"I don't want him to misunderstand me," Marion explained with a sigh, her eyes filled with frustration. "I don't want him to think I'm just a spoiled, willful brat."
She bit her lip, glancing toward the door. "I just want to go downstairs and see him. I'm not hurt, really—I was just... shocked."
Her father, Dexter, raised an eyebrow, concern still visible on his face. "Alright, alright," he said, trying to coax her gently. "But just sit down and rest for now. Let me bring him here."
"No, Dad," Marion replied, her voice firm. "I told you, I don't want his family to me misunderstand me. I'll go to him myself."
Dexter's expression darkened as he crossed his arms. "If he thinks that way, then he's not the right choice for you. I'll dissolve the engagement right now," he muttered, scowling deeply. "How dare he think my daughter is a spoiled brat?"
Marion shook her head, her gaze softening. "No, Daddy, he won't think that way. But... his parents might. I don't want them to get the wrong idea and ruin my reputation."
Dexter sighed, his expression softening, though still filled with concern. "Alright," he said, his voice gentler now. "You can go talk to him. But after that, we're going straight to get a full body check-up. Do you promise me?"
Marion gave a reluctant nod, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "I promise, Dad."
Meanwhile, Clarissa and her mother had already tarnished Marion's reputation downstairs. Even if Marion were offered to Denzel's family for free, they wouldn't accept her after Julia had gone and ruined her image.
But Denzel and his family weren't foolish. They had encountered women like Julia and Clarissa before—especially Denzel's mother, who had dealt with b*tches and h*es who has more than her fair share of drama. She had fought countless battles with women like them before.
So, Denzel and his family remained silent as Julia continued to run her mouth, like a faucet that wouldn't turn off.
Clarissa felt a wave of embarrassment when she noticed that Denzel wasn't even looking her way. She couldn't help the vicious thoughts running through her mind. *What does Marion have that I don't? I'm prettier than her, smarter than her… so why won't Denzel even look at me?*
*Why?* Clarissa fumed silently.
"Mom!" Clarissa called sharply. "Stop, just stop talking!"
Julia refused to stop. This was too rare an opportunity to make their plan succeed, and she wasn't about to let it slip away. She shook off her daughter's hand as if it were nothing.
"This silly girl," Julia muttered, glaring at Clarissa. "But you have to let people know you're the victim here. That your big sister is framing you."
Marion, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she asked with a smirk. "What do I gain from framing her?" She let out a little laugh. "Julia, you're amazing. I've been trying to figure out a way to kick you out of my father's house, but you just handed it to me on a silver platter."
Both Julia and Clarissa were stunned into silence. They turned around, only to meet Dexter's furious gaze. Their faces drained of color in an instant.
"Answer me," Marion said, her smile still in place. "I'm waiting for an explanation."
Julia opened her mouth, but no words came out. She was speechless.
"You… you…" Julia stuttered, unable to form a coherent response.
"What did you say?" Dexter roared, his anger boiling over. "So this is how you treat Marion whenever I'm not around?" His fists clenched, and the urge to smash Julia's face was strong, but he knew he had to control himself—especially in front of his future in-laws.
"Father!" Clarissa quickly tried to play the role of the innocent daughter. "It's not what you think! Mom didn't mean anything by it."
Julia couldn't speak. The fear in her eyes was palpable. Dexter was usually calm and approachable, but when he lost his temper, it was a whole different story.
"I… I…" Julia stammered, but the words wouldn't come.
"Follow me!" Dexter snapped, already turning toward the stairs. "Both of you!" Without another word, he marched upstairs to his study, with Julia and Clarissa trailing behind him like two guilty children.
Marion took a deep breath, turning toward Denzel with a sheepish smile. "I'm so sorry you had to witness that... our dirty laundry," she said, her voice tinged with genuine regret.
She hesitated, nervously smoothing her dress. "What would you like to drink?" she asked, still smiling, but her nervousness was evident. She couldn't quite meet Denzel's gaze, unsure of what he might be thinking.
"We're good," Denzel's father broke the silence, his voice steady. "We're not staying long, anyway."
Marion smiled, her eyes lighting up in understanding. "Okay," she replied, settling into her seat opposite Denzel and his family.
"We heard about your accident," Denzel's mother began, her tone sharp. "We came to ask if your family still wants this marriage alliance. It feels like we're forcing ourselves on your family."
She didn't stop there. "We've been hearing all sorts of rumors... saying our only son is impotent, and things like that. And I don't like it. Your father was the one who proposed this marriage—so why are these rumors being spread?"
Marion felt a knot form in her stomach. She knew it wasn't going to be easy to change her mother-in-law's mind after all the trouble Julia and Clarissa had caused for Denzel. But she was ready to face whatever came her way.
"I wasn't the one who spread those rumors," Marion said calmly, though she could feel the weight of the situation. "And I wasn't against the marriage." She wasn't sure what else to say, but she had to speak up.
Denzel's eyes sparkled with a hint of surprise as he heard her words. "You weren't against the marriage?"
Marion nodded, her expression serious. "I was trying to investigate the car accident, but thankfully, I was fine. Don't worry—I'll get to the bottom of this and give you a reasonable explanation."
In her mind, she knew exactly who was behind the rumors. *It's Clarissa,* she thought bitterly. *She used one of her minor friends to spread those vicious lies.*
Denzel's mother's angry expression softened slightly. "I thought this girl had a bad attitude," she muttered under her breath. "Never trust rumors."
Marion couldn't help but notice the shift in the atmosphere. It was clear she'd made an impact with her words, leaving Denzel's parents speechless.
"We came here to check on your health," Denzel's father said with a smile, his tone lightening. "But my wife seems to be interrogating you instead." He turned to Denzel. "Son, why aren't you saying anything to Marion? You were worried about her, weren't you?"
Denzel's mother gave him a pointed look. "Why don't you two take a walk in the garden? Marion needs some fresh air."
Denzel nodded, rising from his seat. "Okay," he said quietly, walking toward Marion.
Marion's heart skipped a beat when she saw him approach. She wanted to run away, to avoid facing him, but her body wouldn't move. She missed him so much. The longing in her chest was overwhelming, but she didn't have the courage to face him just yet.