"That Eliza, this lass has finally seen the end of her hardships, Could you believe it? Her heartless biological mother who abandoned her while she was still so young to marry into a wealthy family now has the audacity to come back for her?"

"I heard she also brought Eliza's grandmother to Fulham City for treatment."

"It's as if the sun has risen from the west! I hope that girl keeps getting better!"

It was still early in the morning, yet the village was filled with curious people.

After hearing that Eliza's biological mother had returned to acknowledge her, almost the entire village turned up to witness the sight.

Everyone watched Eliza enter a luxurious car, their expressions complex and unreadable. With shielded eyes, they all watched the car as it left their little community and headed towards the Big City.

The car and its occupants were headed towards the Sheffield Family estate which was a sprawling mass of land and spacious buildings serving as home to the second wealthiest family in Fulham City.

This was the family for whom Roseline had abandoned her daughter, Eliza. It was the home into which she had remarried as wife to the widowed second son, Henry, thus becoming a woman of affluence and luxury.

Having spent many years as the daughter-in-law of the Sheffield Family, Roseline had acquired the entire demeanor of a lady of luxury, and she had learned to be very haughty.

Now in the car, Roseline looked upon her daughter with eyes filled with disdain. Her lips pursed into a tight frown as she perused the girl's outfit with disapproval written all over her face.

Eliza was dressed in all black sweat clothes. She carried a black bag and wore a black duck tongue hat which covered half of her face.

She was thin with a cold demeanor, and her eyes, though half-shut under the brim of her hat, carried an outright roguish feel just like that of some random street thug.

"Did you hear everything I said?" Roseline asked, impatiently pressing her long, slim fingers into her temples.

She cast a sharp glance on the girl only to be met by Eliza's unblinking blank stare. Exasperated, Roseline dug her fingers deeper into her now aching temples.

Along the way, she had explained many things to Eliza. However, the damn girl had maintained a careless and indifferent attitude, as if ignoring her completely.

Roseline sighed. This was a crucial matter, so she had no choice but to repeat herself, "Eliza dear, the opportunity to form a marriage alliance with the Rochester family was originally for your sister. However, out of concern for you, I have persuaded the Sheffield family to give this opportunity to you!”

“The Rochesters are even more powerful than the Sheffield family in Fulham City. They are ranked first among the four wealthiest families in the capital!”

"See, though the young master of the Rochester family is seriously ill and doesn't have much time left, once you marry into their family, you will be the young mistress; leading a life of wealth and prosperity.”

Roseline paused, hoping for some sort of reply only to be disappointed by Eliza's silence. She leaned closer to her daughter, affecting a posh earnestness, "I know you fight a lot in school and you don't even have a college diploma. How will you be able to find a decent job once you leave school? How do you think you will survive?"

"As your mother, I’m giving you this opportunity. I even brought your grandmother to the hospital in Fulham City for treatment. I paid your grandmother’s medical fees, a whopping Forty Thousand Dollars a month, without blinking!"

Roseline moved closer and gently placed her soft hands over Eliza's work hardened ones, "You must appreciate this opportunity. Listen obediently and seize this once in a lifetime opportunity, got it?"

In the face of her endless preaching, Eliza suddenly lifted her head and smiled. The sight was so beautiful as it could be likened to the ice melting away with the warmth of the sun.

Looking at her mother, she curiously asked, “If this opportunity is so great, why isn’t it given to your second daughter?”

The "second daughter" mentioned by Eliza was Penelope, Roseline's daughter from her second marriage, and the cherished daughter of the Sheffield family.

Six months ago, it was rumored that Sebastian, the eldest son of the Rochester family, had an accident and that his appearance had been completely ruined. Furthermore, local gossip maintained that the hapless heir to the Rochester fortune had only two years left to live.

Ever since then, it was said that Sebastian had changed dramatically, turning into a cruel and ruthless shadow of his former self.

Still, in order to form a lasting business alliance, the Sheffield family had no choice but to engage in a marital alliance with the Rochester family. This arrangement was beneficial to both houses as one gained a wife and the possibility of an heir from its soon to be expired son, while the other was positioned to reap great financial rewards as a result of the alliance.

Despite this, the one who had originally been planned for the arranged marriage, Penelope, refused to get married and so Roseline, in a state of desperation, decided to turn her interest to her first daughter.

Eliza kept a playful smile on her face as she watched Roseline's face change slightly while digesting the questions which had been thrown at her.

She watched her take a deep breath before rushing to protect the image of her darling Penelope, "How could my Penny get married? I've put in so much effort into educating her, she deserves better...", her voice stalled as she realized that she had just blurted out her true thoughts.

Roseline glanced at Eliza's coldly mocking and disdainful gaze and she suddenly understood something. She felt her blood beginning to boil as it dawned on her, "Did you already know about the Rochester family's situation?", she asked.

Eliza stayed silent; her lips curled with disdain while her expression was one of lazy bemusement.

Roseline, on the other hand, was livid.

So, this little wretch knew the truth all along, but had been watching her perform all this while?

Did she even consider her as her own mother!

Roseline shook her head in disbelief. She wanted to scold her daughter, but the thought of her purpose for being here to fetch her made Roseline reluctantly soften her tone in a bid to employ a peaceful strategy.

"Eliza, since you already know, there is no point hiding anything from you anymore. I'll tell you everything."

"You must understand, dear, these past years have not been easy for your mother in the Sheffield family. The matriarch looks down on me, and the people from the main family have also bullied me. Thankfully, your sister is smart and obedient. She has helped me secure my footing in the family, and my life has gotten a bit better because of her."

"You know that I absolutely cannot allow your sister to marry into the Rochester family. Only you, by marrying Sebastian, can save the Sheffield family's business, and also save me. In return, I promise that I won't treat you unfairly, nor will I treat your grandmother unfairly."

Eliza watched her dispassionately, her expression tinged with mockery. She was not surprised, everything was just as she expected.

This was her mother. Dressing her own selfishness and self-interest as a last resort.

Truly nauseating.

Eliza couldn't stand to look at her anymore, she averted her gaze, leaned back in her seat, and used a hat to cover her face as she decided to catch up on some sleep.

She didn't like riding in vehicles, it made her feel irritable.

Seeing this, Roseline's temper flared up once again, "What do you mean by this?" she asked with a raised voice, "Did you hear what I just said to you?"

Eliza remained unmoved, simply offering a non-committal "Hmm" in response.

Finally getting her desired response, Roseline ceased her haranguing.

However, when she turned her head and saw Eliza's unbothered and unaffected manner, she clenched her teeth in anger.

With such a lack of manners, wouldn't she embarrass Roseline in front of the old lady later on?

Roseline swung around, wanting to scold her errant daughter some more, but seeing that Eliza was already asleep, she could only swallow the words she was about to say.

The journey was long and grueling.

After driving for more than half a day, they finally arrived at the old Sheffield Family mansion.

As they arrived, Eliza woke up and stretched while looking around at her surroundings.

Roseline quickly took the opportunity to lecture her, "This isn't some rural area, it's the Sheffield Family's place. You need to know your manners. After we go in, you should greet everyone proactively. Don't say what you shouldn't, and don't act like some uncouth layabout. You can’t disgrace me, understand?”

Saying nothing, Eliza merely waved her hand noncommittally while stepping out of the car leaving her fuming mother behind.

Whether she had heard her warnings or simply chosen to ignore her mother, Roseline was left fuming mad.

She spun on her heels, striding after Eliza's receding back and praying that her plans would easily come to fruition. On entering the old family mansion, it was clear that all the people from the Rochester family main house had already gathered and were sitting by the side of elderly Madame Sheffield.

Roseline, who had suffered quite a bit in the hands of her mother-in-law, was naturally very wary of her and spoke cautiously, “Mother, I've brought Eliza over."

The old woman nodded her head, her murky eyes surveying Eliza, as if sizing up some piece of merchandise.

Eliza stood quietly with her hands in her pockets and her head slightly down while doing her best to avoid the rheumy eyes running over her frame.

Mrs Sheffield seemed somewhat displeased. Her nose was turned up as if at some unpleasant smell and her voice was steely when she spoke, "This is Eliza? She is all grown up, how then does she not have any manners? Wasn't she ever thought how to greet her elders."

Cassandra, the first daughter of the Sheffield family, scoffed as she stared down at Eliza from the top of the stair bannisters, “Grandma, she's just a country bumpkin living off of you and not doing much else. Where would she get any manners from?”

Eliza suddenly raised her eyes; her cold pupils reflected a sharp light which landed solidly on Cassandra.

Cassandra immediately felt her heart tighten with fear even as she fell into a curious panic.

"Sorry", Eliza sneered, "I really am a country bumpkin and don't know what manners are".

She had removed her gaze from the people surrounding her, her voice cold yet strong.

This attitude enraged quite a few people.

"What a shameless creature!"

"She and the Sebastian Rochester are indeed a perfect match, one foolish and arrogant while the other is cruel and fierce."

To all these discussions, Eliza turned a deaf ear. The Sheffield's raged on, each person spewing more anger than the last. Still, Eliza stayed silent, saying nothing.

Alas! Someone had sent her a message to which she responded slowly with her head bowed.

Upon seeing Eliza daring to play with her phone in her presence, the Sheffield family matriarch was boiling with anger.

It was, to her, as if she wasn't worth a glance in Eliza's eyes.

Suppressing her anger, she asked out loud: "Has your mother told you about the marriage alliance?"

Eliza, after taking the time to respond to the message, glanced at the crowd with her cold eyes and spoke indifferently: "She has mentioned it."

Madam Sheffield nodded, asking: "So, do you agree to get married?"

Normally, this question wouldn't have had to be asked again, but Eliza was obviously a rebellious girl who wouldn't follow discipline. As such, Madam Sheffield had to personally confirm if the girl had accepted the proposal. She could not take any risks when it came to important matters.

Eliza sighed, a deep heaving breath that seemed to shake her entire body. "Sure", she said, trying to keep her voice as nonchalant as possible. Her eyes darted between the family matriarch and her mother, watching them exchange relieved glances as soon as she had finished speaking.

As she watched Madam Sheffield and Roseline breathe a sigh of relief, Eliza could not help but wonder what the terms of the marriage agreement were. She felt an unease settle in the pit of her stomach.

"What price am I expected to pay for this family that has done absolutely nothing for me?"