Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

Chapter 151

“Listen, you better not believe for a second that I won’t lay a linger on you. You think I’d let you get

away with spouting such nonsense? Sherri felt the hollowness of her words as she spoke.

The Landor family was now caught in a comical chase, a scene straight out of a slapstick comedy.

With a stick in hand, Juana chased after Sherri, who frantically lifted her skirt and darted around the

living room. Juana swung the stick fiercely, desperately trying to land a stack on Sherri’s backside.

Sherri swiftly leaped onto the sofa, narrowly escaping the imminent strike Juana stood there, her arms

crossed, seething with anger. “Sherri, have you no respect’ Do you think you can fool your mother?

Please don’t underestimate me! I’ll teach you a lesson!”

The burning fury within Juana intensified her accusations. “Every day. I pour my heart and soul into

caring for your child, and how do you repay me By playing your foolish games, treating me like a circus

act! I always wondered why Ruby didn’t resemble Natalie, and now it’s clear It’s because she’s your

flesh and blood! Sherri, you’ve truly mastered the art of manipulation, setting traps for your mother!

Sherri, fully aware of her wrongdoing, knew she couldn’t stand her ground. She mustered the courage

to address Juana, though her confidence wavered Juana, can we please have a civilized discussion? I

need to explain myself. Chasing me around for half an hour won’t resolve anything Let’s put an end to

this endless cycle of hostility. Ruby is watching us, after

all

Juana took a moment to catch her breath, the half-hour pursuit leaving her slightly winded. Her gaze

flickered toward Ruby, who watched the scene unfold with unwavering attention.

Softening her tone, Juana uncrossed her arms and approached the sofa. With a tired sigh, she

discarded the stick, extending a pointed finger toward Sherri. “Come here and sit on the sofa. Let’s

have a proper conversation about your extraordinary abilities”

Sherri hesitated briefly before cautiously taking a seat across from Juana, keeping a safe distance

between them. She trembled slightly, her eyes fixed on Juana, aware that a wrong word might result in

another outburst. Straightening her disheveled skirt, she initiated the discussion Tve said it before. You

can’t resort to violence anymore.”

Still catching her breath and on the verge of scolding, Juana was interrupted when Ruby suddenly ran

over and nestled. beside her Ruby’s your was sweet and innocent as she spoke “Grandma, hold me.”

Without hesitation. Juana lifted Ruby onto her lap, carefully studying the child’s features once again.

While there were some resemblances to Sherri in the eyes and mouth, the rest of Ruby’s appearance

was unique.

Juana spent little time getting to the heart of the matter. “Ruby doesn’t look like you. Who’s her father?”

The matriarch believed a child resembling their father was a special blessing, and Ruby’s features

spoke volumes. It seemed that the child’s father was an attractive man as well.

Sherri couldn’t help but think. “Well, there it is. The first thing Juana asks after discovering is about the

father’s identity as if it’s a soul-searching inquiry before even discussing how it all happened”

Sherri had contemplated whether to deceive Juana when the question eventually arose. But after

careful consideration, she had decided that the truth couldn’t be concealed Hackett already knew the

truth, and it was only a matter of time before Juana discovered who Ruby’s father was. The secret

couldn’t be kept forever.

It Sherri persisted in concealing the truth from Juana, she knew all too well that she would eventually

face the repercussions of Juana’s wrath.

Summoning her courage, Sherri lowered her gaze, her voice barely a whisper, “Hackett…”

The room fell into an eerie silence, seemingly frozen in the living room. Juana was left speechless, a

whirlwind of emotions washing over her

Her face displayed a mix of surprise, delight, and confusion intertwined within ber

After a momentary pause, Juana regained her composure and inquired with disbelief. “You didn’t even

like Hackett when you went on that blind date two years ago. How did things… end up like this? How

did we come to have a child?”

Sherri sighed, bracing herself to recount the story. “Juana, I’ll spare you the unnecessary details, but let

me summarize the story behind Ruby’s arrival…”

Cutting through any unnecessary details, Juana interrupted firmly. She had no time for digressions and

wanted the straightforward truth. “Get to the point and spare me the fluff.”

“Alright. here’s the gist of it. Two years ago, I accompanied Natalie to Elena’s birthday banquet. Now,

you know Elena, she is the wife of Harry I want to clarify that we didn’t willingly attend the event. They

used Natalie’s late mother’s belongings as leverage, threatening to destroy them if Natalie refused to

go. Concerned for her safety. I went with her. That night, Mia’s accomplice drugged me, and Hackett

drove me home.. and, well…” Sherri trailed off, her words trailing into silence, leaving it to Juana’s

umagination to fill in the gaps.

With her knowledge of the Foster family. Juana held nothing but contempt for their actions. She had

little regard for those who lacked moral boundaries, especially individuals involved in extramarital

affairs. Her sympathy lay with Daisy,

understanding the emotional weight of reclaiming Natalie’s late mother’s belongings

Juana didn’t approve of Harry’s behavior either Neglecting his daughter whale favoring the child born

from an affair was both perplexing and infuriating to her. She couldn’t fathom the rationale behind has

choices and found them nonsensical.

Unbeknownst to Juana, the person she was criticizing. Nympho, was, in fact, Harry’s biological

daughter. She had mentally berated Harry countless times for his actions, unable to comprehend his

decisions.

“Why didn’t you call Edward instead What’s the purpose of contacting Hackett?” Juana queried, not out

of personal disdain for Hackett but because she was a conservative woman. She believed that having

a child without being engaged wasn’t socially acceptable Moreover, her primary concern was that

neither Sherri nor Hackett seemed fully aware of the circumstances surrounding their relationship.

Sherri felt an overwhelming sense of frustration as she broached the subject of the phone call. Little did

she know that she had dialed Hackett’s number instead of Edward’s. It was a twist of fate that rendered

any explanation futile. “Juana, that’s not the crux of the matter The important thing is that Ruby is my

biological daughter, and Hackett is her father. However, I have no desire to be with him. We clash like

fire and ice, unable to find common ground.”

Juana was taken aback. Wasn’t Sherri involved in a romantic relationship with Hackett? How could

things have turned sour when they couldn’t stand each other? “Wait a moment. Are you telling me you

no longer want to be with him? Did you two have a falling out or break up?”

Now, Sherri was utterly bewildered. When did she ever date Hackett? It hadn’t even crossed her mind,

not even in her wildest dreams. “When did I ever get together with him? He only recently found out

about our child.”

“So you’ve never been together?” Juana couldn’t fathom it and sought clarification. Yet, Joy had

explicitly mentioned their relationship What was the truth behind this puzzling situation?

Sherri was confused. How did Juana believe that she and Hackett were in a relationship? Juana, who

told you that Hackett and I were together? We have never been in a relationship, not two years ago,

not now.”

Juana remaned silent for a moment, trying to comprehend the situation. What were young people up to

these days?

“But Joy mentioned that Hackett told her you were his girlfriend. If you weren’t together, why would he

say that? Was he pursuing you before or after he found out about the child? Juana’s concern grew,

hoping that Hackett’s intentions were genuine and not solely driven by the child’s presence. She

wanted their relationship to be founded on sincerity.

Sherri took a moment to reflect, realizing that Hackett wasn’t aware of Ruby being his daughter when

he began sending her flowers. Then, with a touch of certainty, she replied, “He learned about the child

before he knew it was his.” Nodding thoughtfully, Juana felt a sense of relief. “Does Edward know about

all this?”

“He’s aware”

Juana fell silent, her realization sinking in. So, she was the only one left in the dark, and it didn’t sit well

with her.

“Does Richard know?” Her voice laced with a hint of menace. She clearly expected everyone to be on

the same page, and if she were the only one unaware, there would be consequences.

Sherri responded truthfully, “No, he doesn’t know Only Edward is aware, but Edward doesn’t know who

the father is.”

Juana felt a wave of conflicting emotions but managed to find some equilibrium. She had always

maintained a conservative mindset and had spent time with Ruby She had already developed a deep

attachment to her. Discovering that Ruby had a biological father stirred her emotions, but she remained

relatively composed. The question that lingered in her mind was how to approach Joy. Did she already

know the truth?

Juana shot Sherri a sharp look, her eyes filled with discontent and frustration. “Call Edward. He’s been

away for so long

without a single phone call”

“Alright,” she responded obediently before dialing Edward’s number.

The phone rang persistently before it was finally answered. “What’s up? Why’d it take you so long to

pick up?”

Edward’s voice was noticeably absent from the other end. Instead, a doctor asked, “How are you

feeling today?”

Still devoid of Edward’s voice, the doctor’s words persisted. “You need to be careful with your leg, avoid

any sudden. movements, and try to stay in bed. Rest is crucial.”

Sherri’s brows furrowed upon hearing this. Her immediate thought was that something was wrong with

Edward. With his profession as a doctor, she understood the implications behind the doctor’s advice. It

wasn’t a question. It was a statement when she said, “Edward, you’re at the hospital, aren’t you?”

Realizing the truth, Juana’s gaze toward Ruby shifted. She had been teaching Ruby to call her

grandmother,” but when Sherri mentioned that Edward was in the hospital, her face turned paler. She

motioned for Sherri to put the call on speakerphone.

Sherri complied and placed the phone on the table, activating the speakerphone. “Hey, Edward, are

you there?”

This time, Edward’s warm voice came through. “Yeah, I’m here. Just visiting a friend who got injured.

What’s going on?”

Juana, feeling a sense of urgency, her heart pounding, her voice trembling, said, “Edward, are you

okay? Don’t try to hide anything from your mom.”

A chuckle escaped from the other end of the line. “Juana, why would you think that? I’m wonderful. I’m

just visiting a friend who got hurt. No need to worry I’ll be back at the office soon.”

Juana’s heart eased a bit upon hearing Edward’s reassuring words. His tone didn’t sound like he was

unwell. “Alright, take care of yourself. Don’t overwork and come home as soon as you’re done”

After exchanging a few more words with Edward, Juana ended the call. Initially, she wanted to share

the news and express her frustration about being in the dark. However, when she heard the word

“hospital,” her mind went blank. Now she thought it would be best to wait until Edward returned before

discussing it further

As the phone call ended. Juana and Ruby remained engrossed in their playful antics on the couch.

Sherri sat beside them. her fingers dancing across the screen of her phone as she exchanged lively

text messages with Natalie. With her heart unburdened and her worries momentarily forgotten, a

radiant smile adorned Sherri’s face, exuding a sense of pure happiness and contentment

In a prestigis private hospital overseas. Kyle couldn’t resist playful gel at Edward after he ended the

phone call “Well look at you the

møor around easily for the nexi

three months with the