"It seems my existence is truly a mistake. I shouldn’t have come back and disrupted your happy family of three."
"Joanna Lawrence!" Benjamin Lawrence furrowed his brows, "What nonsensical words are you uttering!"
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Joanna’s lips, mocking even more, "Isn’t what I said true? Since my return, chaos has ensued at home. Indeed, I shouldn’t have come back. But did you all think that I was thrilled to come back, that I loved to be back?"
As she spoke, her voice gradually cooled, her gaze darkened, and she looked coldly at Annie Lawrence:" If someone hadn’t considered taking over mom’s room, I wouldn’t have any interest at all in returning home."
"Dad, I don’t care what agreement you made with them, but I absolutely won’t allow Annie to move in!"
"Mom’s room must remain as it is, no one is allowed to move in. Isn’t that what you promised her! Are you planning on reneging now?"
Bemjamin’s complexion abruptly changed, looking even more horrible than before.
He clenched his lips and remained silent for a few seconds before finally speaking out in anger: "Annie’s case is exceptional! She will only stay for a year, and she’ll move out once the baby is born. Your mother was a compassionate woman. If she were still alive, she would undoubtedly understand my actions. Instead, it’s you, Joanna, when did you become so aggressive? Annie isn’t a stranger, she’s your younger sister!"
"Ha." Joanna found it incredibly amusing, "No matter how understanding my mom was, I doubt she’d want to relinquish her room to the daughter of a mistress. As for my younger sister..."
She stared coldly at Annie, her voice icy and mocking, word by word: "I certainly don’t have a sister who’d wreck her own older sister’s relationship."
Just as Joanna finished speaking, she was slapped across the face.
The slap was intense, causing her face to tilt to one side.
A metallic taste filled her mouth.
Her ears rang with the hit, causing temporary tinnitus and her face quickly reddened with five distinct finger marks.
Her tender cheek swelled instantly.
Benjamin still wasn’t satisfied, he pointed at her nose and cursed: "You troublemaker! Rose is your elder, your stepmother, yet you dare utter such unfilial words! How could I, Benjamin Lawrence, have raised such a heartless daughter!"
Upon seeing the slap, both Rose Liall and Annie Lawrence were stunned for several seconds.
Neither expected Benjamin to raise a hand.
After all, he was always very loving towards Joanna, and had never beaten her since childhood.
This was likely the first time he had hit her.
After a few moments of shock, a gleeful smile broke out on Annie’s face.
Seeing Joanna getting slapped was indescribably satisfying.
Benjamin’s slap stunned Joanna.
Only after several seconds, did she regain herself.
Her ears still ringing and seeing stars, she held her swollen cheek, and slowly turned her head.
At first, her face held disbelief and hurt, but after a while, it quickly changed to cold mockery and indifference.
As soon as Benjamin laid his hand on Joanna, he felt somewhat regretful.
He had just been too angry just now.
Once he calmed down, he observed clearer.
Since her childhood, he had never hit Joanna.
Although he now had Rose and her daughter, his love for his own daughter diminished somewhat. But years of father-daughter affection couldn’t be easily extinguished.