Hearing this, Mark turned his head impatiently. "Joanna's hurt. I'm taking her to get it changed. Don't be petty."
Meredith fetched the thermos of soup from the car and walked forward expressionlessly, pausing as she passed Mark.
"Grandma's waiting for us."
Mark hesitated.
Joanna blinked her innocent eyes at them. "Mark, if you're busy, go ahead. I can get it changed myself."
Meredith couldn't tell if it was her imagination, but Joanna emphasized 'myself'.
Mark immediately refused. "You can't go alone. I'm coming with you."
Then he didn't spare Meredith another glance and left with Joanna.
Meredith gripped the thermos tightly, watching them walk away with mixed emotions.
Bracing herself, she returned to the hospital room alone. The moment she entered, Rachel took one look at her solitary figure and asked, "Where's Mark?"
Meredith made an excuse, saying he had been called back to the company.
Afraid Rachel would press further, Meredith opened the thermos, ladled out soup, and fed her spoon by spoon.
Rachel looked at her affectionately, tucking a stray lock behind her ear.
"Meredith, seeing you happy puts my heart at ease."
Meredith forced a smile, though her heart was heavy.
Mark had worn her down for five years—ignoring her while carrying on with a college girl. She'd wanted a divorce for ages. But for the Brown Family business and Rachel, she couldn't break free.
This time, Mark had agreed to play along for two weeks, but it couldn't last forever.
She'd made up her mind: after those two weeks, once Rachel was laid to rest, she would divorce Mark.
Back home, Meredith flipped through the calendar. Rachel's birthday was in two days. She wanted to give her one last celebration before she passed.
Meredith waited in the living room until midnight, when Mark finally returned.
Seeing her, he grew uneasy. "Why are you still up? Trying to give someone a heart attack?!"
Meredith didn't ask where he had been. She got straight to the point. "I want to throw Rachel a birthday banquet."
Mark frowned at the inconvenience. "Look, Meredith, I said I'd play along, but don't push it."
Meredith had expected this. "Mark, Rachel has always managed the Brown Group. Now that she's… leaving us, someone needs to inherit all those connections. Throwing her a grand banquet now? That's how you win people over."
Mark considered it and saw her point.
He nodded. "Fine, let's make it grand and lavish."
The next day, Meredith began preparations, reserving a banquet hall at a prestigious hotel.
Knowing Rachel adored blue-and-white porcelain, she specially ordered a pair from a renowned artist, which arrived that afternoon.
Together with Sarah, Meredith unwrapped the packaging and admired the exquisite porcelain.
After arranging the pieces, Meredith spotted Mark.
Accompanied by several assistants, he was surveying the banquet hall.
He walked over and instructed Meredith, "I've sent invitations to all the notable businesses in Barion. Make sure you do this right. Don't embarrass me."
"Oh, and I've also invited the CEO of the Johnson Group from Jivalis."
Meredith had heard of Charles, the CEO of the Johnson Group, though she hadn't connected the name to the man she'd been seeing for a month.
As she pondered this, a sharp crash echoed.
Everyone turned—the porcelain Meredith had just arranged lay shattered on the floor.
Standing beside the wreckage was Joanna, trembling fearfully.
Aksara