At that moment, a middle-aged man raised his voice with a chilling tone, “This boy’s family is truly overstepping and taking advantage of others. You’re already carrying their grandchild, yet they refuse to provide any dowry at all. Don’t they fear that you might consider aborting the baby?”


    A young man responded, “Why would the Carson family be concerned? They actually hope my sister will terminate the pregnancy. They look down on her and believe she isn’t worthy of marrying into their family.”


    He continued, “Sister, why are you so fixated on marrying that Carson guy? His entire family is despicable! Just ask around in ourmunity if you can find any girls who didn’t receive a dowry from their inws at their weddings. My good friend Samuel’s sister married an ordinary man from the neighboring county, and his family gave a dowry of two hundred eighty thousand dors. Samuel has already put down a deposit on a house using that money. His sister even gifted him fifty thousand dors for renovations. If you go through with marrying that Carson man, what will happen to me in the future?”


    “Exactly! It’s one thing if you don’t care about your own choices, but what about your brother? He’s already twenty-two; it’s time for him to find a partner! Don’t you realize how picky girls are these days? Without a house ready for them after marriage, what girl would want to start a family with him?”


    At this point, a woman chimed in with a hurt tone, “Steve and I truly love each other. I’m with him for reasons beyond just money!”<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    “True love?” The middle-aged woman scoffed, then spoke firmly, “Don’t kid yourself! If that Carson brat genuinely loved you, he wouldn’t treat you like this. He won’t give you a single penny, refuses to provide a dowry, and he isn’t evening to pick you up on your wedding day! Does he expect you to travel miles just to attend your own wedding? Is that how a decent man behaves?”


    The young man shouted, “The Carson family looks down on us! They think our family is beneath them, which is why they don’t take us seriously. Not picking up his bride on the wedding day? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”


    He added, “Sister, if you’re really going to be so stubborn and marry him today, our family will lose face in Levy County!”


    The woman replied defiantly, “Stop trying to change my mind. My decision is final. I’ll get married today, even if I have to take a cab!”


    She continued, “Steve isn’t as terrible as you im. He can’t go against his mother’s wishes—she has the final say in their family. He initially wanted to pay the dowry, but she refused. Steve has promised that once we’re married, our finances will be separate from his mother’s, and he’ll save up enough to give us three hundred thousand dors for a house for my brother!”


    “What? You want us to wait another two years?” the middle-aged woman scolded. “Your brother is already twenty-two! If we wait, he’ll be twenty-four! We want to hold our grandson next year, not push everything back two years just because of him!”


    “Besides, I don’t believe anything Steve says. He promises money in two years, but what if he changes his mind? By then, you’d be married with a child—who would you be then? How will your father and I buy a house for your brother?”


    The young woman responded, “Mom, I’ve been with Steve for a few years. I know him well. When he makes a promise, he keeps it.”


    “Forget that Steve!” the middle-aged woman snapped. “Isabe Stark, our family will not allow you to marry that Steve Carson today! If you consider us your family, you’ll abort the baby and break up with that Carson guy for good. If you dare leave this house today, we will cut all ties with you! You’ll be on your own!”


    The middle-aged man coldly added, “You’ve heard your mother. Her words reflect the thoughts of your brother and me. You can choose to leave this house, but if you do, you won’t be wee back!”


    With tears in her eyes, Isabe pleaded, “Dad, Mom, Jon, do you really have to push me into a corner? Even if you don’t care about me, shouldn’t you have somepassion for the baby I’m carrying?”


    Jon replied, “Sister, do you really feel that much maternal love? You’re only two months pregnant—how can that even be considered a baby? It’s just a fertilized egg in your belly at most!”


    ire sighed, having heard these words, and remarked, “It seems that family doesn’t want her to get married today…”


    Charlie nodded slightly, observing, “It’s clear. Her brother is just waiting for her dowry to buy a house. To him, she’s merely a source of money. Why would he let her leave without anything?”<fn1b96> This text is hosted at fι?dnοvel</fn1b96>