(Mia's POV)
I never expected Mary to call.
Not long after I got off the phone with Ben, I received a call from her—demanding that I meet her in twenty minutes at Groove Heights, a well-known restaurant in Seattle.
*
At Groove Heights...
Mary was already seated when I arrived, dressed in deep blue silk. Her ears and neck were adorned with sapphire jewelry, and on her finger sat an enormous, pig-egg-sized diamond ring—the same shade of blue as her outfit.
It seemed Ben was right after all. His mother really was the type to buy an entire jewelry set just to match her dress.
She looked at me with an expression like she was examining something unpleasant. Her eyes were filled with criticism.
She sat gracefully on the couch, legs crossed at an elegant angle. Her posture was refined, but her words came out sharp.
"You must be Mia," she said, her tone indifferent, her voice laced with condescension.
"Hello, Mrs. Smith," I replied as I took a seat on the single-seater sofa opposite her.
"I've heard all about you and Ben," she began, wasting no time.
"Do you really think a girl like you is good enough to marry into the Smith family?"
"I have no intention of marrying into the Smith family," I replied coolly, my gaze calm and steady as it met hers.
Mary clearly didn't believe me. She gave me a slow, deliberate once-over, sizing me up from head to toe.
"You don't have to pretend with me," she said, her lips curled into a knowing smile. "I'm a woman too. I know exactly what's going through your head. It's no surprise you'd be drawn to someone like Ben. A rich heir doesn't come around every day, does he? I bet he's spent quite a bit on you already, hasn't he?"
Her tone carried an unmistakable air of superiority.
"I'm not interested in his money," I replied evenly.
Mary let out a mocking laugh, her eyes narrowing.
"Oh, cut the act. I've seen plenty of girls like you—playing innocent, pretending you're not after the money. But if you really weren't, would you have gone after Ben in the first place?"
That made me laugh out loud.
"Mrs. Mary," I said, "are you saying your son has nothing to offer except money?"
"You—"
Her expression darkened, rage flashing in her eyes. Her breathing quickened as she glared at me.
"Sharp-tongued little thing! And to think Ben told me you were sweet and well-mannered. He must've been blind."
I took a slow sip of tea, entirely unbothered.
Mary scoffed, narrowing her eyes.
"No manners at all. A proper young lady would know to pour tea for her elders."
I gave her a tight, insincere smile.
"Oh, sorry, Mrs. Smith. There weren't any extra cups, and I figured you'd probably be too disgusted to drink from mine. So I thought, why bother? Besides, it's not like you're dying of thirst, right?"
Mary's chest rose and fell sharply.
"Where did Ben find this shameless, ill-mannered girl?" she muttered, then inhaled slowly to regain her composure.
"I came here today to make one thing clear—our family isn't a place for just anyone to marry into. If you're hoping to marry Ben, forget it. It's never going to happen."
I nodded casually.
"Mhm. Sure."
"Cindy Lane is the daughter-in-law I've chosen. Her family is well off—the kind of people we Smiths associate with. So you'd better give up on chasing Ben while you still have some dignity left."
My lips curved into a faint smile.
I suddenly remembered the conversation I overheard a day before Ben and I broke up.
He had been on the phone, talking about how Smith Corporation's financial situation had taken a hit. Several projects were stalled, and the losses were piling up.
At the time, I had actually considered helping him.
I wasn't heartless—helping him wouldn't have been completely out of the question.
I knew my father would never agree to invest, especially since I had fallen out with my family.
But my cousin, Lawrence Makilo, was now in charge of Makilo Corporation—one of the country's top ten conglomerates.
Lawrence had always spoiled me.
If I asked, securing funding for Smith Corporation wouldn't have been an issue.
I had planned to bring it up after my birthday.
But before I could, Ben broke up with me.
*
Pulling myself back from those thoughts, I turned to Mary.
"Don't worry. I'll be leaving for my hometown in a couple of days. I won't be coming back."
It seemed Mary hadn't expected things to go this smoothly. For a moment, she looked caught off guard.
"That's it?" she finally asked.
I glanced at my watch.
"That's all I have to say. I've got things to do, so I'll be heading out."
Without waiting for a response, I stood up, grabbed my bag, and left.