Chapter 36

The Jean family’s success in Basterel was built on the foundation laid by their ancestors. By the time Janice’s husband took charge, the Jean family had reached its peak.

However, when the family business fell into the hands of Jameson and his siblings, they faced a near collapse due to the financial crisis and pressure from their competitors.

According to Ross, the Jean family only managed to survive the crisis because their mother, Ruth, stepped in and saved the day. So, even though Jameson and Ruth’s marriage had long since lost its spark, they never divorced.

After all, Ruth still held 15% of the family shares.

To Shermaine, her mother, Ruth, seemed utterly clueless–definitely not the type to succeed in business. She even wondered if Ruth had become less talented and weaker due to aging.

Shermaine had the driver take her straight to the Jean residence. Tonight’s family dinner wasn’t just a gathering of familiar faces; there was also a stranger present.

He was a tall, lean young man with refined features and was sitting next to Andrew’s son, Clyde. The two were discussing a math competition problem.

When they couldn’t figure it out, they turned to Wendelyn for help.

After taking a look at the problem, Wendelyn joined the discussion.

As Shermaine entered the house, her attention immediately went to the elderly woman with white hair sitting on the sofa. She appeared quite thin, likely a consequence of a serious illness she had suffered.

However, her bright red outfit, painted lips, and diamond earrings and bracelets gave her a surprisingly vibrant and spirited look.

Janice smiled warmly. “You must be Sheary, right? I’m your grandmother, Janice. Come here and let me take a good look at you, dear.”

Shermaine was surprised by her welcoming demeanor. She walked over and sat down beside Janice. “Grandma,” she greeted politely.

Janice’s face lit up with joy. “You look just like your brother. Thank goodness he found you and brought you home. Otherwise, I’d never have gotten the chance to meet you, sweetheart.”

She held Shermaine’s hand, tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m sorry for what you have been through out there.”

Shermaine, never one to warm up quickly to people, felt a bit overwhelmed by her grandmother’s enthusiastic affection. But she still gave a small, genuine smile, thinking, ‘So Ross wasn’t lying–Grandma really has loved me from the moment I was born.’

After some more small talk, Janice introduced Shermaine to Brandon and his family. Brandon greeted Shermaine with a big smile and even had his son, Leon–who had just started middle school–hand her the gift he had prepared.

Leon, a studious-looking boy with glasses, carried himself with a humble demeanor, likely thanks to his father’s good upbringing. “Sheary, this is a gift my dad and I picked out for you.”

For the second time since arriving at the Jean family residence, Shermaine smiled genuinely. Her eyes brightened as she took the gift. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” replied Leon.

“I didn’t bring a gift for you today, but here’s a lollipop. Let’s call it a down payment–I’ll make it up to you next time.” Shermaine handed him a lollipop.

Leon took the lollipop and smiled, flashing two adorable dimples, “Sheary is so nice. I don’t know why people say she’s scary–she’s so beautiful and so kind,” he thought.

However, this warm scene felt like a slap in Wendelyn’s face.

Although Brandon and his family weren’t highly valued by the Jean family, they were still part of it. Yet, none of them had ever treated Wendelyn with such warmth. And Janice had never acknowledged Wendelyn as a member of the family, always treating her like some long-term guest.

But now, they were so kind to Shermaine. Wendelyn had witnessed many times how the other family members had been mean to Shermaine, so seeing the unexpected warmth toward Shermaine upset her deeply.

Andrew asked, “Shermaine, why didn’t you bring Joshua along? This is a family dinner, I understand he’s busy, but he should at least show his face. As your fiancé, he’s not exactly making you a priority.”

Jameson didn’t seem concerned.

Shermaine smirked and shot back, “Uncle Andrew, I think what you said is untrue. If Joshy didn’t care about me, why would he help me with my problems? And I never said he wasn’t coming. He’s just really busy with work and will be a little late.”

Andrew’s expression changed slightly. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m just worried that Mr. York might bail on you.”

“He won’t,” Shermaine replied firmly.

Just then, the young man sitting next to Clyde leaned over and whispered, “That’s Shermaine?”

Clyde quietly replied, “Yeah, the one stirring up all the drama in Basterel lately. She’s a senior at Brightwater Academy, just like you.”

He leaned in closer and added, “Leslie, if you ever see her at school, don’t bother with her. She can’t do anything right, but sure knows how to cause trouble.”

Leslie thought, ‘I’ve heard about her–the prettiest girl in our school now, and everyone’s been raving about her. She’s gorgeous, the type that could make a man’s heart race with just a glance. Unfortunately, her reputation isn’t exactly spotless, but it isn’t a huge deal.

The real problem, she’s engaged. Her fiancé is Joshua, a high-profile figure in Basterel–someone every man dreams of surpassing. But he’s much older than her, so I don’t think it’s gonna work.’

Others may not have heard, but Shermaine’s hearing was sharp, and she caught every word Clyde said about her.

Clyde was just like his father–always looking down on people based on their status.

Janice, ever kind and approachable, said, “I’ve got a gift for you too, Sheary. Come with me to my room.”

“Okay,” Shermaine replied softly.

Janice had trouble moving around, so she lived on the ground floor. She held Shermaine’s hand as they made their way to her room, her steps slow but full of purpose.

Ruth knew that Wendelyn was uncomfortable, but there was nothing she could do. Janice had opposed Ruth bringing Wendelyn into the family from the very beginning. The fallout had been so bad that Janice had moved to the suburbs and barely ever came back to the city.

Ruth silently cursed, “If only she’d died a while ago, then she wouldn’t be here making things difficult for Wendy and me!"

But what happened next was even more infuriating for Ruth and Wendelyn. Janice gave Shermaine a full set of diamond jewelry worth over 15 million dollars. When Ruth and Wendelyn saw the bracelet on Shermaine’s wrist and the necklace around her neck, they were instantly consumed with envy.

In all these years, they hadn’t even received jewelry worth a few hundred thousand dollars; they had hardly ever received any worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Andrew and his family were also burning with envy. They were furious that Janice had just given such expensive jewelry to Shermaine, who they thought didn’t deserve something that beautiful.

Andrew’s face darkened. “Mom, that set of jewelry was something Dad gave you years ago. How could you just give it to Shermaine? She’s only 19– wearing something so valuable is just not right.”

Ruth chimed in, “Yeah, Janice, Shermaine’s usually a bit clumsy; it’s not quite suitable for her to wear such expensive jewelry.”

Janice didn’t care about their complaints. With a commanding air, she declared, “That’s enough. It’s mine, and I’m giving it to Shermaine. End of story. Don’t even think about trying to take it.”

At that moment, Shermaine’s affection for Janice grew more intense. It felt so good to be protected by family.

Andrew deeply regretted not having a daughter. In the Jean family, Jameson had one son and one daughter, plus an adopted daughter. But both Andrew and Brandon only had one son each.

So Shermaine was the only true heiress of this family. Although Wendelyn was legally a part of the family, Janice had never seen her as one of her own.

Ruth felt she had to stand up for Wendelyn. She said, “Janice, this is really unfair to Wendy. She’s been in this family for so many years, and you’ve never even given her any decent jewelry.

“Yet now, in front of her, you give Shermaine something so expensive. How do you think she’ll feel? Janice, you can’t be so biased.” Then, she turned to Jameson and asked, “Jamie, don’t you think so?”

Jameson was in an awkward spot. Although Janice wasn’t his biological mother, she had treated him well over the years, so he respected her deeply. But it was true that Janice hadn’t been fair to Wendelyn.

After some thought, Jameson said, “Mom, I think Ruth has a point. How about you give the earrings to Wendy instead?”

Janice shot him a sharp look and sneered, “Not a chance. That whole set is for Sheary. I’ve told you all before–I don’t recognize Wendy as my granddaughter. If you love her so much, you can buy her your own gifts.

“My poor granddaughter has been lost all these years. I’m just giving her a set of jewelry worth 15 million, and now you all can’t handle it? If she’d grown up with us, she’d have jewelry worth tens of millions of dollars.”

The room fell silent. Despite their resentment, no one dared to argue further.

Wendelyn lowered her head and said, “Dad, Mom, Grandma’s right. I’m just grateful to be your daughter. Besides, I have plenty of jewelry, and I don’t usually wear any fancy jewelry unless I’m attending events.”

She then turned to Shermaine and said with a smile, “Shermaine, that set of jewelry looks great on you.”

Shermaine raised her wrist and smiled. “Oh, I didn’t know you could be so sweet. Thanks for the compliment. It does look great.”

Wendelyn didn’t respond, trying hard to hide her anger.

Shermaine then poured a cup of coffee and handed it to Janice, “Grandma, have some coffee. You’ve been talking for a while; you must be thirsty.”

“Sheary, you’re so thoughtful,” Janice said, smiling as she took the coffee and began drinking it slowly.

Ruth, realizing she couldn’t gain any favor from Janice, had no choice but to hold back her frustration. She then shifted the topic. “Leslie, you and Sheary go to the same high school, right?”

Leslie, who had been quietly observing the scene, replied, “Yes, Mrs. Jean.”

“I heard you do exceptionally well in school. And your dream school is Basterel University, right?” said Ruth.

“I am,” Leslie replied. He was aiming to become the top scorer in their school.

Ruth smiled again. “Well, Shermaine is also at Brightwater Academy, but her grades aren’t that great. Could you maybe help her out a bit at school?”

Just moments ago, she was trying to gain favor for Wendelyn, and now she was pretending to care about Shermaine. Shermaine despised her for her hypocrisy.

Leslie hesitated, glancing at Shermaine. Shermaine sensed his gaze and looked up at him casually.

Captivated by her stunning face, Leslie thought, ‘If she were my girlfriend, even though she had any shortcomings, I would still spend time guiding and shaping her, helping her become better over time. After all, she’s the Jean family’s true heiress.’ He nodded and said, “Sure, Mrs. Jean.”

“Thank you so much for being willing to help Sheary,” Ruth said.

Just then, Joshua walked in and happened to overhear the conversation. “Help Sheary with what?” he asked.