From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent

Thank God there was a police car behind her, or Rebecca would have collapsed in a heap on the ground.
How could this wretched old woman possibly be Mr. Christensen's grandmother?
Wasn't the Christensen family supposed to be bankrupt?
What on earth was happening?
She had to be dreaming. Yes, this had to be a dream!
Rebecca desperately tried to convince herself none of this was real, but every detail unfolding before her eyes was painfully
vivid.
Sherman helped steady Karen as she made her way to the door.
Karen yanked her arm free with an irritated huff. “I'm not some frail old lady who needs help walking! Keep your hands to
yourself!"
She wasn't old-not in her mind, anyway. She was still young, thank you very much!
Sherman gave up, clutching his crucifix and quietly following beside her.
Rebecca slumped against the side of the police car, trembling from head to toe, her face utterly drained of color.
Karen cast a deliberate look in Rebecca's direction, a sly smile curling at her lips.
It didn't take a genius to imagine how much Rebecca regretted her choices now. She'd thrown away a diamond for a handful of
pebbles.
Of course she regretted it.

Karen relished the sight of Rebecca's misery. The more devastated Rebecca felt, the more delighted Karen became.
She even considered buying a bottle of champagne to celebrate.
It was at that moment that clarity hit Rebecca like a blow.
The Christensen family hadn't gone bankrupt. It was all a lie.

Everything the rumors, the gossip-had been a test, a deliberate setup by the Christensens.
Mr. Christensen was the fifth son of the family!
And she was supposed to be his fiancée!
Recalling everything that had happened, Rebecca grew even paler, her lips bloodless, feeling worse than if she'd died and come
back.
What a fool she'd been!
She'd single-handedly destroyed her engagement to Mr. Christensen.
If only she hadn't insisted on breaking it off, she'd already be the lady of the Christensen family by now!
If she'd known Karen was Sherman's grandmother, she would have treated her like royalty!
At this point, Rebecca wanted nothing more than to go back in time and slap her old self senseless.
No, she couldn't give up!
Mr. Christensen was her fiancé.
He was hers, and no one else could take him away.
With that desperate thought, Rebecca scrambled after them, grabbing Karen's arm and sobbing "Grandma, I'm so sorry! Please
forgive me! I didn't realize, net

was doing. It wasn't on purpose! Please, give me another chance. I'll be good to you, I promise!"
Karen hadn't expected Rebecca to be so shameless. She stared in disbelief for a moment, then yanked her arm free with a
scowl. "Who are you calling grandma? Have you no shame?"
Rebecca tumbled to the ground but crawled forward and clung to Sherman's coat.
Sherman had anticipated this and stepped back, leaving Rebecca grasping at empty air.

"Mr. Christensen!" she cried, sprawled on the pavement, looking up at him with tearful eyes. “Mr. Christensen, I'm your fiancée!
You can't just abandon me! Our families arranged this engagement years ago. You can't go back on your word!" That's right-the
engagement had been set by their elders. No matter what happened, Sherman couldn't just cast her aside.
She couldn't let go of her claim to this marriage.
Sherman frowned ever so slightly.
He'd met all sorts of people in his life, but he'd never encountered anyone quite as shameless as Rebecca.
Even Karen was stunned into silence by Rebecca's nerve. She planted herself in front of Sherman, jabbing a finger at Rebecca
as she let loose:
"You gold-digging little snake! How do you have the nerve to call yourself Sherman's fiancée? Take a good look in the mirror-do
you really think you're worthy of him? When you looked down your nose at us before, did you ever imagine you'd be groveling
here now? Too late for regrets!"
Rebecca, sobbing uncontrollably, looked up at Karen. "Grandma, I know I was wrong! Please, forgive me! I never wanted to end
the engagement—it was all my parents' idea! They were the ones chasing after money, not me! It's their fault, not mine!"
Yes, it was all Daly and Sandra's fault. Those two idiots!
If they hadn't insisted on breaking off the engagement, she'd already be the lady
of the Christensen house.
Karen was at a loss for words. There was simply nothing left to say about
Rebecca's shamelessness.