She might not have recognized their faces, but that disgusting voice instantly transported Hannah’s mind back to her wedding three years ago.
Mr. Michael Rosenberg had stood there, leaning on his cane, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping over her from head to toe, his eyes practically overflowing with contempt and irritation.
His words were even more acidic and harsh, trampling her dignity in front of everyone without a shred of mercy.
—You certainly know how to pick them. To single out a grandson of my Rosenberg family from a crowd, I wonder if this was planned all along.
—Anyone with a sense of decency would know to back off at this point, not shamelessly cling on.
—It’s rare to see a girl as shameless as you. Raised in an orphanage, I see. So different from a child with parents.
—Forget the wedding ceremony. It’s a disgrace. If word got out, where would the Rosenberg family’s reputation be?
For a long time after that, Mr. Michael Rosenberg’s words had sent her into a spiral of self-doubt.
She had wanted to explain that she had no idea Lionel was a Rosenberg before his identity was revealed, that she wasn't a social climber.
She hadn't been the one to drug him; she didn't know how things had turned out this way. She wasn't shameless.
She could do without a wedding, but she couldn't bear being humiliated like that.
But just as she was about to explain, the elders had simply walked away, and the onlookers, influenced by their words, had been left with a terrible impression of her.
Her barbed, dismissive tone was incredibly grating.
Mr. Michael Rosenberg gritted his teeth, his voice a low growl. “Hannah, what is the meaning of this? The elders come to see you in person, and this is how you speak to us?”
“How else should I speak to you? Should I kneel? Or prostrate myself on the floor, trembling in awe and gratitude, with my hands clasped in prayer?”
“What did you just say? Hannah, you’ve really got some nerve! Do you think you’re untouchable just because you’re a Temple now? Let me tell you, as long as you and Lionel aren't divorced, you are a member of the Rosenberg family, and I am your elder!”
Hearing Hannah’s sharp, arrogant words, Mr. Michael Rosenberg became so enraged that he shot to his feet, slamming his cane hard on the coffee table and pointing it right at Hannah’s nose.
“You had better fix your attitude and don’t get too cocky. As long as you’re not divorced, you will listen to us elders!”

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