Twenty nine

"What?"

Joanna's face was ashen at her grandmother's threat. It wasn't something unbelievable but she was shocked at the moment.

Everyone turned to look at her, and Alison burst out laughing. "Oh wow, Grandma, that is so smart of you! She wouldn't be able to pull it off!"

"And it will be like killing two birds with one stone!" William added and began praising his grandma by applauding her.

Joanna shook her head, finding it unacceptable. "Grandma, you can't do that! You can't use that to trap me when you know that dealing with Danforth will be impossible for me! How could you do this?!"

Furious, Madame Emma said, "I do what I want, Joanna!! You want to be part of this family, then you follow my rules, do you understand?!"

Joanna let out a shaky breath, and a sob escaped her. Her eyes were also becoming glossy as she tried so hard to withhold the tears threatening to escape from her eyes.

Then James said, "It wouldn't be too much of a big deal, right? The way you succeeded in getting a c