“Sorry, Mrs. Ford. The Michael that you just described seems to be different from the man


    Stephanie described to me,” I interrupted Aunty Lois’s story because I refused to believe that


    Michael had loved me.


    I shook my head and added, “Love isn’t about possessing or hurting someone. Yet, Michael had


    brought Stephanie nothing but pain. No matter what his reasons were, it doesn’t change the fact


    that Michael had lied to Stephanie and caused her significant


    harm.”


    Aunty Lois lowered her eyes and said, “Ms. Larson, Stephie loved Mike. She loved him deeply…


    Can’t you give Mike another chance, for Stephie’s sake? Mike’s the president of the Ford Group,


    and his reputation carries weight on the fate of the entire corporation. He cannot afford any tarnish


    on his record.”


    Aunty Lois was trying to convince me that Michael had also loved Stephie. And so, I should give


    him another chance for Stephie’s sake.


    “Why didn’t you tell Stephie the truth? You had so many chances…” I asked in a hoarse.


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    voice.


    Was I ming Aunty Lois? Perhaps a little….


    “Because I loved Stephie dearly as if she were my own daughter. Since Stephie was in love with


    Mike, I was looking forward to the day Mike would marry her. Then, we could finally


    be a real family.


    “I prayed that Mike would one day recognize his true feelings and treat Stephie with care. I knew


    Mike loved Stephie too…”


    veves


    Iughed with my head down as welled up with tears.


    Suddenly, I realized how selfish people could be at times.


    During my days in the Ford family, did Aunty Lois not notice the harm and emotional abuse Michael


    had inflicted upon me?


    Was she not aware that I constantly felt like I was walking on eggshells living under someone else’s


    roof?


    All she needed to do was tell me that Michael wasn’t the one who rescued me, and I wouldn’t have


    had to tolerate Michael out of my sense of indebtedness toward him.


    M


    I too, had my own dignity and pride.


    If I had known that I wasn’t indebted to Michael, I wouldn’t have let him hurt me. I


    would have had the freedom to choose whether or not to love himm


    I shouldn’t have been bound by him. I could have called the police when Michael forced me to do


    things against my will and let him get the punishment he deserved.


    However, because I had believed I owed him for rescuing me and my parents‘ bodies. from that fire,


    I tolerated his emotional abuse and torture for so


    w years


    All of this could have been avoided if Aunty Lois had just told me the truth.


    Yet, she and her son held me captive in the name of love. One was afraid of me leaving


    while the other had imed it to be love.


    “So, do you know who rescued Stephie, Mrs. Ford?” I took a deep breath, tightened my hands, and


    looked up at Aunty Lois.


    Since Micahel wasn’t the one who saved me, I had no reason to show mercy to him


    anymore.


    He was the reason me and my unborn child had died! He and Yasmin had to pay for what they did!


    Aunty Lois shook her head. “The person left when we arrived. There were no surveince cameras


    on the bridge too, so no one knew who saved you.


    “But ording to the witnesses, it was a teenage boy. I ced ads to find him, but no one came


    forward. I’ve never stopped asking around since.”


    I silently lowered my head.


    Ms. Larson, could you please give Mike another chance? I hope we can settle this in private…”


    Aunty Lois said with a gentle voice.


    I was aware that she wouldn’t sound so gentle anymore if I turned her down again this


    time.


    Before Michael took over thepany, Aunty Lois had been running thepany alone. She was


    a strong and decisive woman.


    “Sorry.” I shook my head.


    I would notpromise again, Michael Ford.


    “Mike’s abduction charge won’t hold, so that leaves only the assault usation that


    It


    you’ve made against him. However, it appears that you haven’t suffered any harm, Ms.


    Larson.


    “There are better ways to handle this, ways that won’t lead to a feud between our families,” Aunty


    Lois’s voice turned cold.


    “What he’s done to me goes beyond physical injury. He abducted me, threatened my husband, and


    even mentally abused him. I will not tolerate any of this,” I stated solemnly


    and firmly.


    After a moment of silence, Aunty Lois ced her phone in front of me.


    On the screen were images of Steven, still homeless at the time, holding an abused


    animal.


    He was covered in blood and was cradling a kitten that had been severely abused and mutted.


    “Since the Lincoln family wants to wage a public rtions battle, the Ford family will see it through


    to the end,” Aunty Lois dered.


    With that, she stood up and left.