“Newman?” Serenity noticed Camryn wincing in pain, and her expression darkened with concern. She asked, “What happened to you, Camryn?”
“Mrs. York, Camryn is my daughter. What could I possibly do to her? She might have eaten something bad, and her stomach is upset,” Mrs. Newman replied defensively.
If it weren’t for her beloved daughter, Mrs. Newman would have refused to engage with someone she deemed a country bumpkin. Her resentment toward Camryn grew due to her scheming nature. Camryn was deliberately putting on a pained expression in front of Serenity, as if trying to imply that her mother was mistreating her.
“Mom, I haven’t even had a glass of water since arriving here. How could I have an upset stomach? It’s my thigh that hurts, not my stomach,” Camryn stated softly, though her tone only fueled Mrs. Newman’s desire to strangle her.
Mrs. Newman, filled with anger, cut Camryn off before she could say anything more. Addressing Serenity, she stated, “Mrs. York, your misunderstanding with Carrie stems from Camryn. Camryn and Carrie are sisters. Their grudges never last long, and they’ve already reconciled. It’s not appropriate for you, as an outsider, to cling to this issue.”
“We’re willing to compensate you and have apologized numerous times. We’ll have to see each other in the future, so I advise you to be more magnanimous. Holding onto grudges will only make your journey more difficult if you offend too many people.”
Although Mrs. Newman referred to Serenity as Mrs. York, her words revealed her complete lack of respect. To her, even with Serenity’s marriage into the York family, she remained nothing more than a country bumpkin.
If it weren’t for Zachary’s support of Serenity, Mrs. Newman would have found a way to protect her daughter, even if Serenity decided to sue Carrie.
“Carrie hired someone to harm me. Am I being narrow-minded?”
“Are you really not going to forgive her?” Mrs. Newman asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
“I disagree with your perspective,” Serenity replied firmly.
“Were you even hurt? You didn’t lose a single hair, but my daughter ended up in prison!” Mrs. Newman retorted.
Serenity smirked. “That’s because I’m skilled in self-defense. What your daughter did was illegal. She paid someone to harm me and damage my car. That is a crime. I may not have been physically injured, but does that mean her actions should be overlooked?”
“I won’t falsely accuse your daughter, but I cannot condone her behavior either. She must face the consequences of her actions. This matter is between your daughter and me; it has nothing to do with Camryn.”
Mrs. Newman’s expression hardened. “Serenity Hunt, are you insisting on having my daughter punished?”