"Isn't being recognized as the adopted daughter enough for you?! Must you reclaim the title of the Sullivan Family's eldest daughter to be satisfied? You are such a greedy and selfish girl! Only thinking of yourself, not considering the family's reputation! Let me tell you, Nora is our true daughter! What do you have to compare with her? Don't let jealousy cloud your mind and disgrace yourself!"
"A disgrace to morals! Shameless! A family's shame! You are a curse, a jinx! You've already killed Mr. Varley, if you had any conscience, you should get as far away as possible instead of continuing to harm us!"
"Sarah Sullivan, we have money! Not just 30 million, we can even afford 100 million, but I won't give you a single cent! Do you think you, a backstabber, a greedy creature, can take advantage of our Sullivan Family? Ha, wishful thinking!"
Sarah Sullivan stood in the courtyard, seemingly still hearing the harsh, unfeeling voices of her biological parents echoing in her ears.
So noisy!
"Sarah Sullivan, come in."
The door opened, and an elegant lady beckoned to Sarah Sullivan.
This was a private estate on the outskirts of Huston, hidden amidst the mountains and waters, yet possessing a luxury and charm beyond imagination.
The Sullivan Family's so-called precious villa paled in comparison to this place, instantly looking like a hovel or pigsty.
In the main hall, the elderly Varley couple was taken aback upon seeing the girl entering.
Though the girl's clothes and shoes appeared quite cheap, her appearance was stunning, with delicate eyebrows, a straight and defined nose, and distinct lips, unmistakably a beauty in the making.
However, her expression was indifferent, her gaze detached, giving off a cold and distant vibe, making her seem hard to approach.
"Who is she?" Mr. Varley couldn't help but ask.
"Brother, she's the bride I found for Anthony. Her name is Sarah Sullivan." Florence introduced from the side.
"She's Anthony's bride? What about that girl from the Tarter Family?" Mrs. Varley was anxious.
Florence sighed, "Sister-in-law, I know you all think that girl is suitable, but distant waters can't quench our present thirst. She's abroad now and out of contact. What do you want me to do? The master said the blessing must be done before noon today to ward off misfortune for Anthony. You have no idea how embarrassing it was when I approached young girls on the street to strike up conversations. I was almost reported as a trafficker!"
"Nonsense! You can't just grab a woman off the street to marry into our Varley Clan! What kind of decorum is that?" Mr. Varley was speechless at his sister's antics.
"Brother, take a good look at her appearance. Could such a beautiful bride have come from just any street? Let me tell you, I care about Anthony more than anyone! Even for a blessing, I had to find the most beautiful girl! Watching over such a pleasing sight daily might just wake that boy up sooner." Florence pointed at Sarah's outrageously beautiful face, speaking earnestly.
"No, the Varley family's marriage can't be so frivolous. It's absurd! I can't be so hasty, I can't let Anthony be wronged—"
Mr. Varley was about to say something more when Sarah calmly spoke, "If you can believe in such nonsense as a blessing to ward off evil, how much more ridiculous can other matters be? Just like a thief laughing at a bandit—who's truly aggrieved here? The one who should feel mistreated is the one about to become a living widow, not those who stand to gain."
Hearing Sarah's words, Mr. Varley's face flushed with embarrassment.
He hadn't believed in that master, thinking them a swindler out for money.
But now, since his son had been in a coma for six months, a vegetative state, Mr. Varley had exhausted every effort, consulting top doctors in the country to no avail.
So now he's really treating a dead horse like a living one; even with ridiculous methods, if there's a one percent chance, the Varley Clan would give it their all.
Even if they were being swindled, it wouldn't matter.
Compared to Mr. Varley, Ms Varley was even more convinced by that master's words.
Hearing Sarah's obvious disdain for the blessing idea, she angrily retorted, "Insolent! How can a little girl speak so carelessly? The master is highly accomplished! He said my son is blessed, with this calamity caused by a villain, and finding a good match can turn misfortune to fortune! If you don't believe in the blessing, why are you here? To mock the Varley Clan?"
"For money. Your lady here said, if I agree to marry your son, she'll pay me 30 million." Sarah answered honestly.
"Indeed, a woman of ill intent, get out! Our Varley Clan does not welcome greedy, mercenary women like you!"
Mr. Varley directly issued an eviction order to Sarah.
Sarah glanced at the clock on the wall, "11:45 AM, I can leave, but I suspect you might be preparing for a funeral instead of a blessing, farewell."
Saying that, she turned to leave.
Florence panicked, grabbing Sarah's arm, then turned and stomped, "Brother, sister-in-law, the house is already on fire, let's not fuss over this, okay? Let's get the wedding done first!"
The Varley couple's expressions were complex, clearly engaged in intense internal debate.
Three more minutes passed, and Mr. Varley gritted his teeth, "Fine, it's you! But if you marry into the Varley Clan, you must agree to a few conditions! First, this marriage must be kept secret, not to be mentioned to anyone, so as to prevent you from flaunting the Varley name! Second, when my son wakes up, the Varley Clan reserves the right to dissolve the marriage at any time! You can't cling onto us! But rest assured, the money we promised won't be less, and we'll give you extra severance to guarantee a lifetime of convenience."
Before Sarah could respond, Mrs. Varley added, "Before my son wakes up, you must adhere to wifely conduct! Our Varley Clan is reputable and can't tolerate anything that brings dishonor!"
"Agreed, I am very professional and won't cheat on your son." Sarah responded matter-of-factly.
"You better keep your word!" Mr. Varley snorted through his nose.
"I also have two conditions, first, I am here to give a blessing, taking money for others, and hoping to avert disaster. Although I don't believe in any master, I do hope your son wakes up soon," Sarah said.
"Now that's more like it." Mrs. Varley said.
"But if he doesn't wake up, or if he dies suddenly because of the ritual, I'm not responsible." Sarah Sullivan replied.
"How can you be so vicious? You haven't even married yet, and you're already wishing your husband dead?" Mrs. Varley flared up again.
Sarah Sullivan's tone was cold as ice: "Everyone dies; you will die, I will die, why can't he die? As for his current half-dead state, was it my doing? It's just being practical. I'm warning you upfront, don't have too many unrealistic expectations of me. Even if you want to blame someone in the end, blame the so-called master, not me. I'm here to work, not to take the fall."
"Alright, rest assured, our Varley Clan is reasonable. As long as you behave, we won't make things difficult for you." Mr. Varley sighed.
Even though this girl's words were harsh, they were also sensible.
Honestly, by deciding to perform a wedding ritual to ward off evil, the Varley Clan had already prepared for the worst.
Seeing the Varley couple stop arguing, Sarah Sullivan continued, "I won't stay here forever. No matter what happens to your son, I will leave eventually, and you can't stop me. But before I leave, I will return the 30 million to you in full."
Sarah Sullivan's words were met with disdainful looks from the old Varley couple.
They didn't believe her at all!
What's the Varley Clan?
It's the most powerful and profound, yet mysterious family in Huston.
A woman like you, selling yourself for money, and you think you'll willingly leave one day?
Stop pretending!
Thick-skinned or not, even if beaten, you wouldn't leave.
And none of us would regret you leaving anyway.
As for paying back the money? That's even more nonsense!
They didn't think this girl, who looked so shabby, had any ability to earn that kind of money.
But with the ritual being crucial, they didn't want to expose Sarah Sullivan's lies, fearing she might become angry and cause more trouble.
Mr. Varley waved at Florence, "Hurry up and get things done."
"And another important thing, you mustn't mistreat my grandson Brightan, fulfill your duties as a stepmother well, or I won't tolerate you!" Mrs. Varley added.
Sarah Sullivan was stunned, her beautiful eyebrows knitting together.
She looked at Florence, "You didn't mention being a stepmother."
Florence was a bit embarrassed, "I was in a hurry and forgot to mention it... but our Brightan is so well-behaved, I assure you, you'll like him."
Sarah Sullivan shook her head, "Your assurance means nothing, I don't like kids... being a stepmother requires more money."
Florence nodded quickly, "Okay, we'll add more money, an extra 10 million, don't worry."
Only then did Sarah Sullivan remain silent.
Mr. Varley looked at Sarah Sullivan with disdain.
Having been in the business world for decades, he'd seen too much greed and deception.
Every action and word of Sarah Sullivan revealed her to be a greedy, gold-digging woman!
If it weren't for his son's current condition, why would he allow such a shameless woman into the Varley family?
Ah, it's true, being under someone else's roof, one must bow one's head.
Mrs. Varley also pursed her lips, "Someone who doesn't like kids, what kind of good woman can she be?"
She found Sarah Sullivan increasingly irritating.
This woman was nothing but a pretty face, utterly useless.
Florence tried to smooth things over: "My niece-in-law is still young, she's practically a child herself, how could she know the hardships and joys of motherhood? But no worries, once she experiences pregnancy and childbirth herself, she'll develop feelings for children."
This was supposed to be a normal statement.
Who would have thought Sarah Sullivan would seriously say, "I've given birth."
The Varley family was stunned.