Despite still harboring feelings of upset over how she was treated five years ago, Andrea knew that Mrs. Anderson was still Pete's grandmother. She couldn't bring herself to be selfish and deny her son the chance to have a relationship with his grandmother.
"Mrs. Anderson, I cannot refer to you as my mother since I am not married to your son. I hope you can understand this. I'm unsure if I will remarry your son in the future, so please excuse me," Andrea stated firmly, not sugarcoating her words. She had no desire to continue the conversation with her former mother-in-law, who was behaving shamelessly.
Mrs. Anderson was taken aback. She never expected Andrea, who had always seemed meek and complimentary towards her, to speak to her in such a direct manner. She was left speechless until Andrea walked away.
"Mom, let's go," Benita finally spoke up, tugging at her mother's arm.
Mrs. Anderson blinked in confusion. She had assumed that Andrea would immediately show deference to her when she suggested that she should remarry her son. Andrea's rejection came as a complete shock to her.
"Benny, does Andrea still love your brother?" Mrs. Anderson turned to Benita and asked, her face etched with concern.
Andrea was the ideal daughter-in-law Mrs. Anderson had envisioned - beautiful and the owner of the Singers Group.
"Mom, I'm not sure," Benita finally replied, pressing her lips together firmly. She never anticipated that Andrea, who had been overweight and unattractive a few years ago, would return looking even more stunning and prosperous. It seemed like her brother now had little chance of winning her back.
Mrs. Anderson grew even more anxious. She quickly dialed her son's phone number, and when Valentine answered, she immediately said, "Son, promise me you'll do everything you can to rekindle your relationship with Andrea."
There was silence on the other end of the line. Mrs. Anderson glanced at the screen to make sure the call was still connected before continuing, "Son, I know I played a part in your divorce from Andrea, and for that, I am truly sorry. I hope you can win Andrea back and make her your wife again."
After introducing Rose Ferguson to Valentine a few years ago, Mrs. Anderson felt even guiltier toward her son when Rose abandoned him in the hospital.
"Thank you, Mom," Valentine Anderson finally said before ending the call.
After hanging up, Mrs. Anderson hesitated to leave, her gaze fixed on the supermarket. She longed to go in and try to convince Andrea to forgive her son.
"Mom, let's go," Benita urged, tugging at her arm, worried that her mother would upset Andrea if she went to find her.
Reluctantly, Mrs. Anderson relented and left the supermarket with Benita. Andrea was unaware of her former mother-in-law's thoughts, engrossed in selecting items from the shelves and placing them in her cart.
She enjoyed shopping alone, as it allowed her to discover fast-selling products and gather firsthand feedback from customers.
"Oh my God! You're Andrea Singers!" a voice suddenly exclaimed.
Andrea withdrew her attention from the item she had been about to pick up and turned to find a group of girls gazing at her with adoring eyes, like fans meeting a beloved celebrity.
Looking around, Andrea noticed that everyone in the vicinity was either staring in her direction or moving closer, seemingly drawn by the commotion. The sudden attention left her momentarily speechless.
"I'm Andrea Singers, nice to meet you," she said with a smile, responding to the unspoken question in the girls' eyes.
As soon as the words left her mouth, phones appeared in a flurry of hands, cameras clicking as they captured her image.
"She's so beautiful, it's no wonder President Valentine Anderson is completely smitten with her," someone murmured within earshot.
"Could I take a picture with you?" a girl with sparkling eyes asked, having recognized Andrea.
Andrea was taken aback. When had she become such a sensation? She hadn't been paying attention to her social media, or she would have seen her popularity skyrocketing to levels that would make even a B-list celebrity envious.
"Sure," Andrea replied, graciously agreeing to the request.
The selfie sparked a chain reaction, and soon many others were asking for their own photos with her. It wasn't long before the supermarket staff had to step in to manage the crowd.
The whole episode was giving Andrea a headache. If this was how things were going to be, she'd never be able to leave her house without a security detail.
Then, Valentine Anderson's voice echoed through the supermarket's speakers, amplifying his latest public declaration of love for her. "Hello everyone, I am Valentine Anderson. You might have heard this a hundred times by now, but I will never tire of saying it—Andrea Singers, I love you. Without you, my world feels bleak and desolate. You give my life meaning, you're the reason I hold on. My love for you is eternal, transcending time and space."
Andrea's expression soured. To her, Valentine Anderson was a relentless nuisance, and she knew she had to put an end to his overtures.
"You're so lucky, Mrs. Andrea Singers."
"I hope to be like you one day."
"Such a romantic confession."
Valentine's campaign of love was winning him admirers by the minute, and the surrounding crowd was clearly enamored with the idea of their romance.
Rolling her eyes, Andrea abandoned her shopping and made for the exit. However, her escape was thwarted by the sight of a live band set up outside, complete with a stage. As she emerged from the supermarket, the lead singer caught sight of her.
"Mrs. Andrea Singers, this song is dedicated to you," he announced, beginning to perform.
Andrea knew without a doubt who was behind the grand gesture. The band was the hottest group in Vegas City, and with their fans gathered around, she couldn't just walk away. Resigned, she stood and listened to their performance, inwardly cursing Valentine Anderson.
After the song concluded, Andrea smiled politely and said, "Thank you, but I'm in a hurry," before making her way to her car.
Once inside the safety of her vehicle, she took out her phone and dialed Valentine Anderson's number.
"Darling, are you calling to tell me how much you love me? There's no need; I already know you adore me," Valentine answered, his cheekiness only fueling Andrea's frustration.