Game Over No Second Chances

"Good." Serena smiled sweetly as she straightened up from the bedside before leaving to tell Hugh about what had just happened.

Sarah sat there, her face shifting from red to white in seconds.

Melissa, seeing her completely deflated, felt thoroughly satisfied. Her mood finally settled, and she tenderly went over to examine Cole's bruised, swollen face, then stepped out of the room with him to help tidy him up.

Inside the hospital room, Rachel broke down in tears.

"Howard! Are you really just going to stand there and let Serena trample our daughter like this? Did you hear what your daughter just said?"

Howard was seething. He pointed at both mother and daughter, exasperated beyond words.

But they were both pregnant, so he couldn't really explode. He just pressed his hands onto Rachel's shoulders, trying to soothe her.

"The Larsons have their own rules. And Serena wasn't wrong. They're not married, and the baby's not born yet. We haven't touched a cent of the Larsons' inheritance. If we anger the Larsons now, how does that help Sarah?"

Sarah's voice sharpened, furious. "So what? Is Serena officially part of the Larsons now? What gives her the right to act so high and mighty?"

She was carrying the Larson family's fifth-generation heir. Why should she still have to bow and scrape before Serena?

Howard shot her a look.

"She earned it. Serena's been by Hugh's side this whole time, showing her face and building her status. Everyone knows who she is now. The Larson family cares about image. They won't touch someone like her who's so publicly recognized."

He jabbed a finger toward her and continued, "How about you? You got in through the most shameful way possible. You're already starting off at a disadvantage.

"If you don't keep your head down and behave in the Larson family, and if you still dare to offend your future mother-in-law, how do you think your days will go?

"Learn from your mother. Learn how to act like a proper lady of the house. This wild, screechy, undisciplined attitude... What part of that will the Larsons accept?" Sarah was pushed to the edge. Tears sprang up, and she started wailing again, completely losing it.

No matter how Rachel tried to console her, it was no use.

Howard couldn't deal with Sarah anymore. Worried the stress would affect Rachel's pregnancy, he helped his wife out into the hallway for some air.

Rachel's face was pale. "Howard, I need to sit down."

"Of course!" Howard was alarmed and quickly helped her sit on the bench by the hallway. "She's getting more and more out of hand. Our son must never turn out like this. It would be disgraceful!"

At the mention of that, Rachel's expression softened. She gently caressed her belly.

"Of course not. Sarah's a girl, so naturally, I've spoiled her a bit. Let her future in- laws deal with that.

"I'll raise the baby in my belly to be the rightful heir of the Jansen family. He'll be calm and dependable. That's our future."

"Good. We'll raise him right," Howard said gently, pulling her into a warm embrace.

The two sat cuddled on the bench, locked in their little world. Neither of them noticed that the hospital room door had cracked open just a sliver.

Inside, Sarah stood frozen. She'd heard every word.noveldrama

She had actually calmed down earlier, worried that she'd overreacted and might've upset her mother. She'd wanted to come out and apologize.

She didn't expect that her mother was just like her father. They both favored sons over daughters.

Because she was a daughter, they let her act wild, allowed her to be spoiled and in the end, were even willing to let her suffer under Melissa and Eric. They never planned to protect her from the Larson family.

As for her unborn sibling? He wasn't even alive yet, but he was already being

hailed as the Jansen family's future heir.

All this time, she thought her mother was rushing to have a son to help secure Sarah's position against Serena, to defend their claim to the family's fortune.

But now, she saw it clearly.

Her mother only cared about protecting herself. The baby boy wasn't for Sarah's

sake. It was to lock in Rachel's own place as the lady of the house.

She had never thought about Sarah's situation.

"Brother? What brother?" Sarah muttered bitterly, her voice low and venomous. "I hope he never gets

born I'd rather have the whole Jansen Group to myself!"

She bit her lip, her eyes brimming with tears again.

She was all alone now. Even her mother couldn't be counted on anymore.

Her chest ached with helplessness and resentment. But slowly, bit by bit, she forced herself to calm down.

So what if she didn't have her mother? She'd make her own way in the Larson family. She'd fight her way into power-on her own terms.

Half an hour later, Hugh arrived at the hospital.