Cecilia Adler overheard the entire conversation between the mother and daughter. She felt nothing but glee at May Sutton's predicament and said the most cutting thing she could think of: "Why don't you ask your dad to stay with you? What does your mom fainting have to do with me?"
'Besides, isn't it you, her ungrateful daughter, who made her faint from anger?'
'She's a high school graduate with a steady job.'
'She could find any number of promising young men.'
'But she just had to pick a lecherous brute.'
'What kind of decent young man would treat a girl like that before they were married?'
'Even if he does become successful in the future, it won't change the fact that his character is flawed.'
'My Ian is so much better. He's a perfect gentleman even though we're already registered to be married.'
'I wonder if he'll come over for a New Year's visit today?'
"Sister..." Vivian Lee's voice was choked with sobs. "Please, I beg you. I promise I'll never bother you again."
