On the Ruins of His Regret I Soar novel Chapter 90

Catherine took a bite.

"I worry so much about food safety these days, especially with a child in the house," Susan mused. "I saw on the news the other day that because young people love chicken legs so much, they're now breeding chickens with three legs. Can you imagine?"

Karen moved silently behind Susan, serving the dishes.

"This world has really changed," Susan sighed dramatically. "It's one thing for people to be shameless, but now even the chickens are. Wouldn't a three-legged chicken get laughed at wherever it went?"

The chicken in Catherine’s mouth suddenly tasted like ash.

Susan turned to Jessica with a smile. "Jessica, you eat up. I feel like one child in this house is too few. Amy is lonely without any siblings. You need to get your strength back so you can have more babies. I'll love every single one you have."

Jessica didn't respond, but she wasn't stupid. She knew this dinner was Susan's way of putting Catherine in her place. If she still had any hope for her marriage to Lance, she would have been grateful. But now, she felt nothing but tired. In fact, she wanted Catherine to win Lance over as quickly as possible so he would finally grant her a divorce.

So she just poked at the rice in her bowl.

"Eat some meat," Susan insisted. "Our kitchen sources all our poultry and fish personally. Karen oversees everything to ensure there are no issues with quality. Look how much your sister is enjoying her meal."

The forced smile on Catherine's face vanished completely. She slowly put down her fork.

"That's not what I meant," Susan said quickly. "I just worry about you. You're a young woman; you can't let someone deceive you. If you were to fall for a married man, think of the shame it would bring your parents. You're not just anyone anymore. What you do reflects on the entire Brown family."

Catherine took a deep breath. "Susan, my mother and I are the same people we've always been. We were poor, yes, but we never stooped to shameful acts just to eat. Your words… they're hard not to misinterpret."

Susan's tone became pointed. "There's no shame in doing what you must to survive. I always gave food to beggars when I saw them. No one chooses that life unless they're truly desperate. Do you know what's truly disgusting? It's people who have everything—a full belly, a fortune beyond that, a good life—and still covet what belongs to others. People who feel they have to take what isn't theirs. I find those people, men or women, to be utterly repulsive. Don't you agree?"