"How can they be the same? Leena is one of our family members, after all. Obviously I ought to be close to her. But you, you really are a silly girl, Claire! Miss Ye is just your guest. And fine, she's also the daughter of your father's friend. But in any case, she is not family. Am I wrong? Leena is different. She is your brother's wife, your sister-in-law, and our daughter-in-law. How can Louisa and her be the same?" Shannon had a lot of words to say on this matter. One had to admit that she was correct and being sensible. Claire couldn't find anything to contradict with what she said.

  "Who says she can't be one of our family members? It's just a matter of time," Claire said abruptly. She voiced out what she had been secretly hoping for all along.

  "Claire, what does that mean? I hope you aren't really wanting that. I don't like what you are implying and I don't want to hear it a second time. Understood?" Shannon grew serious all of a sudden and stared at Claire with stone cold eyes. So this was what Claire was planning? Shannon was sure that it would never happen. As long as she was in this family, she would not allow Louisa to be in it!

  "All right, all right! I understand. I admit I was wrong." Claire stuck out her tongue at her mother. Claire was being careless today. She should have kept the secret to herself, instead of spilling the beans to her mother.

  "I hope you truly understand that you were wrong. I don't want to see you hatching plots behind my back, or I will be merciless. No one can protect you then," Shannon warned her daughter. She knew she had to be strict with Claire. Otherwise, if she didn't threaten Claire enough or failed to let her know the seriousness of this matter, Claire would definitely stir up trouble and do more damage.

  "Mom, I was just kidding! I didn't mean it like that. Why are you treating me like I committed a serious crime?" Claire pursed her lips. She had only said the first thing that jumped to her mind. Why on earth was her mother so angry with her? If she was this furious right

  gutter, will you?" Shannon tapped on Claire's head, pretending to be annoyed. Her daughter was still an unmarried girl. Why would she think this kind of things?

  "Oh! Kevin really is ill! How did I not know that? I should go and check on him," Claire announced as she got up, ready to go upstairs again. This time, her mother didn't hesitate to pull her down by her arm.

  "Didn't you hear a word of what I said just now? Don't bother them! Let them sleep. Did you really forget everything I said so soon?" Shannon felt helpless when it came to her daughter. She had told her not to wake up her brother and Leena only a few minutes ago! Of course Claire forgot her words right away. It looked as if whatever she said to her fell on deaf ears.

  "All right, all right. I won't bother them. Satisfied? I'll eat breakfast with Dad. Wait, where did he go?" Claire looked around the room in confusion. Nathan was nowhere to be seen. It seemed that he had sneaked away in silence, while the mother and daughter were arguing.

  "He is in the dining room, eating his breakfast. Do you think he would wait on you?" Shannon rolled her eyes at her daughter. She was getting fed up with her behavior lately, and she almost lost her temper just now. At least there were no guests with them at this time of the day. Otherwise, Shannon would have surely felt embarrassed for Claire.