Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Among the daughters-in-law, Raven was diligent and skilled, Abbey had a knack for charming conversations, and then there was Madge... somehow, she just didn't fit in. Over time, this sentiment extended to Norris as well.

What good is a son who forgets his mom after he gets married? How can he stack up against the eldest son who not only takes care of his parents but also turned into their boss? Roseanne sat next to her mother, resigned.

After all, if her grandparents didn't favor her, why bother trying to win their affection?

Better to just eat this meal quietly and leave.

"Anne, that purse... it's quite nice, is it designer?" Aunt Raven asked, setting down the fruit bowl and suddenly turning her attention to Roseanne.

In an instant, all eyes were on her.

Before Roseanne could reply, Abbey chimed in, "Oh, that logo, isn't it called... what, LV?"

Lauretta corrected, "If you don't know, don't speak. It's Hermès."

"Ah? Like in the TV shows, those bags that cost tens of thousands?" Abbey gasped.

She wasn't familiar with luxury brands, but she was an avid drama watcher. In the recent hit "Life at Thirty," the female lead and the rich wives all flaunted their Hermès at gatherings. So pricey!

The Hermès Roseanne had left at Murray's villa, and this one she bought on her own for a few dollars, just to match her outfit. With no logo in sight, she didn't expect her aunt to recognize it. Raven was surprised, "Is it really that expensive?"

Though her husband owned a business, and they were well-off, Raven, having struggled through the early days with Maddox, didn't care much for fashion or luxury brands.

The grandmother couldn't help but glance at Roseanne upon hearing this.

The grandfather looked over as well.

Roseanne, surprised, replied, "How could it be? I saw it on sale at a roadside leather store, grabbed it for just a few dollars."

"Is that so..." Abbey smirked, "So, a fake. No, even a good fake would cost a few hundred, yours must be a low-quality one."

Roseanne nodded, amused that Abbey knew about replicas.

"I didn't think much of it, just liked it and bought it."

Lauretta glanced at her, lifting an eyebrow.

Raven then said, "Let's eat some fruit."

The conversation about the bag came to a close.

Abbey remarked, "The cherries Raven bought are so sweet and big."

Raven replied, "I just picked the most expensive ones, thinking of Halley and his dad, who love them."

Halley, the son of Raven and her husband, was the sole grandchild in the Cole family.

"Huh? Where's Halley? Didn't he come back?"

Raven

"Not yet, he's in

in

Lumina City. Said he's got his startup to handle and can't make back

for the holidays this year."

Abbey was surprised, "Halley started his own company? He really is capable..."

Her tone carried a hint of envy, which made Raven smile, "Just a little venture, nothing serious."

"I think it's quite significant, being so

busy he can't even come home for

the holidays... Halley is really making us proud, no wonder he's the grandparents' favorite."

The grandparents' bias towards the eldest son's family wasn't new, especially since Halley was the Cole family's only grandson...

Thinking this, Abbey felt a mix of envy and jealousy, wishing she could have a son of her own.

But then she remembered, the youngest in the family also only had a daughter, which made her feel somewhat better.

Back when Roseanne excelled in school and Lauretta lagged behind, Abbey felt discontent.

But after Roseanne graduated and

didn't pursue further studies or find

a job, effectively becoming unemployed, Abbey felt better about her own daughter Janie's prospects, who at least got a position at the utility company through family connections, poised to marry well someday...

Wasn't that better than Roseanne's situation?