"May... may I stay?" Ursula echoed behind her, her voice fragile with hope and sadness.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Ursula's cries, though muffled by the walls, had reached Sarah's ears. She saw the tear-streaked face and heard the frail voice of Rowena. Sarah's impression of Ursula wasn't favorable, but the girl in the wheelchair tugged at her heartstrings. Compassion stirred within her.
Biting her lip, Sarah tugged at Cherise's sleeve and said, "She seems pitiful. Why don't we let them stay for dinner? We have plenty of food; it's no big deal."
Cherise pondered for a moment. Knowing Sarah's kindness and the time it would take to explain, Cherise agreed to let them stay and observe their actions further. However, she didn't feel like continuing the conversation.
"Aunt Sarah, since you offered, why don't you tell them?"
"Ah, alright!" Sarah cheerfully walked out of the kitchen.
Cherise heard Sarah's warm voice from the kitchen, "Girls, Cherry agrees! Let's have dinner at home tonight! The more, the merrier, wouldn't you say?"
"Thank you, Ma'am," Rowena replied gently. "We can't just eat and do nothing. Can Lula help? She may be clumsy, but she can assist with peeling potatoes or something."
"Alright, young lady, follow me to the kitchen..."
Cherise stood in the kitchen, listening to Sarah's voice, a smile on her lips. Her thoughts drifted back to her childhood in Shaw's village, where Sarah had always been kind and genuine to the villagers.
This false impression had led Cherise to believe the world was kind. Sometimes, she envied Sarah, who, living in the mountains, had never witnessed the darker sides of humanity.
A frustrated sigh escaped Cherise's lips as she came to her senses and found Ursula beside her at the sink, clumsily peeling potatoes. After watching for a moment, Ursula finally noticed Cherise's gaze and blurted out, "What are you looking at?"
Despite Cherise's initial doubts, Ursula's expertise was evident. After a beat of silent observation, she remarked, "You seem to have weathered your fair share of storms, haven't you?"
Ursula rolled her eyes, a fleeting vulnerability in her gaze. "Of course I have," she conceded, her voice softer than usual. "Six years ago, our parents died in a car accident, leaving us with nothing. Weena and I had no choice but to live in a slum after that."
With a dismissive snort, she tossed the peeled potatoes into the kitchen. "You wouldn't understand how difficult it was for Rowena and me back then."
Cherise offered a slight nod. "I can imagine. Otherwise, your attitude wouldn't be so... ostentatious. Just three years ago, you were living in poverty, and now you find it acceptable to mock Uncle Shaw and Aunt Sarah as country bumpkins."
Cherise sighed softly. "It seems Dame is indeed quite invested in your well-being. From two sisters living in a slum to enjoying a life of luxury and driving a Porsche, Dame is certainly generous to his lifesavers."
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