Susanna watched as Ste''s phone lit up, then dimmed, only to light up again in a relentless cycle.


    It was non-stop!


    Unable to hold back, Susanna suggested, "Why don''t you just turn it off?"


    By now, blocking numbers was futile; they were all unfamiliar numbers calling. It didn''t take a genius to figure out it was Cloudia using the household staff''s phones to reach Ste. Taking the advice, Ste promptly shut her phone off.


    However, Cloudia''s retaliation was swift.


    As paying the bill, Ste rebooted her phone for payment, and a message shed, "Your bank card has been disabled, please select another payment method."


    The payment card linked to her phone was one Cloudia insisted on binding for her a few years back, shortly after Ste had returned to the Larkins.


    Now, the card was useless.


    Seeing Ste''s payment fail, Susanna nced at her phone, "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    Ste replied, "They''ve blocked the card."


    Susanna''s mouth twitched, "Over Urs? What kind of family does that?"


    The news that the Larkins had directly blocked Ste''s credit card left Susanna feeling as if she had swallowed a fly. How could they treat their own daughter this way, just for the sake of a foster child? Ste just shrugged it off with a smile, "It''s not the first time."


    Susanna insisted, "Let me take care of it."


    She pulled out her phone from her purse.


    Ste protested, "Don''t, I have money."


    But Susanna had already paid the bill.


    Leaving the restaurant, they got into the car, and Susanna said, "I''m transferring twenty grand to you. Don''t let them intimidate you."


    The idea that they would stoop to such disgusting tactics just because their own daughter was spending some money was infuriating. Hearing Susanna''s generous offer, Ste was visibly moved.


    "No need, I really do have money."


    Susanna remarked, "You haven''t been working, what money could you possibly have? The Larkins, what a bunch of beasts."


    Ste said, "I have money, seriously. Well, it''s a long story."


    It was really difficult to exin about having money. Although she was with Yorick these years, that didn''t mean she reliedpletely on him and the Larkin family.


    Susanna waved her hands nonchntly, "Alright, you have money. But take this twenty thousand too."


    For someone who had centered around Yorick, receiving financial support from the Larkin family, how could she possibly own money? Susanna didn''t buy it the lease bit. Ste insisted, "I really don''t need it!"


    Susanna pressed, "Why are you being..."


    No matter what, Susanna wouldn''t believe Ste.


    Having no choice, Ste had to take Susanna on a shopping spree at the mall, spending tens of thousands in one go.


    Susanna finally believed her, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Ste''s ck card, "Where did you get this ck card? Who gave it to you, Yorick?"


    To Susanna, Yorick was the only logical source of such an extravagant gift.


    Ste, caught in the moment of urgency when she had to use the card, paused. "Him? As if."


    Yorick would never give her ess to such funds.


    Susanna pressed, "Then who exactly gave it to you?"


    Not Yorick, or the Larkin family?


    "Do you know some big shots?"


    A softness flickered in Ste''s eyes at the mention of the card''s true owner, but she remained silent.


    "Let''s go," she said, avoiding further questions as they left the mall with their purchases.


    ...


    After parting ways with Susanna, Ste returned to Silk-River Residences, only to be confronted by Yorick, who had been waiting to ambush her. Yorick, visibly annoyed and checking his watch, had been waiting for two long hours.


    "Why was your phone off?"


    Ste simply replied, "Too noisy."


    She hadn''t heard from them with this much urgency in a month, yet today, for Urs, the calls were relentless.


    Taking out her keys to open the door, Yorick grabbed her wrist, "Ste!"


    Ste looked at him coldly.


    "Your dear Urs is all alone in the hospital, pitiful."


    The mention of "dear Urs" only fueled Yorick''s anger.


    "Let''s talk this through."


    Ste uttered, "No need."


    She shrugged off Yorick''s grasp, opened the door, and was about to shut it.


    Yorick, quick as ever, blocked the door with his arm, preventing it from closing.


    As he tried to push his way in, Ste aimed a kick at his most vulnerable spot.


    Yorick clenched his teeth, "You!"


    Dodging just in time, he withdrew his arm, but Ste was quick to try and shut the door again. Yorick was faster, though, pulling the door open and squeezing through. Ste red at him coldly, "I advise you to leave, now."


    "How dare you doing that?"


    Yorick realized just how inurbane Ste had be, far from a demure woman he expected she should be.