"Excuse me, could you two please make some room?

" As I approached, I uttered those words quite naturally., Conrad didn't budge, his gaze fixed on me, while Haley gave me a look before silently stepping aside to clear the way., As I passed by, I noticed Haley clutching onto Conrad as if fearing he might be lured away by me.,

"Come on in, Felicia, let's dig in,

" Jacqueline greeted me warmly as soon as I entered., I took a seat and feigned ignorance,

"Jacqueline, how come it's just the two of us now?

",

"Well, it was always just us girls. Some people just can't take a hint and insist on sticking around,

" Jacqueline's disdain for Haley, extending even to her own son, was unmistakably clear., I chuckled,

"Jacqueline, you know that attitude might make things awkward between mother and son.

", I wasn't trying to play the saint here, but since Herschel and Jacqueline were so fond of me, I genuinely hoped for harmony in their family.,

"He brought it upon himself,

" Jacqueline stated, showing no signs of compromise., I had offered my piece of advice; the rest was beyond my control. So, I decided to let it be and focused on enjoying the delicious meal before me.,

"Why did it take you so long just to use the restroom?

" Jacqueline inquired.,

"Ran into Ernest,

" I replied truthfully., Jacqueline paused for a moment, then teased,

"What, was he afraid someone would whisk you away?

",

"No, he was here for dinner with his boss,

" I explained without going into too much detail., Jacqueline spun the lazy Susan, bringing the tastiest dishes closer to me,

"Felicia, Ernest is a good man, both in character and appearance. Herschel and I would be at ease if you were with him. But, well...

" Jacqueline trailed off, leaving her sentence hanging. I understood her implication,

"You're concerned about his family background, aren't you, Jacqueline?

",

"Yes, dear. Herschel and I worry about you facing hardships. Life can be extremely tough without financial stability or a strong family background,

" Jacqueline sighed, her words stemming from a place of experience., The Wagner Group wasn't an age-old enterprise but rather something she and Herschel had built from scratch., They had faced numerous challenges during their early days of entrepreneurship, enduring hardships they seldom spoke of, but Conrad had shared some of their struggles with me., He told me about a time before their business took off when the family of five, including his grandmother, relied solely on his father's income. They lived in a cramped two-bedroom house, with financial difficulties being a constant., Jacqueline eventually joined Herschel in working outside to make ends meet, both enduring their fair share of hardships., These memories crossed my mind as I responded,

"Jacqueline, were you and Herschel also struggling a lot before starting the Wagner Group?

",

"Indeed, it was a tough time, one I'd rather not reminisce about,

" Jacqueline said, shaking her head., People often talk about remembering the hardships to appreciate the present, but some struggles are too painful to look back on., I looked at her, asking,

"Jacqueline, did you and Herschel decide to start your own business when things got really tough?

",

"Yes, but it was also about seizing an opportunity,

" Jacqueline replied with a soft smile.,

"Exactly, opportunity. My parents came to Seabreeze City with the same dream of starting their own venture, but unfortunately...

" My voice trailed off., Hearing this, Jacqueline quickly reassured me,

"Let's not dwell on the past, dear. What's done is done. We need to focus on the future.

", Yet, I shook my head.

"Jacqueline, were you at the scene of my parents' accident? Was it a vehicle malfunction or a collision with another car?

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