Don’t send a child to plead your case."

"Sophia, about this..."

BEEP—

Just as Vincent Grant used to do to her, Sophia Shaw hung up without giving him a chance to finish.

Vincent Grant stared at the dead line, the words caught in his throat. A heavy, stifling pressure built in his chest.

By this time, Cedric Grant had reached Vincent Grant’s side.

His eyes were red as he spoke in an aggrieved tone, "Dad, I just don’t want Mom to keep targeting Auntie Joanna. Why is she so angry?"

Cedric Grant felt more and more strongly that his mother didn’t care about him as much as she used to.

At the mere thought of it, Cedric Grant’s eyes couldn’t help but well up.

He couldn’t understand.

’Mom used to love him so much. No matter what mistake he made, she was always gentle.’

’She would pat his head and say that all children make mistakes, and what mattered was correcting them.’

’But now, she was getting angry with him.’

’Was it because of that adopted daughter?’

’How could Mom be like this!’

Vincent Grant was feeling vexed, but he still patted Cedric Grant’s head. "Your mother is just in a bad mood. She’s not targeting you intentionally, so don’t take it to heart."

"Dad, if you had to choose, would you choose Auntie Joanna or Mom?"

Vincent Grant looked at his son, puzzled. "Why would you ask that?"

Cedric Grant sniffled.

’Actually, he didn’t even need to ask. He already knew Dad was biased toward Auntie Joanna.’

’The fact that he spent so much time and money building the rocket base was proof enough.’

’But who could blame him? Auntie Joanna was just that outstanding.’

’Mom was just too concerned with her pride!’

’Wouldn’t it be better for her to just accept Auntie Joanna, to admire her just like he did?’

Cedric Grant’s heart was filled with resentment for Sophia Shaw, but he didn’t feel he could voice it, so he remained silent.

"Cedric, she’s your mother," Vincent Grant reminded him.

"I know," Cedric Grant said sullenly as he walked into the classroom.

...

"Cedric."

Cedric Grant had just stepped out of the classroom when Yvonne Sherman, who was waiting outside, waved at him.

"Grandma Sherman!"

Seeing Yvonne Sherman, a smile finally broke through Cedric Grant’s sullen expression.

"Did Auntie Joanna ask you to come pick me up?"

It had only been two hours, but Cedric Grant was already worried about Joanna Sherman.

"Is Auntie Joanna okay?"

"Does the little sister miss me?"

Yvonne Sherman answered perfunctorily, "Did you tell your mom what Grandma Sherman told you earlier?"

Vincent Grant had made no progress in solving the problem, and Yvonne Sherman was getting anxious.

The more adamant Elder Grant was about shutting down Grant Horizon, the more Yvonne Sherman hoped Joanna Sherman could quickly produce results that would make the Grants see her in a new light.

Cedric Grant was utterly mortified, and his head drooped in shame.

"I’m sorry, Grandma Sherman. I didn’t complete the mission you gave me."

"Your mom didn’t agree?" Yvonne Sherman inwardly gritted her teeth, looking like she wanted to eat Sophia Shaw alive.

Cedric Grant nodded. "Mom said you guys hurt my great-uncle. Grandma Sherman, is that true?"

"Of course it’s not true!" Yvonne Sherman said, looking aggrieved. "Cedric, we’re the ones who’ve been targeted all along! You’ve seen it yourself. Your mom and her uncle have even been slandering us online."

"Your Auntie Joanna merely hired a consultant, and your mother blew it all out of proportion, claiming Auntie Joanna wasn’t fit to be Cathan’s leading figure in rocketry."

"Oh, I’m sorry. Grandma Sherman shouldn’t be speaking ill of your mother. Cedric, just pretend I never said anything."

Yvonne Sherman abruptly covered her mouth as if she had misspoken.

Cedric Grant sighed helplessly. "How could Mom do that?"

’She just keeps hurting Auntie Joanna and Grandma Sherman, again and again. It never ends.’

"Grandma Sherman, can I go see Auntie Joanna?" Cedric Grant asked.

"Maybe not. Your Auntie Joanna has been very busy lately. She’s not in the mood to see anyone."

’The base has been shut down. What could Joanna Sherman possibly be busy with?’

Yvonne Sherman’s words, "not in the mood," left a bad taste in Cedric Grant’s mouth.

’Auntie Joanna must be disappointed in him for being so useless.’

After Cedric Grant got in the car, he received a call from Eleanor Crawford.

"Auntie Eleanor."

Cedric Grant had always been fond of Eleanor Crawford.

Eleanor Crawford was a woman of few words, but she was always very kind to him.

Eleanor Crawford answered softly, "Cedric, Grandma Walsh is celebrating her birthday and would like to invite everyone to get together. Would you like to come?"

Even though Cedric Grant was still a child, she always made sure to ask for his opinion.

"Yes, yes!"

Cedric Grant was a thousand percent willing to attend Grandma Walsh’s birthday.

Eleanor Crawford chuckled. "That’s great. You can come with your mom and dad then."

"Okay, okay."

After hanging up, Cedric Grant was lost in thought about what birthday gift to buy for Old Mrs. Grant.

Sophia Shaw also received a call from Eleanor Crawford.

Although she had already made her intention to divorce clear, Old Mrs. Grant had been so good to her that she had no reason to refuse.

So, she agreed. "I’ll be there on time."

"Great. See you then."

After hanging up, Sophia Shaw went out of her way to pick a gift for the old matriarch.

While passing a boutique, she saw a beautiful pink dress and suddenly thought of Lillian Forrest.

Lillian Forrest lived with Jenson Forrest. Jenson was a man, and with Lillian’s blindness, her clothes were always monotonous—either white or gray.

’A little girl, even a blind one, deserves a colorful life.’

After a moment’s thought, Sophia Shaw bought the dress.

In the following days, she was incredibly busy, juggling her time between her company, the hospital, and home.

「A week went by in a flash.」

Old Mrs. Grant’s birthday celebration was scheduled for Friday.

Sophia Shaw used a break in her schedule to give Lillian Forrest a tutoring session.

Lillian Forrest was overjoyed to receive the dress. Her hands constantly stroked the fabric, and her little face was alight with a smile unlike any she had worn before.

"Sophie, thank you so, so much."

"In my whole life, I’ve never worn a colored dress before."

"How could that be?" Sophia Shaw asked, slightly surprised.

Lillian Forrest’s happy expression slowly faded. "Because when I was born, something bad happened to my family. My mother thought I was bad luck, so she never liked me or cared what I wore."

"Later, after I went blind... even my dad didn’t want to see me. They all thought I was useless."

"Only my brother wanted me, and he’s always taken care of me. I don’t want to cause him any trouble, so I’ve never asked for anything."