At the sight of the cold glare Gloria shot her, Dahlia frowned, and her expression darkened too. This was no longer about paying respect or following customary practices. When Gloria spat the tea on her face, she made it clear that she was blatantly insulting her. She was here to flex her authority over Dahlia and exert dominance over them all!
“What’s wrong with you, Dahlia? Grandma asked for tea, and you served it to her boiling hot? Did you do it on purpose?” Dakota started to pin the blame relentlessly on Dahlia once she saw the opportunity.
“I think someone’s just not happy with us and is deliberately trying to make things difficult!” Jane echoed.
“No, no, no! Dahlia did not do it on purpose! Besides, I’ve had the tea too, it isn’t boiling hot!” Florence quickly tried to salvage the situation.
“Oh, so what you’re saying is that I’m lying?” Gloria’s expression was as cold as ice.
“N–no! I–I must have been mistaken. I’m sure the problem is with me,” Florence said apologetically with an awkward laugh. She dared not refute Gloria’s words.
Gloria, Jane, and Dakota were secretly pleased by her response. After all, their main purpose there was to flaunt their dominance so that Dahlia and her family would learn to submit to them.
“Why are you still standing there, Dahlia? Pour Grandma another cup of tea!” Dakota ordered huffily. She really could not fathom why the patriarch would pick this woman to be a potential. successor to the family. Even Dakota herself did not have such privilege, so she was both livid and green with envy.
“Sure, sure! I’ll pour another cup right away.” Not daring to stall any longer, Florence immediately brought a fresh cup of tea over and handed it to Dahlia, beckoning for her to serve Gloria the tea again. Dahlia, however, did not take the cup of tea. She could tell from their actions that they were intentionally being difficult and finding fault with her.
“What? Do you think that you’re above all of us?” Gloria shot her a nasty side–eye. “If you can’t even perform these basic practices, then I think you’re really unfit to be the successor of the family!”
As she said that, she pulled out a document and slapped it on the table. “Have you any idea what this is? This is your letter of authorization. The family has a conglomerate with a market value of over 10 billion in the southern province. You have initially been nominated as president to further expand the group, but from what I’ve seen today, you do not seem worthy of the position.” Gloria looked down on Dahlia dismissively.
“A conglomerate worth over 10 billion?” Florence’s breathing became erratic when she heard that. If her daughter were to become president of a conglomerate worth over 10 billion dollars, it would drastically improve the family’s status and lifestyle!
“Dahlia! Quick! Serve Madam Gloria her tea now!” Florence urged, signaling to Dahlia as best she could. This was the opportunity of a lifetime! She’d never let her pass it up! So what if she was humiliated? What did it matter anyway when there were 10 billion dollars involved?
“Dahlia, keep your eyes on the prize!” James urged her too. If he were to be known as the brother
1/2
of the president of a 10 billion dollar conglomerate, all the beautiful women out there would eagerly flock to him in a heartbeat!
When Dahlia saw the expectant look in her mother’s and brother’s eyes, she drew a deep breath and finally picked up the cup of tea and served it to Gloria. And then, beyond everyone’s expectations, she took a sip and spat it all on Dahlia’s face once again.
“It’s tèpid,” she said impassively.
By then, even Florence and James could tell that something was amiss. First, she said that it scalded her, and now, she complained that it was tepid. Was it really tea that she was after? It was obvious to everyone that she was deliberately putting on a show to put Dahlia in a difficult position.
“Well, why are you idling? Get Grandma another cup!” Dakota commanded haughtily with a subtle smile.
“So what if you’re chosen as a potential successor? We still have you under our thumb!” Dakota thought to herself smugly.
“Fine,” Dahlia said nonchalantly.
