"You are not single anymore, Kev. You should take good care of Leena. Always remember that, okay? She is already your wife." Shannon seemed to be the happiest during the meal. She kept warning Kevin about things to remember with regard to marriage. The reason she kept finding topics was to keep Leena from anxiety. She hoped Leena could be familiar with this family as soon as possible.

  "Mom, since when did you become so boring and repetitive? Come on, she is an adult. Couldn't she take care of herself? Is she disabled?" Claire wasn't able to control herself from butting in. She felt so much worse than how she felt earlier. Her mother paid all her attention to Leena and hadn't stopped comparing them since dinner started. She felt jealous of her. That was her mother!

  "Claire, watch your words and behave, please. Don't be so rude. It's Leena's first time here. It's natural for me to take care of her." Shannon frowned slightly. What happened to Claire? Why wasn't she nice to Leena? She disliked it when Claire spoke in a rude way. It made her look like she was born in a barn.

  "Fine! Forget what I said!" Claire pressed her lips unhappily. She was silently blaming Leena for her mother's sudden dissatisfaction with her. Her mother criticized her all because of Leena! Why? Why did she even come into her life and take her mother and brother away?

  "Leena, please don't be upset. We have spoiled Claire a bit too much, thus, she isn't good at speaking," Shannon explained to Leena with an embarrassed smile. Even if it was Claire who was misbehaving, Shannon still considered herself responsible for her daughter's actions. How she wished for Claire to be like Leena who was both well-educated and well-behaved.

  "It's okay, Mom. We are about the same age. I can understand her." Leena did not know how to respond to Shannon's apology but replied with an excuse. She hoped that her reply was proper enough not to make Claire any angrier. She was caught in tangles when she turned to Kevin in an attempt to ask for help.

  "Alright, Mom. Let's eat! Leena is

  dinner was done. On the other hand, Leena was left sitting in the living room while chatting with Shannon. Claire was there too, of course. She would never let go of any chance to find fault with Leena.

  "Leena, how are your parents?" Shannon asked in a casual tone. Actually, she was just pretending to be casual. She did not want to appear like a police officer who was interrogating a prisoner.

  "Well, my father is good. As for my mother, she passed away when I was a baby," Leena replied in a polite tone. She did not feel sad when she talked about her mother because she never saw her. Plus, she never looked at herself as someone who grew up in a broken family. Her Dad and brother had been perfect. Both of them loved her and that was more than enough.

  "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't know that," apologized Shannon. She never anticipated that Leena lost her mother at an early age. She was so well-behaved after all, thus, she thought that it was her mother who educated and influenced her well.

  "It's okay. I've already got used to it." Leena smiled distantly. She understood Shannon's reason for asking such questions. Anyway, she was the daughter-in-law of their family and it was just rightful for her new mother to get to know her.

  "Oh, I see! No wonder." Claire mocked in a weird tone upon hearing Leena's words. She would not miss a chance to disrespect her.