Lilin intended to heed her mother''s advice to speak less and avoid engaging in arguments with Sophia, but Sophia''s persistent provocations became increasingly irritating. She red at Sophia and curtly replied, "Mind your damn business!"All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sophia''s expression stiffened, and she refrained from responding to Lilin. Instead, she pursed her lips and looked at Melinda, saying, "Is this how you raise your daughter? She''s not afraid of you and doesn''t even listen to you because you''ve been overly indulgent with her. I think it would be best to let Dad take charge of teaching her a lesson. It''ll probably be more effective."


    Melinda always tried to treat Sophia as her own daughter, hoping to be a positive influence on Sophia and encourage Sophia to ept her as a stepmother. However, her years of effort all proved unsessful. Sophia never treated her with respect and only pretended to be polite to her in front of Adam. Melinda could tolerate Sophia''s attitude toward her, but she could not stand to see Sophia targeting Lilin continuously.


    Time and again, Melinda attempted to foster a good rtionship between the two half-sisters. She even made a point to teach Lilin to always respect her elder half-sister. In light of everything that happened, Melinda felt that there was no reason for her to waste her energy on that anymore. While she could ept that the half-sisters would never get along, she could not bear to see Lilin being wronged just after she had used her daughter wrongly.


    "What are you trying to say, Sophia? Will you only be satisfied if your father gives Lilin a beating?"


    Sophia had grown ustomed to Melinda''s politeness, and that sudden change in attitude took her by surprise. She replied innocently, "I didn''t mean that! I''m just saying that Dad''s punishment might be more effective on her because she isn''t too soft on her. I never said I wanted him to hit her."


    When Lilin saw that her mother had sided with her, she regained some confidence and rolled her eyes at Sophia. "Just admit it. You''ll only be happy if Dad gives me a beating. You''ve been trying to drive a wedge in our rtionship with Dad right from the beginning. You''re wrong on one thing, though. I respect my mother very much, and I''ll always listen to her even though I might not always agree with her. Don''t try and threaten me using Dad''s name. I''m not afraid of him!"


    Sophia feigned exasperation and said, "Do you have to think so poorly of me, Lilin? I wonder who taught you to assume such negative things about other people at such a young age." She tried to imply that someone was secretly influencing Lilin''s perception of her, and the only adult in Lilin''s life who could do that was Melinda.


    Melinda''s expression sank as she picked up on the insinuation. She lost her patience and replied sternly, "I love your father, and I''ve always tried to treat you as my own daughter because of that. It''s a shame you''ve never been willing to at least try and ept me. Frankly, I don''t me you for that because I know I can never be a recement for your mother."


    She then continued, "That being said, I treat you with a lot of respect. We might not be able to have a mother-daughter rtionship with each other, but I still hope we can at least get along as a family. It''s unfortunate that you''ve shown apleteck of willingness to extend the same courtesy to myself and Lilin. All you do is hint at your father that Lilin and I are terrible people. I genuinely don''t understand wha we''ve done to deserve this."


    Finally, Melinda said, "I''m your stepmother, not a homewrecker who destroyed your family. I met your father after your mother passed away, and Lilin''s presence doesn''t change the fact that you''ll inherit all you father''s assets. Why do you hate us so much?"