The silence that followed Tang Ziyi's impassioned declaration was shattered by the sound of Yang Mei's heels striking the marble floor with renewed vigor. Her eyes blazed with defiance as she wrenched her arms free from Zhu Fengrui and Li Xinjie's grasp, whirling around to face the gathered families.
"How dare you dismiss me so easily?" she snarled, her carefully cultivated veneer of maternal sorrow crumbling to reveal the twisted depths of her true nature. "He is my child, my flesh and blood, and I demand that he comes with me!"
The words hung in the air like a gauntlet thrown, challenging the very foundations of the family's unity. Tang Ziyi's jaw clenched, his eyes burning with resolve as he stepped forward, shielding Madam Tang from the interloper's wrath.
"I will never go anywhere with you," he declared, his voice ringing with unwavering conviction. "You may have given birth to me, but you forfeited any claim to motherhood the moment you abandoned me."
