stepmother, decided to express her gratitude. "Mr. Jennings, I can't thank you enough for w

unexpected proposition. "Marry me, Ms. Johnson. Be my wife. I will

den proposal, stammered, "Excu

impulsive, but sometimes life takes unexpected turns. There's somet

the man of my dreams, not a decision made on a whim. I barely know you, despite your incr

dinner? No strings attached, just two people sharing a meal. You can choose the place and

ds fair, Mr. Jennings. A dinner to thank you for your kind

it is my private one." Joanna, ever the playful spirit, responded with a teasing grin, "Ahh, let me make some dinner

a, feeling a growing ease with Renda, then reciprocated by sharing her n

ll in her camisole and spandex shorts. Panic set in as she quickly darted to the closet, grabbing a co

his gaze. The memory of their previous night's encounter made him unce

r sister's function. "Joanna, don't forget to come out this morning. We will be meeting her fiancé and his family. I hope you still remember,"

ck to the sofa, and picked up her underwear and bra that had been put out to d

thing the matter?" "Ahh, nothing, it's just that I realized my

d you please send a variety of women's clothes to suit

my pleasure." Grateful for Renda's unexpected gesture, Joanna decided to ta

enda called her over to join him, and they sat at an elegant dining area with custom-made, exp

a variety of delectable options. Freshly squeezed orange juice, premium teas, including herbal and rare blends, and top-notch brewed coffee adorned the ta

u prayed for my food as well, since you prayed alone." Feeling a bit embarrassed, Joanna responded, "It's a habit I've had since I was a teenager. I alw

hat the clothes had arrived, and Renda granted access to the penthouse elevator. Opening the door, he asked the st

a explained. Though embarrassed, Joanna thanked him. After breakfast, she stood up and headed to one of the bedrooms in the suite to

s brands of the clothes cost no less than $5,000 per item. The total cost of the items was a whopping $30,000, a little below half of her annual salary. "Hmmm, let's

charge of giving out pocket money, ensured Joanna received as little as possible. Joanna never complained to her father, having learned from past experiences that he would side with Maria. Maria often us

the day. His casual smart attire struck a perfect balance between comfort and style. Clad in a well-fitted, long-sleeve

t six feet three inches, he towered over her five-foot-eight frame. Her heart pounded, and she quickly expressed her gratitude for his care

place, not wanting to inconvenience him. Renda insisted, assuring her it would be his pleasure to provid

e of the car's cost, a limited-edition Bugatti Chiron typically priced around $3 million, she would have been even more astounded. Capable of

rom downtown. She had chosen this suburb for its safety, according to Google. Paying over $2000 in rent f

nt. Within a few minutes, she returned, now sporting different shoes that complemented her outfit. Renda t

d the door to the Bugatti, and made her way toward the gate. Renda couldn't help but watch her as she strolled casually towards the entrance. Her beauty

see you. It has been a while," Maribel said. Joanna smiled in response, "Hello, Maribel, it's really good

a, her stepmother, glanced at Joanna with disdain and continued conversing with her son, Danny. Don acknowledged Joanna's presence, saying, "Hello, Joanna.

fully poked Danny and asked, "Hey, when did you come back from the states?" Danny teased back, "I've been around, but my lovel

artist worked on her. Tasha greeted Joanna, "Hey, sister, you're here. Please take a seat and keep me company while I do my makeup and hair. I'm so excited for today's ceremony. If I recall correctly, this was supposed to be the day for your introduct

to identify the new arrivals. She noticed her aunties and uncles engaging in lively conversations

usin, entered and immediately congratulated Tasha. Then, turning to Joanna, Mackenzie greeted her with a cold and distant "He

nd Joanna. Following tradition, Tasha was the last to enter the living room. As they approached the door, Laura ushere

el avoided eye contact with her, keeping his gaze fixed on the ground. Don, perplexed, inquired about the purpose of the g

as the correct person. With Samuel's silent approval, the families proceeded with

her with her own sister-a new, painful low. Her eyes met Samuel's, but h

s. Samuel is in love with your sister, so stop dreaming. You can't compare to her; you're just a bastard with no style." Furious and hurt, Jo

't explain right now. I was wrong to end things the way I did, but I thought you were cheating on me, and also your sister..." His sentenc

m into their encounter, threatening to expose him. To complicate matters, she now claimed to be pregnant with

that his son was involved with someone but had not met her yet. Samuel had repeatedly promised to introduce her when the time was right. Only two mo

rbored some resentment toward Joanna for her stance on physical intimacy, as she insisted on waiting

had done to warrant such mistreatment from her stepmother and half-sister. The indifference of her father added to the emotio

e to focus on what lay ahead. Hailing a taxi, she headed home. The remainder of the afternoon and evening was spent in a mix of sleep and TV watching.