"Don't you dare disgrace this family, or you'll never step foot in it again!" Anna was unhappy but replied, "Okay, I understand, Dad." She said this casually, but that didn't mean she would give up on him.
"Moreover, he is so gentle. Look at how he treats Claire." Thinking of Alex's doting gaze toward Claire, Anna was consumed with jealousy. How could this uncivilized girl get all the good things? That place should have been hers!
Mariah's eyes flickered as she devised a plan to deal with Claire. "Anna, don't worry. Mom will arrange everything for you. If you want to marry Alex, not only will I make your wish come true, but I will also ruin Claire's reputation! Just trust me."
On the way back, Claire sat in the car, going through her mother's belongings. Inside the iron box were several photos of her mother taken when she was alive. Claire's eyes turned red as she felt overwhelmed with longing for her mom. However, she held back her tears in front of Alex and picked up a notebook from the box.
It was a medical diary, recording the various difficult and complicated illnesses her mother encountered while running the clinic, as well as the solutions to them. Her mother left this diary to her, hoping that she would inherit her legacy.
Thinking of her mother's clinic before her passing, Claire held the diary tightly in her arms, her eyes becoming more determined. No matter what, she must reclaim the clinic.
The next evening, Claire received a call from Mariah. Upon learning that Mariah had contacted the owner of the clinic, Claire quickly packed up and headed towards the Smith family's house.
Seeing Claire's plain appearance, Mariah couldn't help but feel disdainful. "Oh my, you have no manners at all. You're dressed like this to meet such an important person? Do you want me to lose face? Follow me quickly!" Mariah pushed Claire into the bedroom and threw a dress at her. "Put this on!"
Then, she pressed Claire in front of the dressing table and called for a servant to dress her up. She herself hurriedly walked out of the room, saying, "Hurry up and get ready, we're running out of time. I'll wait for you in the car," Mariah anxiously said to Claire.
Although Claire was curious about the person they were going to meet later, she couldn't understand why she needed to dress up to sell her mother's medical clinic. Despite her doubts, Claire allowed the servant to prepare her for the occasion. After a moment, Claire was ready and got into the car. Mariah urged the driver to hurry and rushed to the venue.
When they arrived, the banquet had already begun. Mariah adjusted her appearance and walked in with Claire. As soon as they entered, the people in the banquet hall were immediately drawn to them. However, after a brief glance at Mariah, their attention was fixed on Claire. Claire was wearing a red dress, with a stunning figure and a beautiful, innocent face. She was like a rosebud waiting to bloom, captivating everyone present.
Mariah felt a hint of jealousy as Claire stole the spotlight. She deliberately stood in front of Claire and said, "Daughter, come with me. I'll take you to see him." Claire felt uncomfortable with this title, but she was eager to meet the person, so she didn't object.
As soon as Mariah spoke, the people around them were shocked.
"Oh my god, daughter? Is this person's daughter really so grown up? She really takes good care of herself!"
"Yeah, no wonder her daughter is so outstanding. Her mother's temperament is also impressive!"
Mariah was pleased and smiled, nodding to the people around her. At this moment, someone recognized Mariah and said, "Isn't this Mrs. Smith? I attended Mr. Miller's wedding a few days ago, and this is the girl they brought back from the countryside to be married."
"Hey, isn't she wearing the same dress that Mariah wore on her wedding day? Mariah is really shameless, giving her daughter the clothes she has worn."
"It's a pity that the daughter is so beautiful, but she has a vicious mother."
The surrounding discussions weren't loud, but they were enough to be heard by Claire and Mariah. Mariah's face turned ugly with shame and embarrassment. This was the second time she had lost face in front of people all because of this country bumpkin.
But Claire paid no attention to the comments of the people around her. She just wanted to see the owner of her mother's clinic as soon as possible. How could these people be so wicked to give away someone's hard-earned property just like that?
Seeing Mariah standing still with a red face and anger visible, Claire didn't mind and urged her, "Aunt Mariah, where is the person you want to take me to see?"
Mariah came back to her senses and looked at Claire with a meaningful gaze. "Follow me," she said. Claire followed Mariah upstairs, and they headed towards the innermost room. Outside the door, two black-clad men who were obviously bodyguards stood guard and stopped the two women.
After Mariah explained their purpose, one of the bodyguards looked at Claire and said, "She can go in, but you can't."
Seeing this, Mariah turned around and said to Claire, "I won't accompany you in. Whatever Mr. Sam says, you must obey and not make him unhappy!"
Claire furrowed her brows, feeling a strange sensation rising in her heart. Before she could think too much, Mariah pushed her into the room. Claire steadied herself and looked inside. On the sofa, a bald, middle-aged man with a large belly was staring at her figure with lustful eyes. His gaze made Claire's heart race.
Thinking of her purpose for coming here, she put on a polite smile and walked toward him, saying, "Hello, Mr. Sam. I came here to talk to you about the medical clinic my mother left for me before she passed away. I heard it is in your hands now."
The man gave her a simple answer, "Hmm," and his lecherous eyes remained fixed on Claire's chest. "Alright, come and sit down," he said.