On the Ruins of His Regret I Soar novel Chapter 89

"Mrs. Smith was probably angry about that," Karen said cautiously. "I mean, what would people say if word got out?"

Susan hadn't paid much mind to their minor squabbles before, but this was different. It sounded like they had crossed a line. She had to step in.

"Here's what you're going to do…" she said, pulling Karen closer and giving her instructions.

Karen nodded and quickly went to carry them out.

That evening, an old family friend called Lance, asking him to come over for a chat. Lance agreed and left.

Soon after, Karen personally went to the Brown estate and invited Catherine over, saying Susan wanted to treat her to dinner.

When Catherine arrived at the Smith estate, she found that Lance wasn't there. Even Amy was gone. Jessica was sitting on the sofa, absorbed in her phone.

Catherine turned to Karen with a polite smile. "Karen, I thought Grandma invited me for dinner. Where is she?"

"Please wait here for a moment," Karen said with a practiced smile. "I'll bring Mrs. Lane downstairs. She's prepared a delicious meal for you tonight."

"Do you need any help?" Catherine offered.

"No, no, Ms. Brown. Please make yourself at home."

Catherine sat on the sofa opposite Jessica, who didn't even bother to look up from her phone.

"Jessica," Catherine said with a saccharine smile, "you shouldn't stare at your phone all the time. That's entertainment for the poor. You should get out more, go shopping, see the new collections at the luxury boutiques, try the new restaurants."

Catherine was now certain: this dinner was a trap, custom-made for her. Lance was nowhere in sight. Susan must have sent him away before making her move.

Taking a deep breath, Catherine sat down at the dining table. Karen soon led Jessica over, who greeted her grandmother and took her seat.

"Alright, it's just the three of us tonight, so let's not be formal," Susan said. "Dig in."

Catherine picked up her fork, hesitating before reaching for a dish.

Susan used the serving utensils next to her to place a braised chicken leg on Catherine's plate. "Try this. It's Amy's favorite whenever she's here."

"Thank you," Catherine said.