Chapter 57
As soon as Wendy stepped through the door, no one bothered to greet her. She stood quietly to the side, feeling completely out of place amidst the lively atmosphere.
Lilian’s voice broke the silence. “Wendy, you’re back.”
Everyone turned their attention toward her, their eyes locking onto Wendy in unison.
Edith’s smile immediately vanished. A look of disdain crossed her face. “Why is Wendy back?”
Lilian chuckled lightly. “Mom, it’s your birthday today. I asked Wendy to come.”
Edith’s tone soured. “I don’t need her here. Look at Trish and Jessica–how impressive they are! And then look at Wendy. She’s just a country bumpkin with no standing. She can’t even hold her own in a room like this. She’s nothing but a disgrace at my birthday celebration!”
It was clear Edith had no love for Wendy.
Tonight, Jessica and Trish had both done their makeup to perfection, competing to outshine each other. They cast a condescending glance at Wendy before sweetly addressing Edith.
“Grandma, it’s fine. Wendy’s back, after all. She’s your granddaughter. You can’t just kick her out, can you?” Jessica said.
“Grandma, today’s your special day. Don’t let something like this ruin it,” Trish added with a smile.
Edith returned the smile, though it was a little colder. “I’m more than happy with you two as my granddaughters.”
The unspoken message was clear–Edith didn’t consider Wendy her granddaughter at all.
Wendy felt a cold chill settle in her chest. The Crone family had once been in the depths of poverty. It was her father, Jerry, who had built their fortune from the ground up.
After Jerry became wealthy, he sent Harry to school, making Harry the first in the family to attend university. He had also helped Archer start a steel business, turning him into a powerful businessman.
But after Jerry passed, these people didn’t mourn his loss. Instead, they divided up all of his assets, draining everything they could from his legacy.
They had been feeding off Jerry’s blood.
And Edith? She was the most calculating of them all. She gravitated toward whoever could bring glory to the Crone family.
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Chapter ba
+25 Bonus
Crone family’s status had risen even higher. They could barely imagine how glorious it would be when Stanley became their son–in–law.
Surrounded by admiration, Jessica felt like she had reached the pinnacle of her life. Stanley, the kind of man who could satisfy every woman’s vanity, was everything she had ever
dreamed of.
She gazed at him, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
Stanley, his gaze soft, looked down at her for a moment, his expression gentle.
Wendy, holding her glass, observed them from the edge of the room. Stanley and Jessica stood at the center, bathed in the glow of the lights as they basked in the attention of everyone around them. This was the supreme honor that Stanley had bestowed upon Jessica.
When Stanley pampered a woman, it was clear he did so completely.
Wendy’s thoughts drifted back to years ago, to that time in the cave when Stanley had held her close and said, “I’ll take you out of here. I want you around.”
To this day, she couldn’t understand why the man who had once wanted her had then turned his back on her.
Her shoulders sagged, her heart heavy. With a quiet sigh, she turned and walked away.
Just then, Stanley looked up. His gaze followed her as she made her way out of the room, her figure disappearing into the crowd.
A few of the executives followed his gaze and saw Wendy’s retreating form. “Mr. Hawk, do you know that girl?”
Jessica’s heart skipped a beat. Not her again–Wendy!
Stanley’s voice, calm and distant, broke through the tension. “I don’t know her.”
He said he didn’t know her.
Jessica’s heart lifted, her anxiety evaporating. Of course, Stanley didn’t care about someone like Wendy–she was just a country girl who couldn’t even hold his attention.
She glanced at Lilian, who gave her a subtle nod. The performance Lilian had been preparing for the night was just getting started.
Wendy carried the glass to the kitchen, but before she could leave, a maid called to her.
“Hurry up! Take this bowl of chicken soup to the room. Mrs. Lilian wants it later.”
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