Family Visit.

Julia's curiosity intensified, sensing her mother was  hiding something. "Please, Mom, tell me. I need to know

Julia's eyes narrowed, her mind still foggy from the dream. "Mom, I remembered something...but I don't know what it is."

Mrs. Robin's expression turned concerned. "Julia, you've been exhausted lately. Don't overthink it, it's all in the past. How are you and Max doing?"

Julia hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "We're good. He's been busy with work, but a distant relative of his came over today. His aunt, Mrs. Georgina'. She was very kind and insisted on giving me a choker, but I didn't accept it. It was too expensive."

Mrs. Robin's eyes lit up. "Ah, Mrs Georgina! She's a wonderful woman. Max's parents may have passed away, but his relatives are very supportive. And Julia, I think Max is a good man. You two should spend more time together. Love can grow slowly."

Julia nodded, trying to appease her mother. "Yes, Mom, I've heard you. What's for lunch today?"

Mrs. Robin's face brightened. "We're going to visit Erica at noon! She fell ill yesterday, and I want to check on her."

Julia was skeptical. "Mom, Aunt Erica wasn't very supportive when you were hospitalized. Why bother visiting her now?"

Mrs. Robin's voice held a hint of sadness. "Julia, family sometimes is complex. We may not always agree on certain things, but we should try to understand and support each other in trying times. Besides, Erica's my sister, and I want to make amends."

Julia sighed, knowing her mother's kind heart. "Okay, Mom. Let's go."

Mrs. Robin, who was the youngest and most cherished daughter of the Dante family, was a stunning beauty and a brilliant scholar. Her family had high expectations for her, they had hoped she would marry into wealth and secure a life of prosperity. However, fate took an unexpected turn when she Flee with Grant Robin and became pregnant out of wedlock, bringing shame to the family and that broke their hearts. Despite their disapproval, Mrs. Robin  courageously chose to raise her child, Julia, and subsequently drifted apart from her relatives.

Years later, after the passing of Julia's grandparents, Mrs. Robin deeply regretted her past actions and made amends by rekindling relationships with her sisters. With sincerity, she urged Julia, "Don't harbor grudges, dear. We're family, and family forgives. Get ready, and let's visit your aunt together."

Julia was vehemently opposed to visiting her aunt's house, still harboring resentment towards her mother's siblings for their past behavior. Yet, she worried about her mother being wronged and reluctantly agreed to accompany her, hoping to protect Mrs. Robin from potential hurt.

As they arrived at the upscale residential community, Julia's reluctance grew. She had never been fond of her cousin Clara, who always seemed to flaunt her wealth and status. As they exited the car, Clara emerged, impeccably dressed and carrying an LV bag, her expression a mask of indifference.

"Aunt, Julia, what brings you here?" Clara asked, her tone laced with indifference.

Mrs. Robin smiled lovingly. "I heard your mother was sick, so I came to visit."

Clara's response was curt. "Alright." She locked her car and proceeded to the elevator, leaving Julia and Mrs. Robin to follow or not, her attitude clearly conveying her disinterest in reconnecting.

In the past, Elena  had been the favored sibling, receiving the lion's share of their parents' affection and attention. Erica's jealousy had simmered, waiting for the perfect moment to unleash her condescension. Now, with her luxurious lifestyle and seemingly perfect marriage, she felt superior and took great pleasure in rubbing it in Elena's face.

Mrs. Robin guided Julia to take a seat, and Erica flashed a saccharine smile. "Oh! Julia my dear, it's been far too long! You're looking lovelier than ever. But, darling, a woman's true success lies in marrying a good husband. Take Clara, for instance. She is married to a wonderful partner and lives a life of comfort."

Her words were laced with malice, implying that Mrs. Robin's youthful beauty had been squandered on a cheating partner. Mrs. Robin's face flushed with embarrassment, but Julia's quick and her sharp tongue came to the rescue.

Oh! That's quite true, aunt, Clara's life is indeed enviable," Julia agreed with a smile. "I heard her husband got a promotion recently. And they've been married for eight years now, wow ! don't they yearn for a child?" Julia's innocent-sounding question sent a chill through the room, striking a nerve in Clara.

Clara's face darkened, her eyes flashed with pain. Her struggle with infertility was a sensitive topic, one that her husband's mother constantly belittled her for. The pressure to conceive had become overwhelming, with her husband's mother even suggesting a divorce. Clara had fled to her childhood home to escape the toxic environment, fearing the loss of her marriage.

Erica's expression turned awkward, her attempt to gloss over the tension failing miserably. "Well, there's no rush to have children, dear. These things happen in their own time."

Clara is still very youthful and vibrant, and they're in no hurry to start a family. They're still enjoying their marriage. Besides, his demanding career left little time for parenthood. Just then Erica turned her attention to Julia, "You're still single, dear. Let me introduce you to a suitable partner."

Mrs. Robin interjected with a warm smile, "Erica, Julia has already found someone special."

Erica was curious, "Really? I didn't hear about this! Julia, I hope you're very careful with your choice; try not to repeat your mother's mistakes." Julia's annoyance simmered, but she replied calmly, "Don't worry, Auntie; he's a trustworthy person."

Clara, intrigued, set aside her phone and asked, "What does your partner do, Julia? Perhaps he owns a house?" Julia replied truthfully. Oh, no Clara. "We're renting actually, and he's just an ordinary employee. Don't bother your husband's accomplishments surpass his." She recognized Clara's implicit query: was her husband superior to Julia's partner?

Clara's interest waned upon learning they didn't own a house and her partner was merely an employee. Erica feigned delight, relieved Julia's husband wasn't more successful than her daughter's husband. "She said, as  long as he loves you, that's all that matters. Not everyone is as fortunate as Clara." Julia remained silent, aware that in today's society, relatives and friends might wish you well but never hope you surpass them.

After lunch, Erica asked Mrs. Robin to accompany her shopping, and she kindly agreed. As they were preparing to head to the mall, Julia seized the opportunity to leave, using Samantha's call as her excuse.

As Julia headed to the basement parking lot, Clara emerged with her luxurious LV bag, calling out to halt Clara's departure. With a condescending smile, she gazed at Julia's car and sneered, "You've acquired a new vehicle. Did you purchase it from the used car market?" The stark contrast between Julia's Mercedes-Benz and Clara's sleek BMW was evident, but Julia was in no way intimidated .