...1939 Republic of China, Z City, Zhang Mansion, Garden...

In a beautiful and cool green atmosphere, and a fish pond and trees around in Zhang's quiet mansion front yard, two women sat talking along.

"This morning I overheard Mother talking with my husband, she said Charles would be coming home after three years away." said, a woman dressed in fancy cheongsam with her updo bun, holding a folding fan, Clara Fang

"I really want to meet him, the last time we both met was at my wedding." replied another woman with long hair, wearing a blue traditional cheongsam, Judith Yang while sipping her tea

...Train Station, Z City...

"Charles, are you sure your family will like me?" ask a young woman smiled happily dressed on an ordinary cheongsam, Sharon Gu

"I think they'll be very happy to meet you." replied the guy sat beside her smiled, Charles Zhang

They both just got married two weeks ago, and this is their third week. They both just board from the train and trying to find a trishaw to Charles Family house, after they arrived at a big looking fancy old mansion. Sharon was very surprised because Charles had never told her before that he was a son from a rich family in the city.

...Zhang Mansion...

"This feels reminds me of all the memories I had here." said Charles to Sharon stared the mansion front gate, then stepped inside

"Oh my, young master Charles you have returned." said a servant shocked looking at Charles and then running inside the mansion in a rush

Clara, and Judith sat in front of the stone table in the yard heard this, and turned around towards the gate.

"Charles is really back, does this mean we have a new rival already?" said Clara to Judith shocked looking at Charles standing at there smiling

"I was actually feeling really happy when I heard the news that Mary was going to move out and leave this house, but now?" said Judith to Clara staring at Charles while gently fanned herself

Clara, and Judith, the two of them come from families which are very wealthy businesspeople, and have many assets, and inheritances, they're both highly educated, that's what causes them to have a fairly high social status in this city.

The Zhang family is also one of the most respected families in this city, so marrying them off to the son of this family will actually make them more prominent.

"Madam, Madam, young master Charles has returned, he is back." shouted the servant in an exciting rush, while running inside the mansion living room

At that moment Sharon suddenly stepped in, Clara, and Judith who were stared at Charles both immediately got shocked.

"Who is she, she looks like a village girl, her clothes are very ordinary." said Judith to Clara, while staring at Sharon in shock

"I think she just some girls that Charles met there, that's impossible right, he's already engaged to Miss Gao." said Clara to Judith also staring at Sharon in disbelief

"Charles, who are the two women sitting there, why are they staring at us like that, is there something strange about us?" ask Sharon to Charles confused looking at Clara and Judith

"They are my sisters-in-law, they're just doing their job as usual, and we, especially you don't look strange at all, you look very gorgeous." said Charles to Sharon smiled then holding her hand and both walked inside

"What was that just now, he is holding her hand, it seems my thoughts wasn't wrong at all." said Clara to Judith

"Let's go there and have some eavesdrop." said Judith to Clara silently following Charles and Sharon to the Mansion

...Living Room...

The living room is built with a luxurious expensive wood structure, with distinctive and expensive carvings, and a mix of western and eastern furniture.

"And he brought a young lady with him." said the servant to a middle-aged woman, Sylvia Wang, Charles mother

"A young lady?" asked Sylvia shocked and stunned

"I'm back mother!" shouted Charles walked inside the mansion followed by Sharon behind her trembling a little

"Wait, who are you, stand there, don't you dare step into my house." said Sylvia to Sharon sitting on her chair, while pointing at her

"Mother, let me introduce her, this is my wife, Sharon Gu, we just got married 2 weeks ago." said Charles to Sylvia smiled

Hearing that Sylvia was shocked and stunned, she also immediately fainted, because her son got married with a stranger without her consent.

The two sisters-in-law who were standing outside the living room heard it, they're were both stunned too, and immediately went in and helped their mother-in-law who had fainted from that sudden news.

"Charles, I was hoping you could be better after studying for long, but I didn't expect you to do this to mother." said Clara in a disappointed tone staring at him

"I think if mother wakes up later, you better shouldn't face her first." said Judith to Sharon then walk to Sylvia room helping the servant and Clara

Sharon looked very disappointed because she was not accepted by the Zhang family, although she had thought about this before before arriving here.

"I think my mother is just too tired, we'll try talking to her again later after she wakes up, it's fine." said Charles to Sharon gave her a gentle hug

Countinued...

After bringing Sylvia into the room, Clara and Judith came out of the room, and saw Charles sitting in the wooden couch alone, because Sharon went to the bathroom.

"I never thought you would change this much, Charles, you're completely blinded by love." said Judith to Charles placing a warm teapot in the table

"You are so cruel to hurt mother's feelings, even though you already know that you have been matched with a respected lady from the Gao family, how could you." said Clara to Charles really disappointed

"But I never wanted to be matched with her before, they forced me, didn't they?" replied Charles to them

"Now that I'm older, I feel that there's nothing wrong with choosing my own life, the life that I really wanted." said Charles to them getting up from the couch

Sharon, who just came out of the bathroom, accidentally heard that felt sad, of how not accepted she is in this family, later she planned to hide for a while in the kitchen.

"Oops, excuse me." said a servant holding a basket full of vegetables

"Are you young master Charles' wife, you look very beautiful?" praise a servant to Sharon walk pass her

"Thank you so much, you too." replied Sharon to her smiled happily

"We will cook a delicious dinner tonight, to celebrate the return of young master Charles and his wife." said a servant then walked away

After observing in the kitchen for a while, Sharon then walked out, smiling kindly at her sister-in-laws.

"Let's just get out of here, we'll be back for dinner later." said Charles to Sharon suddenly looking very mad

"Where are we going?" ask Sharon confused suddenly been pulled by Charles

It turns out that after leaving, they both got into a car and headed to a new big house near the edge of the city.

"This house, whose house is this?" ask Sharon confused to Charles

"We'll stay here, I won't let them treat you like that." said Charles to Sharon opening the door

"Young master Charles, you finally came back, after getting your letter, I have been staying here for the past 3 days, and been cleaning up." said a servant run towards them shocked

"Let me introduce, she is Lina Zhu, one of my childhood friends" introduce Charles to Sharon

"Just call me Lina, young master, and I are both the same age." said Lina to Sharon with a warm smile

"Oh, I'm Sharon Gu, just call me Sharon." replied Sharon also gave her a warm smile

"Sharon you stay here, I will go first to see my mother's condition, I will be back later to pick you up" said Charles then leaving the house

"Alright, sure, hope she gets better." replied Sharon to Charles smiled

"No, I shouldn't, I should call you young lady Zhang." said Lina to Sharon feel a little uneasy

"It's fine, we're the same age, Charles and I are only about 2 months apart." said Sharon holding Lina hand with a smile

"No I won't do that, since childhood young master was never allowed to play with us." said Lina to Sharon while helping her to carry the suitcase

"But he still did it, because he felt lonely just because he was always forced to hang out with the elites children." said Lina to Sharon

"He was even willing to get punished, when we ate the food that should have been served to the master and madam." said Lina open a room door

Sharon, who heard this, knew why Charles was such a kind and generous person towards her and the others.

"Alright, this is your new room, I already cleaned it a when I first got here." said Lina to Sharon putting the suitcase in a chair

...Zhang Mansion...

"I'm so glad they're finally gone, and I thought maybe he'd never come back again?" said Clara while laughing at the couch

"I think Charles is helping us to take a step forward, and not make us step backward." said Judith also laughing too

"What are you both laughing at, did I miss something?" ask a woman dressed in a western fancy dress, who just came in from outside, holding a folding fan, Mary Lin

"Mary, why did you come home so suddenly like this?" ask Clara who just laughing with Judith shocked then immediately getting up

"Nice to see you again aunt Judith, and aunt Clara, long time no see." said a little girl, with her hair tied in a western style smiled at them, Grace Zhang, Mary Lin's daughter

"I heard that Charles has come back, so it's time for the family dinner, and I came early to help." said a guy dressed in fancy suit suddenly came in from the outside carrying a suitcase, Edwin Zhang, the second son of the Zhang family, to Clara

"I think it might be cancelled." said Clara to Edwin and Mary in disbelief

"Why, did something happen, did Charles not come home today?" ask Edwin to Clara confused

"No, I really can't explain that, Judith, can you explain it to them." said Clara to Judith then sat down

"No need to explain, I'm back, right?" said Charles stepped in from behind

"Long time no see, I miss you so much." said Edwin suddenly to Charles who just came in and gave him a little brother hug

"So what do you want to say?" ask Mary to Clara, and Judith curious

"That!" said Clara to Mary suddenly paused

"Grace, can you go play in the room first." said Mary to Grace pointing upstairs to her

"That..., Charles just came back this morning with a woman" said Judith to Mary

"What, don't tell me that woman is his girlfriend?" ask Mary shocked in disbelief

"No it's even worse, the woman is his wife, they both got married 2 weeks ago in W City, without mother approval." explain Clara to Mary

"So you're saying that's what made mother want to cancel this dinner, is because of that?" ask Mary to both of them shocked

Clara and Judith, both nodded, Mary was in disbelief and some relief feels too because three were no more any new rivals, and then she went into the room to meet Sylvia who was resting in her bed.

"I heard that mother wasn't doing well, so Edwin, and I planned to move back for a while and take care of you." said Mary to Sylvia with a smile handing her a cup of warm water

"You don't need to do that." said Sylvia while holding the cup smiled

"It's okay we do this by our own choice." said Mary to Sylvia smiled

"As always, you are the most understanding about me." said Sylvia smiled back and drink the water

Mary having a big smile inside her, she felt this was her chance to reclaim the inheritance that her in-laws would inherit soon.

Initially she moved out because she felt Charles would become one of their rival, but it seems like now her chance has returned.

Countinued...

"So you spoke to mother already, I can't believe he would do something like this." said Edwin to Mary still in disbelief

"But this is our opportunity to take back the thing that should belong to us from the start." said Mary to Edwin with a smirk

"I knew you had a good plan behind all this, very clever, but I hope you really want to take care of my mother." replied Edwin with a smile

In the middle of the day, Clara, and Judith heard the news about Charles, and were shocked, they were both already happy because they could share the inheritance, but now there was a third person who was going to stay, Mary.

"Damn it, she's so smart, I hate her now, that sly woman." said Clara mad, while holding her folding fan

"Now we have to find another way, to push her away too." said Judith to Clara

"I heard that father and your husband will be returning from Y City one week again, have you heard that?" ask Clara to Judith

"Yes but only father, Edward still has to run the project alone, I think I might going to move there too, it's hard for me not seeing him for months, but I also need to stay here to keep some inheritance for us." replied Judith to Clara felt a bit sad looking through the windows

"It's alright you had me, now we just need to find a way to get rid of that Mary Lin." said Clara to Judith comfort her

On the other hand, Sharon helped Lina tidy up and arrange some of their belongings.

"It's fine, young lady, just let me do it." said Lina to Sharon trying to take the cloth away

"Did madam receive you warmly?" ask Lina to Sharon curious

"No, she even fainted, whether she is conscious now or not, I can't imagine it, I think now I bring bad luck for their family." said Sharon to Lina looking very disappointed

"I don't think it's your fault it just takes time for her to accept you, I understand that." said Lina to Sharon smiled

"You've never met master, right, he is the person who loves young master Charles the most." said Lina to Sharon suddenly

"Because among the young masters, only young master Charles understands his feelings the most, and also the most obedience." said Lina to Sharon with a smile

"I can't really believe Charles had such a difficult, yet a beautiful life." said Sharon to Lina with a smile

"I think master will be coming home a week more if I'm not mistaken." said Lina to Sharon

"When he comes back you can meet him, but I'm not so sure." said Lina then paused

“Not sure about what?" ask Sharon to Lina curios

"It's nothing." replied Lina to Sharon continue to do her job

In the evening, Charles took Sharon, and Lina back to the Zhang residence. At that time, Sharon had just stepped in, and suddenly a woman came and approached her.

"So you are the wife they are talking about, welcome to the family." said Mary suddenly approached Sharon smiled warmly

Clara and Judith who were standing there were shocked in disbelief, didn't know what she had planned.

"Sorry, you are...?" ask Sharon in a small lowered voice while trembling, grabbing tight her dress

"I am Mary Lin, your second sister-in-law." said Mary to her with a smile

"Oh, nice to meet you, I'm Sharon Gu." said Sharon to Mary replied with a smile

"She's clearly acting. It's a shame she didn't become a theater actress." whispered Clara to Judith observing from afar

After a few minutes arriving, the dinner it's starting, and they all sat at a long dinner table in the dining room, At that time, Sylvia, who had just come out of her room, wanted to go back into her room again because she saw Sharon.

"Mother, you haven't eaten since this morning, it would be better if you eat a few mouthfuls first." said Mary walked to Sylvia

"Thank you very much, but I can just eat in my room, you all eat by yourself." said Sylvia try to walk to her room

"Mother, if you don't start eating, how can we eat first?" said a guy dressed in a brown suit, Louis Zhang, the first son of Zhang family, Clara husband

"Grandma, come eat with us." said Grace to her grandmother smiling warmly

Sharon felt that she was not accepted in this family, and she immediately walked out of the dining hall. The servants who saw that stopped serving food. Mary saw that then followed Sharon along.

"Is this how you treat your child after not seeing them for 3 years?" said Charles then followed Sharon and Mary out from the dining room too

The dining room suddenly became quiet and was very tense, everyone sat down in silence, looking at the drama that happens.

"I feel like mother was a little too much towards Charles wife." said Edwin sitting on the chair looking at Sylvia

"I just wanted to eat a dinner, but it ended up being this messy, what is happening to you all." said Louis getting up then walked away

"Wait a minute, Louis, where are you going?" said Clara followed her husband behind

Sharon, who walked out, then cried near the fishpond in the front yard in all disappointment and sadness.

Countinued...