Chapter 317
A strange feeling stirred in Stanley’s chest. He wanted to say something, but before he could, his palm was suddenly empty–Wendy had already withdrawn her hand.
She was quickly surrounded by a group of young elites, all bright minds of their generation.
Among them was a man named Lucas Norris, a fellow Harfield graduate who had now made a name for himself as a rising star in the tech industry, the young CEO of a publicly
traded company.
Lucas looked at Wendy’s breathtakingly beautiful face and smiled. “Wendy, I’m curious— what’s your relationship status?”
Stanley’s gaze remained fixed on Wendy as he watched her raise a delicate brow. Then, she answered in just three simple words.
“Single and available.”
Single and available.
Those words made Lucas‘ eyes light up. Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone. “Wendy, since we’re alumni, why don’t we add each other as friends on Facebook?”
Wendy nodded. “Sure, Lucas.”
And just like that, they exchanged contacts.
Stanley stood off to the side, watching. Suddenly, a memory surfaced–Wendy had rejected his friend request before.
And yet, she would add someone else as a friend.
She called Lucas by his first name, so casually, so warmly.
Yet, she only ever addressed him as “Mr. Hawk“. She rarely called him by his first name.
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A hollow feeling crept into Stanley’s chest, as if something important had slipped through
his fingers.
“Wendy!”
A sudden voice broke through the chatter.
Edith, Jessica, Trish, and Lilian had arrived, but they couldn’t get close. Wendy was in the VIP section, a space they had no right to enter.
A staff member stepped forward, blocking their way. “Excuse me. You’re not allowed beyond this point.”
Edith, however, wasn’t about to back down. Looking up at Wendy, she raised her voice, her tone urgent. “I need to see Wendy! I’m her grandmother!”
Never in Edith’s wildest dreams had she imagined that the girl she had always considered the disgrace of the Crone family would turn out to be a genius. Now, she couldn’t wait to claim Wendy.
Hearing the commotion, Wendy turned her head.
The staff member immediately approached her with the utmost respect. “Ms. Crone, these women say they’re here for you. This lady claims to be your grandmother.”
Edith forced a smile. “Darling, it’s me–your grandmother!”
Darling?
This was the first time Edith had ever addressed Wendy like that. The irony of it made her laugh. “Grandmother? If I’m not mistaken, didn’t we sever ties about an hour ago?”
Edith froze.
Wendy’s gaze swept past her and landed on Natalie and Trish. Natalie looked extremely uncomfortable, while Trish–who was always so proud–seemed to have lost all her arrogance, standing there in a daze.
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Behind them, Lilian and Jessica watched darkly, their expressions twisted with resentment and jealousy.
Natalie tried to smooth things over. “Wendy, your grandma was just speaking out of anger before. We’re still family, no matter what.”
Wendy stood tall, exuding an air of quiet elegance. She blinked, her long lashes fluttering slightly as she looked at Edith. “So, are you saying you want to be my family again?”
Edith nodded eagerly. “Wendy, we’ve always been a family-”
“Too bad,” Wendy cut her off sharply, “I don’t want to be your family anymore.”
Edith stiffened.
Wendy’s clear, unwavering gaze swept over the people before her. They had hurt her deeply, their cruelty leaving wounds that had once ached unbearably. But now, all that
remained was an icy detachment.
“I was abandoned by you all since I was a child,” she said calmly. “Other people had grandmothers and mothers—a family. But I felt like an orphan. Just like you said before-
we’ve already severed ties. And this time, it’s my turn to turn my back on you.”
With that, she turned to the staff beside her.
“I don’t know them. Please escort them out.”
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