The next afternoon, Shirley Thorne met Meredith Rowan in the small garden as planned, each of them wearing a professional smile.
Meredith Rowan's smile was strained. After getting the call yesterday, she had spent a long time practicing in front of the mirror just so she would appear somewhat amicable today.
Otherwise, what Shirley Thorne would have seen today would have been a monstrous, greedy face radiating hostility.
Last night, Meredith Rowan had appeared to be persuading Susan Langley, but in reality, she was also persuading herself.
'In the face of the final plan, any sacrifice was worth it. All this property would find its way back to her, sooner or later.'
With this in mind, Meredith Rowan gracefully picked up a piece of cake. "Shirley, have a piece," she said with a smile.
"Thank you, Aunt Rowan."
