Chapter: 36

Derek stood before Madeline, giving Norah a stern look, and said, "Norah, don't forget to show gratitude. Madeline's doing this for your own good."

Madeline gently pulled on his arm and said, “Derek, I'm fine. Please don't blame her..."

Norah was at a loss for words after their exchange. She concluded that Madeline was indeed unpleasant and a drama queen who mastered the arts of acting and fooling stupid men like Derek. Kathy came across as merely petty and quick-tempered. A 100% moron. Derek was nothing more than a mentally disturbed scumbag under the spell of MadeLine.

“If you're that detached from reality, perhaps a hospital visit is in order. Now, if you'll excuse me." Norah rolled her eyes.

Norah, disgusted by their presence and nonsense, decided to step back to hail a taxi.

Madeline's eyes brimmed with tears as she softly called, "Derek..."

Derek, with a stern face, stepped toward Norah, grabbed her phone, and demanded, “Say sorry to Madeline, now.”

Norah's temper flared at the loss of her phone. “Have you lost your senses, Derek? You have no right to take my phone. Don't you get that?"

She fixed a steely gaze on Derek and demanded, “I want my phone back, now!"

Kathy, originally frustrated by her failure to obtain Nocturne's contact information, snapped at Norah's defiance, "Norah, you bastard! You're crossing a line speaking to Derek like that. I will have someone teach you a lesson right away! Just wait and see!"

Aware that the Wilson family wasn't particularly affluent and that Norah was allegedly illegitimate, Kathy felt emboldened. She figured if the Wilson family didn't care about Norah, she could just boss Norah around however she pleased.

Madeline, seizing the moment to look nice by playing the peacemaker, said, “Kathy, mind your language. It's not right to talk to Norah like that. Regardless of Norah's status in the Wilson family, such harsh words are uncalled for."

Kathy, defiant and smug, replied, “Without Joanna, she's nobody."

Derek's expression was a mix of emotions as he scolded, “Kathy, where'd you learn to talk like that? You don't even have the basic manners."

Kathy merely shrugged, her disdain echoing her mother's usual remarks about Norah.

Norah couldn't take it anymore and was about to grab Kathy's hair to give her a lesson. But then, a luxurious black car rolled up nearby.

As the window Lowered, a man's distinguished face appeared. He seemed to be amused by the confrontation, commenting, "Seems I've come at quite the moment."

His casual glance sent a shiver through everyone present except Norah, his presence commanding an almost suffocating respect.

Derek promptly showed his respect, saying, "Mr. Scott."

Sean's attention turned to Norah, who stood apart, and he offered, “Need a lift? I can give you a ride."

Eager to steer clear away from the trio, Norah smiled in agreement and said, “That would be great. But first, Mr. Carter, could I have my phone back?"

Derek clenched Norah's phone tighter, his face clouded with unease.

He never imagined that Glophia's big shot, Sean, would be so close to Norah, let alone offer her a ride home.

Norah extended her hand toward Derek, silently asking for her phone back.