Chapter 644: A Mother and Daughter’s Nature (6)
Chapter 644: Chapter 644: A Mother and Daughter’s Nature (6)
The person Susan Caldwell feared most in the Caldwell family was Winter Sullivan, who was also the person she privately resented the most. Publicly, however, she never dared to disobey a word her mother said.
By the time Susan Caldwell followed Sheldon Caldwell to Winter Sullivan’s side, before Winter could even speak, Susan had already turned to Vera Xavier with an apologetic expression. "Vera, I’m so sorry. I misunderstood you the other day. I’ve been wanting to find a chance to apologize, but I’ve been too embarrassed. Today, I finally worked up the courage to go to your dorm to apologize in person, but you’d already left, so I came looking for you."
She then turned to Winter Sullivan with a smile. "Mom, if you wanted to see Vera, you just had to tell me. I would have brought her over."
Her little speech explained away her entire reason for being there.
The explanation couldn’t have been clearer. But that was the problem—it was *too* clear, and therefore full of holes. Her words sounded less like an apology and more like a script fabricated to cover her tracks.
And yet, her script was flawless. Although Winter Sullivan felt her daughter had acted poorly in many respects, she couldn’t very well say much in front of Vera Xavier.
Winter Sullivan simply said coolly, "Since you came to apologize to Vera, then show some sincerity. You don’t need to explain so much to me."
The corner of Vera Xavier’s mouth twitched. Winter Sullivan’s remark hadn’t spared Susan Caldwell any face at all.
In her heart, Susan Caldwell hated Vera Xavier to the bone. How could she possibly have any real intention of apologizing? The words she had just spoken were, in the end, nothing more than a script she’d hastily concocted out of fear of Winter Sullivan.
She truly hadn’t expected Winter Sullivan to actually force her to apologize to Vera Xavier!
A wave of intense resentment washed over her, but since she had no idea what Vera Xavier might have told Winter Sullivan, she didn’t dare to object.
And so, she took a deep breath. Her face instantly morphed into an expression of sincere remorse as she looked at Vera Xavier. "Vera, I’m sorry. I was just afraid you were being led astray, so I spoke up. I was so worried about you that I forgot it wasn’t the right time or place. From now on, no matter what you do, I’ll believe in you unconditionally. Please, just forgive me this once!"
Vera Xavier’s eyes turned cold and frosty as she listened. ’Susan Caldwell’s shamelessness is on par with, if not worse than, Cara Preston’s!’
’With just a few simple sentences, she’s trying to whitewash the whole incident, framing her actions as nothing more than concern for me. She’s even putting on this act to prove our relationship is supposedly still good.’
Another girl might have let the matter slide, especially with Susan Caldwell’s mother and brother standing right there. But Susan was dealing with Vera Xavier, and there was no way it was going to end so simply.
Vera Xavier said coolly, "I don’t accept your apology."
Susan Caldwell froze, staring at Vera Xavier in shock. "Why? Are you still mad at me?"
Winter Sullivan was also taken aback. Only Sheldon Caldwell remained composed. He, after all, had witnessed Vera Xavier lose her temper before and knew this seemingly gentle girl had a disposition that was far from delicate.
"Anger is something you feel for people you care about," Vera Xavier said slowly. "Whatever fragile friendship we had was destroyed the moment you tried to ruin my reputation. So, I’m not angry with you. And I don’t accept your apology."