Chapter 417 Things Get Difficult
“Those are the requirements that a virtuous and obedient daughter-in-law should have. Are my requests too much for you, Ms. Winters?” Kate asked with a graceful smile.
Anyone who would agree to those terms has got to be either a mindless puppet or a time-traveler from the ancient times! The corner of Tiffany’s lips twitched at the thought of that.
“Those are some very interesting requests, Mrs. Hisson. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can fulfill them,” she replied solemnly while looking straight at Kate.
The smile on Kate’s face slowly faded as she pressed on, “You claim to love Derrick, and yet you can’t even fulfill such simple requests?”
“Please put yourself in my shoes and ask yourself the same question, Mrs. Hisson. Would you be able to fulfill those requests you made earlier?” Tiffany asked, hurling that question right back at her.
“How insolent! Is this the kind of attitude you take with your elders?” Kate shouted with an incredibly stern look on her face.
Tiffany’s anger was boiling as well, but she suppressed it forcefully by repeatedly reminding herself that Kate was Derrick’s mother.
She then got to her feet and lowered her head as she said, “Please don’t be angry, Mrs. Hisson. I was just a little surprised by the requests you listed, that’s all. I apologize for my unpleasant tone earlier.”
Tiffany’s apology was so sincere that Kate found herself unable to lash out at her anymore.
“As expected of a freelance author. You sure have a way with words, Ms. Winters!” she remarked with a sarcastic smile.
“Thank you for the compliment,” Tiffany responded in kind.
Kate then turned toward Rosalind and said, “See that, Rosie? Derrick’s girlfriend is already talking back to me before they’re even married! I can only imagine the amount of disrespect she’d show me in the future!”
Rosalind arched an eyebrow at Derrick and said, “Derrick, I don’t mean to sound rude, but your girlfriend is being a little too audacious here. Then again, I suppose we can’t expect much out of a girl from an ordinary family.”
Tiffany maintained a smile on her face and tried her best to conceal her anger as she listened on.
Derrick held her hand to provide her with emotional support as he prepared to defend her.
“Aunt Rosalind, it’s true that Tiff isn’t like the other girls from wealthy families that have been educated on proper etiquette at a young age. However, she is an adorable, honest, kind-hearted, mature, caring, and considerate person. She has lots of great qualities that I love and appreciate. I am the luckiest man on earth to have her in my life. Sometimes, I ask myself if there is anything else apart from the material wealth that I can give her. Honestly, thinking about it has made me feel kind of inferior at times. Her pure heart has cleansed my soul that was on the brink of corruption,” he said affectionately while looking into her eyes.
Tiffany found her cheeks burning up as she wasn’t prepared for such a romantic confession from him. Although it caught her off guard, it filled her heart with a sweet sensation.
Kate and Rosalind, on the other hand, weren’t all too happy about that.
“I can see that you really love your girlfriend, but you shouldn’t spoil her to the point where she disrespects her elders. The Hisson family isn’t your average family, after all!” Rosalind said with a sneer.
Derrick shot her a glance as he replied, “I’ll keep that in mind, but Tiff is actually very cultured and well-behaved.”
Rosalind didn’t say anything further, and the discussion ended peacefully.
Tiffany seemed to be lost in thought as she stared blankly out the car window on the way home.
Derrick reached out to hold her hand and asked gently, “What’s on your mind?”
Having been snapped out of her daze, Tiffany turned toward him and asked with a faint smile, “Derrick, was my performance really terrible today?”
It would be a lie for Tiffany to say she wasn’t upset about the dislike she received from Derrick’s elders earlier. After all, relationships without blessings from family members were generally unhappy ones.
Derrick gave her a tap on the palm as he replied, “The Tiff I know wouldn’t be worrying about such trivial things.”
Tiffany let out a wry chuckle. “Of course, I’d be worried! I was so nervous about meeting your family that I barely slept at all last night! Despite my carefree act, I actually do want to gain your family’s approval. But, it looks like it’s game over now.”
Derrick gave her a pinch on the cheek. “Tiff, I’m really glad you’re making an effort to impress my family. Don’t worry; I’m here. We’ll work hard together so that they’ll accept you.”
Tiffany chuckled and went back to being her cheerful self again. “Yeah! Nearly getting jailed along with Amelia couldn’t take me down, so I’m pretty sure I can handle pleasing a few people in your family.”
Derrick stared at her affectionately. “Oh, you’re so loveable, silly girl!”
“Then, you’d better remember to love me well and never let go of my hand! Since your mom expects me to fulfill so many of her requests, I have three that you must fulfill as well.”
Derrick arched an eyebrow at her. “What are they?”
“Number one, you are not allowed to flirt around. Number two, you are not allowed to have mistresses. Number three, you are not allowed to do anything intimate with any woman in front of me.”
Had Derrick been drinking water at the time, he would’ve spat it all out on the spot.
“What on earth is going on in that head of yours, Tiff?”
“What do you mean? Were my requests strange? I don’t think they are. I can forgive any other wrongdoing my man commits. I’m willing to sleep on the streets with you if your company goes bankrupt because you just need a chance to rebuild everything. Even if you become a hideous and ugly man, I’d still be with you because I love you for who you are. However, I cannot allow my man to be desiring other women when he already has me. Amelia is capable of making compromises for the sake of love, but I can’t. Remember, I will not tolerate you cheating on me. This is all that I ask of you.”
My goodness… I can’t believe I’ve found such an interesting and adorable woman!
Derrick thought to himself as he asked with a smile, “Tiff, has anyone ever told you that you’re really adorable?”
“Yes, are you one?”
Derrick burst out laughing in response.
He looks ridiculously charming with a poker face on, but his smile gives off a comforting warmth like that of a spring breeze…
“You’re so pretty, Derrick!” Tiffany exclaimed.
The smile on his face vanished instantly as he shot her an unamused glare.
Tiffany raised her hands and said with an apologetic smile, “I’m sorry! It just slipped! It’s not my fault you look so da*n pretty!”
Derrick’s eyelid twitched slightly when he heard that.
Realizing that she had done it again, Tiffany quickly held her hands over her mouth.
Derrick burst out laughing once again. “Oh, you’re just way too adorable!” he said while gently running his hand through her hair.
Tiffany laughed along with him, but her heart was still feeling heavy as she had truly been intimidated by the wealth and power of the Hissons.
She wasn’t all that confident that she would be able to win their hearts over, especially that of her future mother-in-law, Kate.
Things were truly starting to get difficult for her.
