***
When Grandmother Park heard her son's cowardly advice, she immediately fumed.
Who would fear their own daughter?
"Stop it! This woman needs to learn a lesson." She said as she opened her bag and gets ahold of her phone.
"Oh, that's right. I forgot to mention that I recorded this conversation." She said smugly. "I bet the media would love to get a hold of this."
"The Young Miss Park disrespecting her elders and threatening her own father. How is that for a piece of front page news?" Grandmother Park Sneered. This is her last card. She already planned to record this conversation and threaten Chaeyoung to release this to the media.
"What do you think will happen if Young Miss Manoban will hear this? You think you can still fool him?" She added.
Chaeyoung stared at her grandmother.
So, she is just like her father after all.
Someone who values benefits over blood.
Even Laura was flabbergasted! This old woman did plan this from the start! How impudent!
Seeing their reaction, Grandmother Park cannot hide the smug from her face.
As expected, this kind of approach will work against Chaeyoung.
"So, here is the thing that I want you to do." She started. "First, I want you to give the CEO position back to Jacob. Then I want you to marry this young man. This is Mrs. Johnson's grandson and he suits you better than that Lalisa Manoban." Grandmother Park said in one go.
She is too happy ah. Starting from now, she will have leverage over Chaeyoung. Isn't that just too lucky?
Both Chaeyoung and Laura stared at Grandmother Park in disbelief after hearing her conditions.
Is this woman still sane? She dared to blackmail Chaeyoung in her own home and even make some demands.
Then they look at the young man who is silently looking at Chaeyoung.
When Chaeyoung arrived, she did not pay him any heed. She always thought that this man was just someone from the Park Family.
Isn't her Grandmother too laughable? Did she think this was enough to scare her granddaughter?
On the other hand, Laura is already clenching her fist, her knuckles turning white.
She is almost done being civil with these people.
This old woman shamelessly threatened Chaeyoung and even wanted her to marry some unknown guy instead of her daughter?
"What? Too afraid to say something? Or did you now realize how naive you are for being so arrogant? Hmp! Are you not going to say anything?"
"How about I send this to my friends in the media so they can let someone from the Manoban Family hear this?"
Grandmother Park taunted while thinking that she had given Chaeyoung quite a scare. A victory smile can be seen in her face.
Who would want the world to know their dark side? No one! Especially not some unmarried heir who has nothing but a pretty face and a little backer.
She is already thinking of how to celebrate when Grandmother Park suddenly heard Chaeyoung and Laura burst into waves of laughter.
"Really?" Chaeyoung asked her eyes in a crescent. "You think a mere voice recording can scare me???"
"Stop pretending! I know you are afraid for the Manoban Family to know how evil you are towards your elders!" Grandmother Park reasoned. "Who would be so crazy to accept someone as ill-mannered as-?"
However, before Grandmother Park can finish her sentence a resounding slap flew towards her face making her stagger and dizzy.
"Stop looking down on my family. We are not as stupid as you!" Laura said while gritting her teeth. She was not able to stop herself anymore.
Her self-control has reached its limit.
"How dare you hit my mother? Kevin call the police, let's see what this woman will say in front of the authorities." He immediately helped her mother and instructed the young man beside him.
"And while you're at it. Please tell them that a murderer is here in the Wang Estate." Chaeyoung added while looking at Jacob provokingly.
Her statement made Jacob stop the young man from using his phone. As he expected, Chaeyoung knows about Claire's murder.
"What do you want?" He asked Chaeyoung while looking at her straight in the eye.
"What are you doing, can't you see? We don't need to bargain with them. We have -"
"Shut your trap mother! Can't you see how you are digging the grave of the whole Park Family?" Jacob interjected.
"Seems like you are thinking straight this time Mr. Park." Laura said while wiping her hands using a handkerchief. Then she lifted her arms and gestured for someone to come.
In a moment a man in a dark suit appeared. His face was solemn.
"Burn this." She gave the used handkerchief to the man without looking at him. The man accepted the handkerchief without any questions.
"Don't let it touch you. It's contaminated." She added.
The man nodded and left without saying anything.
"Who- Who are you?" Grandmother Park asked while clutching her cheeks. "How dare you hit me? Do you know who I am?!"
"I did hit you. What can you do about it?" Laura raised her eyebrow at Grandmother Park while giving her a mocking smirk.
Seeing this made Grandmother Park feel more humiliated and angry. However, Laura's next statement made her froze.
"Call me Madam Manoban."
"Now, shall we start?"
Both Grandmother Park and Jacob's faces went pale after they heard Laura introduce herself.
Just who is the Madam of the Manoban Family? They never had the chance to meet her, but they surely heard her name.
She is a fierce and ruthless woman when it comes to business and the Manoban household.
She is known as a very scary matriarch of the Manoban Family.
And they really dare to use the Manoban Family's name to threaten Chaeyoung in front of her? Isn't this... too stupid?
Even the young man beside Jacob felt nervous while looking at the woman in front of them.
This is the legendary matriarch of the Manoban Family ah. When his grandmother told him to come with Jacob, he did not expect for any of this to happen.
The young man looked at Chaeyoung and pursed his lips. It seems that he won't be able to have this woman now.
With the Madam Manoban by her side, Chaeyoung will never bow to anyone.
"Watch me Chaeyoung, let me show you how it's done." Laura said while glancing at Chaeyoung before she focused her attention to grandmother Park and Jacob.
Then she lifted her hand and did a little wave before a group of ten to twenty men appeared and surrounded the Park Family.
This made the Park mother and son even paler than before. Jacob shivered and bit his lower lips while trying his best not to pee on himself.
This is a complete turn of his expectations. Who would have thought that they were in front of this scary woman all along?
"First lesson. In this type of shameless people. Use a direct approach. Don't take too much time dealing with them. They are not worth it." She said, her tone gentle akin to a teacher patiently teaching her student.
Then she motioned for someone to get not just grandmother Park's phone but also including Jacob and the young man's.
"Destroy those useless things." She gave an authoritative order.
Grandmother Park was left speechless while nervously watching her phone getting stumped by two bulky men.
What can she do about it? Other than staring? Then NONE! She cannot do anything against this woman at all.
"See what I did there? I eliminated every possible thing that they can use to contact someone outside of this house."
"Remember child, destroy all possible evidence."
"Wh.. What do you mean? Are... are you planning to kill us?" Jacob stuttered his voice shaking as much as his body.
This woman is crazy!
"Hey, Let me go. I have nothing to do with any of this. I promise to tell my grandmother not to help the Park Family anymore. Please." The young man whimpered.
If this woman will kill all of them now, he is sure that his grandmother will never even find his corpse ever.
"Relax. I don't plan to kill you. At least, not yet." Laura smirked then she looked at Chaeyoung again.
"Second, is when you start to torture them but seeing that this is not the right place for that... we can just... skip it." She taunted the Park mother and son.
Her statement made Grandmother Park shiver. "You... Let us g..go and I... I... I promise not to bother Chaeyoung again!" She pleaded.
"Oh... you are scared of death now? Yet you are shouting like a mad woman a while ago. Did you think no one will dare hurt you here?" Laura mimicked grandmother Park's voice when she was the one taunting them.
"You think you can just come here and threatened the homeowner then leave scratch free?"
"Fools!"
"You dare insult and threatened my daughter in law in front of me? If I will not destroy the whole Park Family this night, then I am not the Matriarch of the Manoban Family!"
Laura declared. Her aura was intimidating and murderous.
After these words were spoken, Grandmother Park trembled and clutch her chest as her breathing became more rapid and shallow. She gasps, desperately trying to have more air.
"I...Help my mother she is having a heart attack!" Jacob said after she noticed her mother's peculiar breathing.
"See? That's my third lesson. If you can't torture them then just scare them to death!" Laura stressed.
At this point grandmother Park is already in Jacob's arms.
"Ahhh.. How weak." She added, her tone languid and bored.
"I will have men bring you to the hospital. And I will expect not to see any of you in front of my daughter again." She announced before walking towards Chaeyoung.
"Thank you... Mother." Chaeyoung sincerely said. Before looking at Jacob and her grandmother.
"Go. This will be the last time that I will consider you as my blood relative. Provoke me again and I won't hesitate to destroy the whole Park Family." Chaeyoung said in a stern voice.
"Do you understand me, father?" She asked while looking straight into Jacob's eyes.
The only reason that she is letting him go is because she is still not sure about Henry Lee's involvement in her mother's death.
Jacob immediately nodded before carrying her mother who already passed out from too much fear.
Her daughter is more frightening now that she is already considered a daughter in law of the Manoban Family.
He will make sure to avoid this villain in the future.
For now, what he needed to do is send his daughter Yuri abroad to study and try to live a life away from Chaeyoung.
Yes, that should be his priority now. Living!
After the shameless mother and son left, Laura's demeanor had a total change.
She is now the sweet and charming mother in law that talked to Chaeyoung this morning.
"Hah... you should not waste your time thinking about them." She stated. "Aiyah... let's go back to the garden and talk about something happy instead."
Chaeyoung just nodded and both of them walk towards the back of the Wang Estate. To be honest, she was not thinking about her father nor her grandmother. Rather, she cannot stop thinking about Henry Lee's involvement in her mother's death.
Henry seemed to hate her for no reason at all. Chaeyoung already wracked her brains to think about any possible reason and she only found one.
Henry must have known her mother before. According to Lisa, Henry Lee disappeared for three years. And that was the exact time that her mother went abroad to study.
Chaeyoung remembered that her mother studied arts and music abroad. Claire did not show any interest to manage the family business, so she chose to follow her passion instead.
Although Wang Guiren is not that happy about it, he still supported his daughter's decision and sent her abroad in one of the prestigious music universities to study.
Now that Chaeyoung thought about it, her mother might have stumbled across Henry Lee while she was studying.
However, Henry Lee belongs to the underworld. How could two people from two differents worlds meet?
If they only saw each other once or twice then how come Henry hated her mother so much to the point of hating her daughter as well?
Then, does that mean that her mother personally knows Henry Lee?
Now, why would she know someone from the underworld?
So many how's and why's.
Chaeyoung felt that the more she tried to ask, the more confused she becomes.
She let out a sigh and tries to shake the uncomfortable feeling that she has. She could not let this affect her mood. However, this does not mean that she will stop pursuing the truth.
Sensing her sulky mood, Laura thought that Chaeyoung regretted treating her father that way.
"Chaeng, when people hurt you over and over again, think of them as things that will polish you."
"They will scratch and hurt you, but in the end, you will end up polished. You will shine like the diamond that you are."
"And they? Well, they will end up useless and bitter."
"You will always encounter people like this. Rude and scheming. You can always avoid them."
"Or you can eliminate them. It's really easy." She added.
Chaeyoung stared at Laura. Her heart a little relieved after hearing her words.
Having a mother figure is really great. Somehow, this made her miss Claire even more. She then smiled at Laura, making the latter beamed with joy.
It seems that her daughter in law has a kind heart and a strong personality.
A very good combination for the future matriarch of the Manoban Family.
Speaking of becoming the future matriarch, how could Chaeyoung become one without a marriage?
And how will it happen without her dumb daughter's proposal?
Ahhh.. seems like she really need to take over. Situations like this clearly needs her guidance.
"So, let's talk about something happy shall we?" Laura said while smiling from ear to ear. She finally made up her mind as she stared at her beautiful daughter in law.
"Hmmm... Let me tell you about how I propose to Lisa's father. Listen carefully, this contains a very important lesson."
Chaeyoung blinked. Then she blinked again.
She stared in disbelief at Laura who is already giggling like a teenager.
"So, since he is such a dumbo, I chose to propose instead. Ah. You can't imagine the disbelief in his eyes when he saw me pop up a ring in front of him."
Mother Laura then stood up and cleared her throat. "I said, two choices: either you marry me today or you marry me tomorrow. Say no and you will never see me again in this lifetime!"
"Guess what happen? Guess?" She asked while slowly getting back into her seat.
"I...uh he said yes?" Chaeyoung guessed. Her Mother in law is truly peculiar ah.
She is very confident and beautiful. Chaeyoung wondered if she could somehow become like this in the future.
"What yes? That dumbo did not answer me! He just kissed me alright? I deserved an answer and he just kissed me! How pathetic!"
"I was so furious! Who would answer someone with a kiss instead of a simple yes or no?"
"Aiyah... the good thing that came out from that kiss is Lisa. Hahaha... That was the night that Lili arrived in this world." Laura dramatically sighed. While Chaeyoung's cheeks reddened.
Seriously? Why is it that she is the one who felt embarrassed with all these?
"The lesson is when dealing with a piece of a slow bloke like that is you have to be sharp and decisive." Laura said while shaking her head. "If I did not propose that night then who knows when will that piece of bloke asked me to marry him?"
"Who knows? I might have stayed a single forever!" She added.
"My point is you need to strike while the iron is hot. If you want something then you should make up your mind and never yield. Get it! Grab it!" She said while clenching her fist into the air. Laura sure hoped that Chaeyoung is smart enough to be able to understand the meaning behind her words.
She also hopes that she can start planning a wedding as soon as Lisa start her training abroad. Aiyah... her future daughter in law is so smart ah.
She should already know what to do right.
In fact, Chaeyoung already understood the hidden meaning behind Mother in law's story.
And she couldn't help but agree with her action. She really admired this woman.
She knows what she wants, and she will definitely do everything to have it.
However, it seems that Mother Laura's advice is not applicable to this situation.
It wasn't too long ago since they become a couple. Aside from that, they are too young. Lisa already gave her this necklace.
This should be enough. She should just wait for her to propose instead.
She couldn't just ask Lisa to marry her alright?
What if... what if she will also kiss her and... and... you know.
Chaeyoung felt heat spread throughout her chest and into the roots of her hair. She is blushing!
Seeing that Laura saw this embarrassing reaction from her, Chaeyoung immediately lowered her head.
Her actions made Laura laugh inwardly. As expected! Her daughter in law is very smart indeed.
"Laura, what are you doing? Why does it seem like you are making our future daughter in law uncomfortable?" The awkward atmosphere was interrupted by the doting voice of Marco. As he walked towards his wife accompanied by Lisa and Grandfather Wang.
"Marco, I was just telling her about our experiences when we met until we got married." She immediately retorted. If her husband would know that she wanted Chaeyoung to propose to their daughter, then he will surely punish her tonight.
"I told you not to tell anyone about those embarrassing moments." Marco immediately reprimanded her wife however her voice is still gentle and amiable.
"Hahaha... Marco, you should just let her do this kind of stuff. This only shows that she still adore you and your experiences together." Grandfather Wang said while looking at the embarrassed Chaeyoung.
Marco and Laura seems to be a very good influence on her granddaughter. They should be able to let Chaeyoung feel the fatherly and motherly presence that she lacks.
In fact, Grandfather Wang and Marco already talked about this. Chaeyoung will soon start college and she will also start managing her own company.
Aside from this, she also agreed to go to Lisa's publishing company to learn something from Marco.
Because of her crazy schedule, Grandfather Wang agreed to let Chaeyoung stay at one of the Manoban's property. This house is just a walk away from the university and the Moon Publishing Company.
This should be enough to at least give her granddaughter the comfort that she needs.
Thinking about comforts, Chaeyoung is still in her teens. She should just be like a normal student who studies and enjoy their college life.
However, his granddaughter chose to go against the norm and be hardworking as possible.
"See? Even Grandfather Wang agrees with me." Laura said before she sips her tea. However, she immediately noticed Lisa's sullen state.
"What's wrong?" Laura asked.
Marco then immediately let out a sigh. "Father called. He asked us to leave tonight. We have some emergency in one of our plants abroad."
When Chaeyoung heard Marco she immediately look up and fixed her gaze at Lisa.
Lisa is going to leave soon.
And she is going away for two years.
Two whole years!
Should she... should she just propose like Mother in law instead?
Chaeyoung sure feels conflicted.
......