He really thought highly of himself!
Josephine raised her hand and delivered a vicious slap across Caleb’s face. Then, she grabbed him by the collar.
"I must be crazy to treat someone who wants to steal my research results.
"Compared to you people reaping what you haven’t sown, I’m just asking for my medical fee. I hardly deserve being called shameless!" she sneered.
With that, she shoved Caleb away and turned to Mrs. White. "Mrs. White, this is the Whites’ home. Your daughter just woke up, and yet, before you—her own mother—could even step forward, Caleb, an outsider, rushed over.
"It is only natural to ask for a medical fee when making a house call. Yet he called me shameless. If word gets out, I wonder what will happen to the White family’s reputation."
Melissa Summers’s chest tightened, her face turning pale with anger at Josephine’s words. She wondered how many times this had happened already. Why was Josephine suddenly demanding a medical fee now? What were the Sterlings even good for if they couldn’t keep a little girl in line? And Caleb’s intentions were written all over his face. He wanted to marry her daughter? In his dreams! Did he really think this was the Sterlings’ home?
She stepped forward and shoved Caleb away again just as he had regained his footing.
"The White family can easily afford your medical fee!" She sat down next to Stella and shot Caleb a sidelong glare. "Caleb, it’s not your place to interfere in the White family’s affairs. Who gave you permission to yell in my home?
"Professor Sterling, you were the one who guaranteed that Josephine could cure Stella’s headaches. That was the only reason I allowed you into my home.
"Now that the pain has been stopped, the medical fee should indeed be paid. Tell me, how much does your daughter want?"
How could Howard Sterling dare ask the Whites for money? Besides, he was more than willing to spend his own money on Stella.
"No, no, no, you misunderstood. The White family doesn’t need to pay this fee," he said hastily. Turning around, he glared furiously at Josephine. "You arrogant little wretch, how dare you demand a fee from Stella? It’s pure delusion! Now get out of here!"
Since Melissa wanted to put on airs in front of him, he would curse at her actual daughter right to her face. When Melissa eventually learned the truth, she would be furious. Let her think the Sterlings were pushovers.
However, Melissa didn’t even bat an eyelid at his words. She couldn’t care less that Josephine was being scolded.
Josephine concealed her expression, her heart heavy with accumulated resentment. The Sterlings were so quick to toss her aside once she’d outlived her usefulness. Stella had only just woken up, and they had already lost patience with her?
"Oh, what a big ego you have, Professor Sterling. Have you also forgotten that this is the Whites’ home? Do you want to call the shots here too?
"Then again, seeing how much more your family fawns over Stella than her own mother does, anyone would think you and Stella are the real family," Josephine mocked as she turned to leave.
"Mrs. White, I didn’t ask your daughter for a medical fee. She was just speaking up for Professor Sterling!
"Look at this touching scene of a loving father and a filial daughter... Bah! Listen to what I’m saying. I mean a loving teacher and a filial student. Otherwise, where would that leave you, her biological mother?"
Before Josephine even finished speaking, the Sterling couple was already drenched in sweat, terrified that Melissa might grow suspicious.
"What nonsense are you sprouting? This is none of your business anymore. Leave!" Grace Hayes pushed Josephine toward the door. "Mrs. White, she’s just a child speaking out of turn. Don’t take it seriously. Stella had her episode in the laboratory, so it’s only natural for Sterling to be this concerned. It’s his duty!"
"Yes, exactly." Howard, no longer caring about Josephine, hurriedly turned to Melissa. "Stella is a good girl who always respects her teachers. She stood up for me just now because she has high moral character. Please don’t misunderstand!"
What a textbook case of a guilty conscience! Josephine wondered if Mrs. White would grow suspicious.
Before leaving, she subconsciously glanced at Melissa. She had assumed Melissa would care at least a little about what she had said.
Instead, Melissa affectionately held Stella’s hand. "Of course. Our Stella is naturally a wonderful child. Ordinary people cannot compare to her."
As she spoke, she shot a dismissive glance at Josephine, looking utterly contemptuous.
This time, Josephine’s heart went completely dead. She had no intention of claiming her biological ties to the White family anymore.
As soon as Josephine left, Melissa cast an impatient look at the three Sterlings.
"It’s out of the goodness of Stella’s heart that she is willing to be close to you. But Josephine was right—this is the Whites’ home. It’s not your place to call the shots.
"Professor Sterling, please leave. From now on, your family should visit less frequently!"
If it weren’t for their wholehearted devotion to Stella, Melissa wouldn’t have given the Sterlings the time of day. How could a family of nouveau riche upstarts compare to an old-money family like the Whites? Being able to associate with her family was already a stroke of divine luck for them. If they thought they could reach beyond their station, they were dreaming. That entire family was only fit to serve as a stepping stone for her daughter!
Howard was a dignified professor and the head of his household. Being belittled by Melissa in front of his wife and son was a severe blow to his pride.
However, he couldn’t afford to offend the White family, so he channeled all his suppressed anger toward Josephine. He would show that little bitch a lesson later. Making her kneel and beg would not be enough to quell his hatred. He had to torture her properly.
And Melissa... One day, he would make both mother and daughter kneel at his feet and repent! One day, the White family would be in his pocket, too.
Howard looked at Stella reluctantly, feeling a pang of guilt that he couldn’t stay by her side. He silently urged his daughter to wait just a little longer. Soon, once they worked together to bleed the White family dry, their true family would be reunited forever, never to be parted again.
"You are absolutely right, Mrs. White. We have failed in educating our daughter. We’ve made a fool of ourselves." No matter how furious Howard was on the inside, he had to swallow his pride and placate Melissa for now. "Stella, rest well. Your teacher will head back now."
Stella was also afraid of making Melissa suspicious, so she didn’t dare speak up for the Sterlings again. In fact, she couldn’t wait for them to leave. Feigning a weak expression, she waved a hand to signal them away.
The thought of being left speechless by Josephine just moments ago filled her with raging fury. Since when had that bitch developed such a sharp tongue? In the past, she could barely string two sentences together!
And Caleb was completely useless. He tried to stand up for her, only to be slapped by Josephine, and he didn’t even know to fight back! What an idiot.
Then there was Howard. Josephine had resorted to physical violence, yet he hadn’t even lifted a finger to discipline her? Was having Stella as a daughter not enough? Did they still care about Josephine? Having raised Josephine for over twenty years, they had probably developed genuine affection for her.
If Stella wasn’t terrified of being cast aside by the Whites once her true parentage was exposed, she would never have listened to Howard and helped the Sterlings hollow out the White family’s assets!
Just wait. The day she became the greatest benefactor of the Sterling family, she would show Josephine what she was capable of. She would definitely make Josephine pay.
The three Sterlings left the Whites’ residence with utmost reluctance.
The moment they stepped out the door, Grace began to wipe her tears. "Did you see how much pain our Stella was in? Her little face was completely pale. She’s so pitiful! It’s all that wretched Josephine’s fault. How can she be so cruel!"
Caleb touched his face where Josephine had slapped him, hatred roiling within him. This was the second time. Josephine really had some nerve!
"Mom, Dad, I think Josephine is getting completely out of hand," Caleb snarled. "She resorts to hitting people at the drop of a hat now. You can’t forgive her so easily this time!
"We must make her suffer properly before we even consider letting her back into the family."
She dared to humiliate him like this. He would make sure to pay her back a thousand times over.