Chapter 5 Live For Herself

The door swung open.

Haley's expression stiffened for a brief moment. "Mrs. Griffiths, what brings you here?"

Paulina Griffiths, her elegance undiminished despite nearing fifty, stepped inside with a composed smile. "Haley, thank you for taking care of Hannah. I only came to see how she's doing."

Haley moved aside, allowing her to enter the room.

Hannah lifted her gaze toward the unexpected visitor, her emotions swirling in disarray.

Paulina was her mother, yet throughout the years, she had scarcely played that role, devoting nearly all her attention to Hannah's stepfather.

Sensing the undercurrent between them, Haley quietly excused herself and slipped out of the room.

Hannah rested against the headboard, her voice low as she asked, "Why are you here?"

Paulina settled gently on the edge of the bed, her eyes soft as they lingered on her daughter. "Hannah, I overheard Haley calling Rhett, and it worried me. I came to see how you were. Rhett is getting married. Were you aware of that?"

Hannah was stunned, her chest tightening with a bitter ache. "When?"

"The date is already set. He seems very happy with the woman." Paulina let out a sigh before continuing, "Hannah, you and Rhett have both found your happiness. Now, just focus on living your life. And if something like this happens again, don't call him. You need to keep some distance."

Hannah's voice turned cold. "Haven't you seen the news? Ethan has been cheating. He even has an illegitimate child. I'm getting ready to divorce him."

Paulina frowned, displeasure flickering in her eyes, though she spoke with forced patience. "Foolish girl, those reports are just gossip. A man like Ethan is bound to fool around when he's away, but he will always come back to his family. Lloyd is no different. As long as they uphold their family responsibilities, that's what truly matters."

Hannah's tone turned scornful, her words laced with biting sarcasm. "So you expect me to follow your example? To bow down to men for wealth and cater to their every whim?"

"That's enough," Paulina retorted sharply, her breathing quickening with fury. "Hannah, I'm your mother. Everything I'm telling you is for your sake. It pains me that you could think so poorly of me."

Tears began to blur Hannah's vision.

Her mind drifted back to the time she first entered the Griffiths household, when Natalie Griffiths, the daughter of her stepfather, Lloyd Griffiths, made her life miserable.

Paulina would always say, "Hannah, it wasn't easy bringing you into the Griffiths family. Yet you keep provoking Natalie, and it truly disappoints me. If this continues, I'll send you to the countryside and leave you there."

She had lived in constant fear, terrified that her mother might truly cast her aside. So she had buried every grievance, enduring Natalie's torment in silence.

For years, she remained compliant, desperate for her mother's affection, even if it meant making herself small and foolish.

Yet no matter how much she tried, Paulina never offered even the faintest trace of maternal warmth.

Hannah brushed the tears from her cheeks, her voice trembling with demand. "Why won't you let me divorce?"

Paulina's facade slipped away, leaving only cold calculation. "You're nothing more than a housewife, Hannah. No education, no skills. How do you expect to survive after a divorce? If you're thinking the Griffiths family will help you, forget it. You have to keep Ethan content so he'll steer business our way. That's the only chance our family has to live comfortably."

Business?

Hannah stared at Paulina, her lips quivering as she shook her head in disbelief.

Years ago, she had been drugged, which led to that night with Ethan. It was a tangled mess, and Ethan had been left with no choice but to marry her. Yet for three long years, he carried a grudge.

After the wedding, the Griffiths family reaped benefits from Ethan's connections, and for a brief moment, Paulina's attitude softened, offering a taste of motherly affection.

But Ethan had never loved her, and the Gill family never saw her as important, leaving the Griffiths with almost nothing to gain. Paulina never stopped complaining about it.

Back then, her relationship with Rhett had been strong. He had even stood up to Lloyd for her, swearing he would never marry and would always protect her.

Now, looking back, she realized that the only ones who truly benefited from her marriage were the Griffiths.

Hannah's fists tightened as the memory of that night surfaced. Her eyes widened as she turned to Paulina. "Was it you who drugged me three years ago? I remember you giving me a drink that night."

Paulina's body stiffened for a moment, but she quickly masked it, her expression turning cold. "Nonsense. You wanted to marry into the Gill family and walked into Ethan's room on your own. And now you're blaming me for it? Hannah, do you even consider me your mother?"

Paulina reached into her bag, pulled out an invitation, and tossed it onto the bed before walking away. "This is the engagement invitation for Rhett and Sylvia. You and Ethan should attend together. Behave yourself and don't make things difficult for anyone."

Hannah let out a faint laugh, but tears began sliding down her cheeks.

She was spouting nonsense.

She needed to pause and clear her thoughts.

She had listened to enough of this lately. Hannah questioned if she was fated to remain under the control of the Griffiths and the Gills, never granted the freedom to think for herself.

But why should she?

None of them were worth her sacrifices.

From this moment on, she would live for herself.