Kathryn handed ice cubes to Holden, asking him to return to the room and apply them to his face. He took the cubes and headed upstairs. In the hall, only Matriarch Farrell and Kathryn remained. Kathryn sat down beside Matriarch Farrell, offering comfort: “Mom, my dad realizes he was wrong. He won’t dare to repeat that in the future, so please don’t feel upset.” Matriarch Farrell sighed and replied, “Your dad is quite displeased with me. He fears my strength and methods, which is why he holds back. To outsiders, we appear to be a loving couple, but I know the truth of our situation.” Kathryn asked, “Mom, if you understand this, why do you still choose to live with Dad?” After a moment of silence, Matriarch Farrell explained, “Your dad is unpredictable, lacking a clear future, yet his family relies on the Farrell family for support. He has to think about the future of his Janzen family.” Kathryn responded, “Mom, you and your siblings should consider your own future as well. As long as he doesn’t make any major mistakes, you won’t divorce him.” Matriarch Farrell stated, “I believe that if you cut off his financial support, even if he has bad intentions, he won’t have the means to act. He neglects your brother, and they will respect him less.” Kathryn countered, “Mom, now you’ve warned my three brothers; they won’t dare to show my dad respect moving forward. This will only make him more dissatisfied with you.” Matriarch Farrell replied, “So what? The day he chose to pursue wealth and status as a member of the Farrell family, he should have been prepared for this. In our family, he cannot even dream of being in charge. Kathryn, when you choose a son-in-law in the future, it’s better to select someone weak like your father, who has vulnerabilities. Don’t expect to find a powerful man.”

“Take Mr. Hayden Queen, for example. A man like him will never become a son-in-law to a woman from our Farrell family. A man like your father is easily controlled. He always hopes that his daughter will rise to power so that he can dominate her. Just wait. As long as I am alive, he will have no chance to take over. Before I leave this world, I will eliminate him first; I will never allow him to act as a father and dictate your life.” Kathryn suspected that the previous matriarch of the Farrell family had been killed by her own mother. Although she knew her mother was cruel and ruthless, hearing her say those words was still shocking.

“Mom, I’m not Shiloh. Dad can’t control me,” Kathryn replied. Matriarch Farrell regarded her daughter for a moment before suddenly smiling. “That’s right. You carry my blood, so you’re not easily manipulated. I believe I can live another ten years without any issues. By then, your father may be dead. Even if I’m still alive, I’ll be old and frail, unable to do anything.”

“Mom, please don’t be sad. You already know what kind of person Dad is. It’s not worth sacrificing your health for someone like him,” Kathryn reassured Matriarch Farrell. “How about I take you for a walk, Mom?”

Matriarch Farrell took a few deep breaths and replied, “No, I’m feeling tired and would prefer some solitude. You can go back to your work; I just need some quiet time.”

Kathryn said, “I’ll return to the company tomorrow. Mom, I’m worried about you in this state.” Matriarch Farrell looked at Kathryn, raised her hand, and gently touched her face. Her sharp gaze softened slightly as she said, “Kathryn, I may be a failure. I’m not a good mother or a good wife. As matriarch, I haven’t been able to restore the Farrell family to its former glory; it’s worse now than when my sister was here.”

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Matriarch Farrell suddenly felt that this might be her retribution. In the past, she had frantically plotted to harm her eldest sister’s family, leading to the death of her younger sister as well. Although she didn’t directly kill her sisters, she orchestrated their deaths. Kathryn remained silent, unsure of how to respond. Withdrawing her hand from Kathryn’s face, Matriarch Farrell abruptly said, “Kathryn, since you’re not returning to the company, I need you to do something for me. Go to the Fortress Hotel, find Kevin, and ask him to delete the CCTV footage from the hotel. Your dad booked a room with that woman.”