At that moment, just as Nikki was about to say something meaningful in response to David's words about putting the past behind them, when all of a sudden and without any warning, the main door to the restaurant was pushed open forcefully with a dramatic flourish. Her mother and her two brothers literally entered the restaurant in high spirits, laughing and talking excitedly among themselves as they carried numerous shopping bags in their arms. The bags were clearly from high-end boutiques and luxury stores, their distinctive logos and elegant packaging immediately recognizable even from across the room. And without even being told or needing to examine the contents closely, Nikki could immediately tell just from the sheer number and quality of those shopping bags that they carried expensive clothes inside, probably luxurious designer clothes, premium shoes, and high-end bags, because the quantity was simply staggering. There must have been at least a dozen bags between the three o

Immediately upon hearing her brothers' shameless display of sycophantic behavior and their obvious attempt to ingratiate themselves with the mayor's son at her expense, that was when Nikki's face flushed red with anger and embarrassment. She then told her brothers with barely controlled fury in her voice, “You two should shut up right now! You should shut up your mouths immediately and stop embarrassing yourselves and this family!” Her voice rose with each word as her frustration boiled over. “I don't want to hear any more foolish words from either of you again, not one more syllable of this disgusting brown-nosing and groveling for expensive gifts!” She was practically shaking with rage as she continued, “I am not going to literally fold my hands and sit here quietly while I condone any more useless, shameful words from anybody in this family, and that includes both of you greedy, spineless cowards! This is the absolute height of it all, the pinnacle of humiliation and disgr

Then immediately, with her face flushed red with anger and her entire body trembling with rage at her daughter's defiance and disrespect, Nikki's mother drew herself up to her full height and said with absolute authority and finality in her voice, “This should be the very first and last time that you will dare to talk back or interrupt when I am speaking to someone in this establishment! This will be the very first and last time that you will show such blatant disrespect to anybody that comes here with genuine intentions and generosity, especially someone of Louis's caliber and status!” Her voice carried the weight of years of frustration and disappointment as she continued, “I am not going to tolerate that kind of disrespect and insubordination again from you or anyone else in this family! I am still the mother in this household, and my word carries weight and authority that will not be questioned or undermined!” Nikki's mother's eyes blazed with fury as she looked around the resta

At that moment, hearing David's articulate and heartfelt speech, and especially his admission of not having romantic feelings for Nikki combined with his audacious advice about how she should handle her daughter's future, immediately Nikki's mother felt her anger flare to new heights. She then told David with barely controlled fury, "Keep your mouth shut right now! Just stop talking immediately!” Her finger pointed accusingly at him as she continued her attack. “What a smooth-talking manipulator you are! Look at how you're trying to literally paint everything as if you weren't interested in my daughter from the beginning, as if you're some kind of noble, selfless friend who just wants what's best for her!” Nikki's mother's voice rose with indignant disbelief as she continued, “You're claiming you weren't pursuing her romantically from the very beginning, that your intentions were pure and innocent! But I can see right through your act!” She shook her head with bitter amusement as

At that moment, upon hearing what the mayor's son Louis had just said about his family's powerful connections to the best hospitals and medical specialists in the entire country, and his ability to get her husband admitted with just one simple phone call, that was when Nikki's mother's face immediately lit up with excitement and renewed hope. She turned to the mayor's son with a smile full of gratitude and appreciation spreading across her features, and she said eagerly, “Yes, Mr.Louis! You can absolutely do this for us! You should definitely do it right away without any delay!” Her voice grew more animated and persuasive as she continued, gesturing enthusiastically with her hands, “Everybody with any common sense knows that getting him into one of those prestigious hospitals with your family's connections is going to be the absolute best possible option for my husband's condition! It's the only realistic chance he has at any kind of improvement or quality care!” She spoke with gen