LM
CHAPTERS 1381 - 1385
CHAPTER 1381
"Boohoo..."
Levi felt sorry for himself. Why did his mother like to pinch his ears? If his ears were damaged, where could she find a son as cute and considerate as him in this life?
“You brat, I'll disown you if you don‘t tell me the truth!" Angela wanted to use her authority as a mother to force Levi to surrender. However, she didn't expect Levi, who was usually talkative, to not say a word this time. He looked as if he wouldn't speak even if he were to be beaten to death, which made her grit her teeth in anger.
"Aunt Angela, do you really want to know what we were talking about?" Julien, who was standing by the side, suddenly spoke.
"Little Precious, are you willing to tell me?“ Angela let go of Levi and turned to look at Julien with a smile. "If you tell me, I promise that I'll treat you even better in the future."
“Aunt Angela, I can tell you but you have to promise me to keep it a secret." Julien was still young but he had a lot of schemes in his mind. Levi, too, knew that Julien must be up to no good.
"I promise you," Angela nodded vigorously. "Julien, I swear I will keep it to myself."
Julien replied flatly, "Okay."
"Tell me then! Quick!" Angela had always had an inquisitive mind. Seeing the kids secretly plotting something behind her back, her curiosity was aroused.
"Aunt Angela, I have another condition,“ Julien added.
Angela replied anxiously, “Just tell me what your conditions are. Don’t leave me hanging!"
"Aunt Angela, we are planning to do something to help with Andrew's illness. We hope you can join us."
"That’s great! Why are you being so secretive?" Angela asked in confusion.
Julien explained, "It would be great only if it is successful. Therefore, before we have no absolute certainty, this matter can't be known to others except the three of us."
"No problem, I give you my word. Hurry up and tell me what's going on. You're driving me nuts!"
Julien said again, "That's settled then. You will be in charge of the plan this time. Levi and I will cooperate with you to complete our task."
Upon hearing this, Levi finally knew what Julien was planning to do. It turned out that Julien was finding a scapegoat for both of them.
Over the years, Levi had frequently become Julien's scapegoat. Therefore, he was quite excited at the thought of his arrogant and unreasonable mother was about to follow in his footsteps.
"Alright, it's a deal then. I'll lead you two today." However, Angela still didn’t know what her job was. "What do we need to do now, little precious?"
"Aunt Angela, we just gave Sister Silvia a call and told her a little lie to try to lure her to Jiangbei. But we still don't know if she is coming or not," answered Julien.
"So you were just discussing how to lure Silvia here?" Angela pinched their faces. "Mm, you two are quite smart, huh? Since you are so considerate of your brother, I'll join your team and help you with your mission.“
"You are the best, Aunt Angela!" Julien smiled faintly. There was a hint of cuteness in his smile, but in Levi's eyes, his smile looked cynical.
Only Levi knew that Julien was full of nasty ideas, always thinking about how to plot against others. However, he couldn't say it out loud.
He still had to play along with Julien's trick. "Mom, I never thought that you’d join our team without hesitation. I’m really proud to have a kind mother like you," Levi said.
Ugh! Even Levi felt disgusted by what he had said.
"Little brat, you'd better put in more effort if you want to please me. Do you think you can make me happy by putting on an act? If I'm not happy, you won't be able to live a good life." Angela pinched Levi's face again and continued, "You're lucky though. I’m in a good mood today so I‘m not going to hold it against you.“
Levi continued flattering her, "You're the best mom in the world!"
"By the way, what do I need to do now?" Angela asked.
Julien had been waiting for this question for a long time. "Aunt Angela, the flight we've gotten for Sister Silvia leaves at twelve thirty. Can you please check the arrival time of flight CA8974 at Jiangbei International Airport? And I think it’s better to arrange a car to pick her up ahead of time."
“Julien, didn‘t you just say that you didn't know if Silvia would come? Don't you need me to call her and confirm it? What if she doesn't turn up after I arrange a car to pick her up?"
"She will definitely come." As long as Angela did not call again to spoil the plan, Julien was sure that Silvia would come.
"Why are you so sure, Julien?"
"We just know it. After all, we‘ve lived in Madison long enough to know a little about Sister Silvia."
"Well, since you are so sure, I will ask Victor to arrange a car and send me to the airport. I promise you I'll bring her back no matter what if she really comes to Jiangbei."
For so many years, Angela's family had never entrusted her with any important task. Thus, she suddenly felt that she had become an important figure when the kids trusted her and put her in charge. Perhaps, Silvia wouldn't have come to Jiangbei if she hadn‘t gone to the airport.
…………….
After a few hours of flight, Silvia safely arrived at Jiangbei International Airport.
This was her second time visiting Jiangbei. Thus, she was still very unfamiliar with everything here.
Silvia recalled the time when Andrew had dragged her to Jiangbei a few months ago. On that day, he left her at the airport and she had to work for a few hours to earn her fare.
She felt very bitter at that time, and had been cursing Andrew in her heart. Now that she had gone through a lot with him, when she thought about it again, it was indeed a precious experience that they shared after meeting each other.
Silvia was in a muddle when she walked out of the airport. She realized she had no idea where Andrew lived. It was quite ridiculous when she thought about it. Despite being married to him for quite some time, she knew very little about his family.
Since she did not know where Andrew's house was, she could only ask for help. Just as she took out her mobile phone and was about to call Julien, she heard someone call her, "Silvia!"
Silvia turned around and saw Angela. "Aunt Angela?"
"I thought you might not recognize me." Angela ran over and took over Silvia's bag. "I'm glad that you still remember me. Come on, I'll bring you home."
CHAPTER 1382
"Thank you, Aunt Angela!" While worrying about Andrew, Silvia did not have the mood to joke around with Angela. She went straight to the point and asked the question that she wanted to know the most, "Aunt Angela, how is Andrew?"
"Oh! Andrew? With so many doctors around, he'll be fine." Angela did not know what kind of lies the two kids had told Silvia to lure her here, nor did she know the conflict between Silvia and Andrew. Therefore, she spilled the beans as soon as she spoke.
However, to Silvia, it seemed like Angela was saying that to comfort her. "Aunt Angela, you don't have to lie to me. Just tell me the truth."
Silvia had already thought it through on the way to Jiangbei. No matter what Andrew had become, as long as he was still alive, she would take good care of him and would never abandon him again.
She wouldn't care even if he still had feelings for someone else! Or even if he still regarded her as a substitute.
Silvia used to be so proud and arrogant that she could not bear to accept any imperfection. However, she was now willing to lower herself because she had truly fallen in love with someone.
"I'm not comforting you. I‘m telling the truth." Angela led Silvia into the car and instructed the driver to start driving. She then said, "Silva, since you're here in Jiangbei, you should stay longer. The weather here is lovely. A lot of people come here for their winter vacations."
Silvia did not know what to say.
Andrew was already so ill, Silvia wondered how could Angela still smile and talk about going on a vacation? Was she always as cool as a cucumber? Or she had never cared about Andrew?
Silvia suddenly thought of what Jane had said to her about Andrew being an adopted child of the Carter family. Perhaps, that was the reason his relatives did not really care for him.
However, Silvia quickly dismissed this thought in her mind. The Carter family were very close with each other, how could she question their bond?
"Silvia, why are you so quiet? Is there nothing much to talk about with me?" Being a cheerful and extroverted person, Angela could start a conversation with others easily. She could even chat with someone she liked for endless nights.
Silvia smiled and said, "Well, I figure I'd just listen to you since I'm not familiar with Jiangbei."
Silvia's words were just pleasantries but Angela didn't realize it at all. She started talking again, "I've been living in Jiangbei for many years. I‘m not the most familiar person with this place but I know it quite well. You've found the right person if you want to learn more about the customs and culture in Jiangbei."
"Alright," Silvia responded with a smile.
"Jiangbei has already become a global financial center. The headquarters of the Shengtian Corporation Inc is located here. I can bring you there for a tour anytime you want to." Silvia was already a member of the Carter family and might become the hostess of Shengtian Corporation Inc eventually. Hence, Angela thought that getting her familiar with the company would be helpful for Andrew after he took over Shengtian in the future.
"Can we visit such a large corporation as we please?" Silvia responded casually, not intending to get a reply from Angela.
Thinking that Silvia was interested in Shengtian Corporation Inc, Angela started bombarding her with information about Shengtian. "Of course you can go anytime you like. Now I'll tell you about Shengtian's brilliant achievements."
The more Angela spoke, the more excited she became. However, Silvia turned a deaf ear to what she was saying. Her mind was full of Andrew, and she desperately wanted to know his current state.
Just as Silvia's brain was about to explode from Angela's non-stop talking, the car finally slowed down. After that, the car drove into a beautiful, afforested villa compound.
Angela took up the role of a tour guide and said, "Silvia, this area is the best villa compound in Jiangbei. The residents here are not ordinary people. They are not only rich but also noble. It's a real estate project developed by Shengtian in the early days. A lot of people put out all the stops just to get their hands on a villa here.
"Oh, really?" Silvia was absent-minded, but Angela's persistent mentioning about Shengtian Corporation Inc had slowly piqued her interest. Her mind started to search for some information.
She had heard about Shengtian Corporation Inc many years ago. It was her father, Kurtson, who told her about it.
Kurtson had often said that Shengtian Corporation Inc was a legend. Many people knew about it but it was out of reach. Under the owner's leadership, the company had become so successful that ordinary people like them could only look from afar.
Silvia knew that there were only two individuals whom her father idolized in his life. One of them was the head of Shengtian Corporation Inc. He had always regarded that person as the inspiration of his life and the reason for him to strive to achieve his goals.
Although Wateria Corporation had not been able to make a name for itself out of Madison City when Kurtson passed away accidentally, he had always been making progress to catch up to Shengtian Corporation Inc. It didn't matter if his company was still far from Shengtian because he had at least put in his best effort.
In life, your efforts might not pay off. But if you didn't even try, it would get you nowhere.
Kurtson had worked so hard for all his life. Silvia felt that her father would be able to rest in peace when he thought of the effort and hard work he had put in for over ten years.
Angela pointed at the ornamental trees on both sides of the road and said, "Look, after so many years, all the facilities here are as if they are still new. There are many people who are eyeing the villas but there are very few who meet the requirements. A villa can easily cost them tens of millions."
"It's really pretty." Many types of flowers and plants were planted on both sides of the road. One could enjoy the view of seasonal flowers in full bloom no matter what the season was. The breathtaking scene was more than one could describe with words.
Silvia thought that it was such a coincidence that Shengtian was owned by someone with the last name Carter. However, the Carter family had been discreet all the while. They had not appeared in any newspapers, magazines, and televisions for more than ten years. Therefore, people knew very little about the owner.
Angela continued, "Silvia, this villa compound is the best in Jiangbei, and the Orchard Villa is the most luxurious area in here."
Speaking of this, Angela really felt that his brother was willing to do anything for his wife. "Let me tell you another little secret. This Orchard Villa was specially built by the owner of Shengtian for his wife. Don't you think it's romantic?"
“It's indeed very romantic indeed," replied Silvia. However, not every man was romantic. Andrew was one of them. He had never given Silvia flowers although they had known each other for so long.
When she thought about it again, she figured being romantic didn't necessarily mean showering your loved ones with gifts. Perhaps, being caring toward your partner was another way of being romantic.
Just as Silvia's thoughts were all in a muddle, the car finally reached its destination… Orchard Villa.
CHAPTER 1383
"We're home!" Angela patted Silvia's shoulder and recaptured her attention. She pointed to the entrance of the beautiful courtyard and said, "Silvia, this is the Orchard Villa I was talking about just now."
"Home? Orchard... Orchard Villa?" If Silvia remembered correctly, the Orchard Villa that Angela had just mentioned was built by the head of Shengtian Corporation Inc for his wife.
Now that Angela had brought her to Orchard Villa and said that they were home, could Andrew's father, Edwin Carter, be the head of the Shengtian Corporation Inc?
In the past, Kurtson had always addressed Shengtian's owner as Mr. Carter, and that this man was only known by his business name, Leon Carter. Nevertheless, Silvia had no idea what his actual name was.
Despite that, Silvia thought it was just a coincidence that Shengtian's owner and Andrew had the same last name. After all, there were a lot of people in the world with the last name Carter. Just because they shared the same last name, it didn't mean that they were related.
Silvia looked at Angela intensely, eagerly hoping that she would give her a clear explanation. However, Angela didn't mention anything else, "Silvia, we're home. Let's get out of the car."
Following behind Angela, Silvia got out of the car and looked up at the building in front of her. Orchard Villa was much more beautiful than she had imagined. The garden area was huge. It looked at least ten times larger than the building itself.
Silvia couldn‘t see the end of the garden. However, she was sure that this Orchard Villa was much bigger than the two villas Andrew had in Madison City.
Looking at everything before her and thinking about the world-renowned Shengtian Corporation Inc, Silvia was so stunned that she stayed rooted to the ground and couldn’t seem to move an inch.
If Andrew's father was the head of Shengtian Corporation Inc, it meant that Andrew was the First Young Master of Shengtian. In that case, his net worth would be much higher than what she had thought. Silvia couldn't help feeling that the gap between them was even wider now.
Angela didn't notice Silvia's unusual behavior at all. She took Silvia's hand affectionately and said, "This is Orchard Villa, Silvia. It will be your future home. You don't have to feel awkward staying in your own house."
However, that was not Silvia’s point of concern at the moment. She had to figure out the connection of Andrew's family with Shengtian Corporation Inc. "Aunt Angela, do you mean that Uncle Edwin is the owner of Shengtian? And Andrew is also part of Shengtian?"
"Yeah. Didn't Andrew tell you?" Only when Angela saw Silvia's pale face that she realized she had said something wrong.
"Is he really connected to Shengtian Corporation Inc?" Although Silvia heard it with her own ears, she was reluctant to believe it as it was not the answer she wanted to hear.
Andrew's identity as the most influential individual in Madison City had already baffled her very much. Now, the news that he had another identity as the First Young Master of Shengtian left her totally flabbergasted.
“That's right." Angela smiled and tried to explain to Silvia, "Silvia, if Andrew didn‘t tell you about his family, he must have wanted you to see his own capabilities instead of relying on his parents.“
“I guess so..." What bothered Silvia was not that Andrew had hidden his identity. Instead, she was troubled that she was once again a little further away from him.
Andrew's high status in Madison City was already far removed from her. With his new identity, Silvia figured she would not be able to catch up to him in this life no matter how hard she tried.
Silvia wished that everything she had just heard was just a dream. When she woke up from her dream, Andrew would still be the man she used to know. She did not want to be related to the unattainable Shengtian Corporation Inc at all. However, she was well aware that this was not a dream, but a reality.
"Sister Silvia!" Levi ran over like a whirlwind and hugged Silvia, "You're finally here, Sister Silvia! I was so worried that you wouldn't come to Jiangbei."
"Levi, it's only been around two months since I last saw you. You seem to have grown a lot taller." Silvia gave his face a pinch. His face felt just as soft and tender like it did in her memory.
"Sister Silvia..." Julien followed closely behind Levi. He was also excited to see her, but unlike Levi, he was more restrained in expressing his emotions.
Silvia smiled and said, "Yes Julien, it's been two months since we last met. It seems that you have not only grown taller, but your voice has also changed."
Boys usually reached puberty later than girls. Therefore, in general, girls of the same age would grow faster than boys earlier on. However, at the age of twelve to thirteen, boys would seem to grow a few centimeters overnight, leaving behind the girls who used to be taller than them.
Julien was around two years older than Levi. They were around the same height back then, but there was a big difference in their height now.
Julien’s voice in particular had changed a lot. Levi hasn’t reached that age yet so he still had a childlike voice. Thus, Levi had been making fun of the change in Julien’s voice.
Julien did not reply to Silvia. Instead, a flush of embarrassment rose to his cheeks.
Silvia decided not to ask about Andrew anymore although she was worried about him. Since she had travelled so far to Jiangbei, she would see Andrew's condition with her own eyes.
It was Levi’s and Julien’s trick that brought Silvia to Jiangbei. Other than Levi, Julien, and Angela, no one else in the family knew about it. As a result, everyone was surprised when they saw Silvia.
Especially Janell Joy!
When Janell Joy caught sight of Silvia, she seemed to see herself in Silvia. However, after scrutinizing Silvia, Janell Joy felt that she was not that similar to her after all.
Janell Joy was definitely not the only one who was surprised. Even Silvia, who was mentally prepared, was taken aback when she saw Janell Joy.
Without the need for any introduction, Silvia knew just by looking at the beautiful face in front of her that this girl was Andrew's one true love, Janell Joy. Silvia thought that Janell Joy was really good-looking. She was the type of girl who would capture the hearts of others with just a glance.
After knowing that she was Janell Joy's substitute, Silvia was once very jealous of this girl. She was jealous that Janell Joy was able to win over Andrew's heart, and she could only be a substitute.
Therefore, she began to hate Janell deep down. She hated the fact that there was such a girl in this world who took away all of Andrew's love.
Silvia thought that she would despise Janell Joy for her whole life but when she saw her in person, she realised that she could not hate her at all.
A beautiful, kind, and smart girl was just like an angel who was sent to this world by God. How could anyone hate a girl as perfect as her?
And what about Silvia?
All of a sudden, Silvia felt ashamed of herself. Jealousy was the ugliest trait indeed.
CHAPTER 1384
"Everyone, don't just stand there. Please have a seat,“ Jane said after gathering herself together. "Silvia, since you're new here and not familiar with us, let me introduce you to our family members. There are quite a number of us but everyone welcomes you to our family.”
"Thank you, Mrs. Carter!“ Silvia was at a loss as she stood among the unfamiliar relatives. However, her uneasiness was greatly reduced by Jane's gentleness and thoughtfulness.
Angela, who had always liked to stir up trouble, stepped forward and said, "Jane, I am already very familiar with Silvia so you don't have to formally introduce me to her anymore. I absolutely welcome Silvia to our big family."
"Alright," Jane smiled gently. "Silvia, this is your beautiful and kind Aunt Angela. As long as she is present, there will definitely be lovely laughter in the house."
”Do you really think I'm that lovely?" Angela was pleasantly surprised by Jane's compliment. She had always thought that in the eyes of her family, she was a person who only knew how to stir up trouble all the time. Therefore, she had not expected that Jane would hold her in such high regard. It seemed that her trip to the airport that day was worth it..
"Of course you're that good," Jane said with a warm smile.
It had been more than twenty years since Jane had known Angela. As time passed, it was inevitable that people changed. Angela was the only one who still remained her enthusiastic and friendly self. The atmosphere was always more lively with her around.
Angela said proudly, "Baby Janell, Levi, Little Precious, and Victor, did you hear that? Jane was praising me."
Janell Joy and the two young boys made faces at Angela at the same time. On the other hand, Victor's expression was cold and indifferent. "What do you mean? Do you think I‘m not good enough or what?‘' Angela whined.
With Angela present, the mood was instantly lightened, which made Silvia's tense nerves relaxed. She found herself loosened up and broke into a smile. "Nice to meet you, Aunt Angela!"
Angela could be regarded as the first family member of the Carter family officially introduced to Silvia. She would remember this moment forever.
"And this is..." Jane turned to look at Victor and paused suddenly. As his relationship with Angela was a little confusing, she was hesitating on how to introduce him to Silvia. After pondering for a moment, she finally said, "Silvia, this is your Uncle Victor."
Silvia nodded and greeted, "Nice to meet you, Uncle Victor."
Victor glanced at Silvia for a while and nodded, "Silvia, Jiangbei will be your home from now onward."
Victor's words didn’t mean anything special to Silvia. However, the Carter who knew him well could tell that it was his way for saying he had acknowledged Silvia. As long as Silvia was in Jiangbei, she would be under his protection. He would never allow her to be bullied by anyone.
Jane nodded with satisfaction. Then, she looked at Janell Joy and Lucas, saying, "Silvia, this is Janell Joy, Andrew's younger sister."
Janell Joy!
Although this was Silvia’s first time meeting Janell Joy, it was not the first time Silvia heard of her name. Thus, Silvia couldn't help but examine her closely again.
True enough, Janell Joy was a stunning and charismatic lady. Every gesture and smile of hers displayed a unique charm that solely belonged to her.
"Hello, Silvia, I'm Janell Joy!” She smiled and said, "It’s nice to finally see you in person! I've heard a lot about you. I know you're technically senior to me since you're my older brother's wife, but you‘re younger than I am, so I think you wouldn't mind me just addressing you as Silvia?"
"No problem at all!" Silvia replied warmly.
Janell Joy was not only good-looking, she also had a very soothing voice. Silvia had to say that everyone in the Carter family was so blessed. She figured they must have done a lot of good deeds in their past lives.
Janell Joy continued, "That's great! Lovely to have you here!"
"It's my honour to be here too!" Silvia nodded.
Then, Janell Joy held Lucas's hand and introduced him to Silvia, "This is Lucas. He's my husband."
"Hello, Silvia!" Lucas nodded at Silvia. Silvia also replied politely, "Hello, Lucas."
After they greeted each other, Janell Joy stepped forward and gave Silvia a hug, "Silvia, welcome to Jiangbei! And welcome to be part of our family!"
"Thank you." Silvia was caught off guard by Janell Joy’s sudden embrace. Nevertheless, Janell Joy's warm gesture touched her heart.
Jane continued, "There are also Julien and Levi. Since you guys have met each other before and get along very well, I don‘t think I need to introduce them to you."
Levi played along and said, "Sister Silvia, welcome to Jiangbei! Welcome to be part of our family!"
"Sister Silvia, so do I," Julien nodded.
All family members were introduced, except two important members who were not present. Jane continued introducing, "Silvia, the children's Grandpa is the most senior member in our family. He is away for the moment and will be back in a few days. He is a very kind elderly man. I bet he'd like you.“
Silvia nodded, "Okay."
"There's also Andrew's father whom you've met before. But he has gone to work. He'll be happy to welcome you into our family."
Silvia smiled, her eyes misting a little. "Thanks everyone!"
She had only learned about the Carter family's true identities just moments before she entered the house.
Shengtian Corporation Inc was the world's largest conglomerate which was beyond the reach of a lot of people. However, to Silvia's surprise, the Carter family was no different from many other ordinary families.
Before stepping into the house, Silvia was worried that she could not integrate into the family. She did not expect everyone in the family to be so kind and give her such a warm welcome. In an instant, she put all her worries behind her.
She realized that their family was full of love and was getting along in harmony. It felt just like any other family and not as unworldly as she had imagined.
Taking Silvia's hand, Jane said with a soft voice, "Silvia, you are Andrew's wife, which means we are a family now. So I hope you will treat us as your family too and be at ease around us."
"Mom, Silvia must be very tired after having been on the plane for so long. I'll ask the kitchen to prepare some food for her. After eating, she can wash up and take a rest." Although it was Janell Joy's first time meeting Silvia and she did not know her very well, she trusted her brother's taste. Therefore, she liked whoever Andrew likes. Now that Andrew was ill, as his sister, Janell Joy had to take good care of Silvia on behalf of him.
CHAPTER 1385
"Oops. I’m too excited to even think of that!" Jane patted her forehead and said, "Silvia, you must be tired after a long flight. Shall we get something to eat first?"
"Mrs. Carter, there's no need for such trouble. I'm not hungry at all." The main reason why Silvia had rushed over to Jiangbei was to see Andrew. However, no one had brought up anything about him yet. Not knowing his current condition, how could she have the appetite to eat?
"Silvia, the flight from Madison City to Jiangbei is quite long. Coupled with the fact that airplane food is awful, how could you not be hungry?" Angela chimed in while dragging Silvia away. "Come on. I'll eat with you."
"Aunt Angela, I‘m really not hungry..." Silvia pulled back her hand but was stopped by Angela, "You've traveled thousands of miles to Jiangbei. I can't make you starve."
"Aunt Angela..." Silvia really did not want to eat. She only wanted to see Andrew. However, she figured it would be rude to reject their hospitality since this was her first time visiting the Carter family. Therefore, she had no choice but to follow Angela.
As they were walking, Angela suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Victor, Levi and I are going to stay here to accompany Silvia. You can go home first. Is that okay?"
Victor raised his eyebrows and asked, “Do I have a choice?"
Angela smiled proudly, "You are the one who knows me the best in the whole wide world!"
"Look at you. After so many years, you still don't know how to be someone’s wife," Victor said with a discontented look on his face.
Angela gave a smug smile. "Isn't it all because of you?"
"So I'm the one at fault now?"
"Nope. You're the best and most handsome man in the world. There are so many men in this world yet I somehow fell for you. So, you can only accept your fate and be my good husband for the rest of your life.“
"Dad, Mom, our VIP today is Sister Silvia." No matter when or where they were, the couple was not shy to show their affection for each other. Needless to say, the person who was affected by them the most was Levi. Sometimes, he couldn’t stand it to the point that he wanted to run away from home.
After being called out by her son, Angela shot a nasty look at Levi and said, “You brat. Are you biting the hand that feeds you? Don't forget that I'm your mother!“ Levi was speechless.
There were times that he really didn't want to admit that Angela was his mother. It also wasn't the first time that he hoped his father would replace a new mother for him, a beautiful and gentle mother who would not bully him.
Silvia had no appetite throughout the meal. After a short while, she put down her fork and said, "I'm full."
"Silvia, you've only eaten so little. Is that enough?" Jane asked with concern.
"I'm fine. I just don‘t have a big appetite." Silvia was not short of telling white lies in the past, but one thing she had never lied about was her appetite. People who knew her were well aware of her astounding appetite. She could easily eat half of a roast chicken by herself in a meal and that was without including other side dishes.
"Silvia, feel free to let me know if the dishes don't suit your appetite." Jane had heard from Auntie Cherry that Silvia had a huge appetite. Therefore, she was perturbed to find out that Silvia had eaten so little.
"Sure, Mrs. Carter..." Silvia clenched her fist. However, she was unable to hold herself back anymore and blurted out, "Mrs. Carter, can you tell me how Andrew is doing now?“
It had been more than ten hours since Silvia learned that Andrew was in a critical condition. Since then, she was in great emotional turmoil. Every second was torture for her.
Now that she had finally arrived at the place nearest to Andrew, she just needed to take a few steps forward to be by his side and check on him.
To her surprise, no one in the Carter family had offered to bring her to see Andrew.
Silvia knew that the Carter family were all kind people and treated her very well. She could feel that they regarded her as a family member. However, they needed to understand that she had no blood ties with them at all. The bridge that connected her to them was Andrew.
Without Andrew's existence, there was no way that she could be related to the Carter family in her entire life. They should have understood her agony for not knowing how Andrew was doing. However, they did not bring up the matter at all.
Did Andrew not want to see her? Or did something bad really happen to him?
Silvia didn't want to think negatively but she couldn't control herself from overthinking. The more she thought about it, the more afraid she was. She was terrified that she was too late and could never see the person that she wanted to see again.
"Silvia, Andrew is fine. You don‘t have to worry about him. Fill up your stomach and rest first. He'll probably appear in front of you after that." Angela was the one who spoke.
"Mrs. Carter..." Silvia turned to look at Jane. "Can I see him, please?"
Jane appeared to be in a dilemma and said, "Silvia..."
"Mrs. Carter, I want to see him. I want to know how he is doing. Please let me see him.“ The only thing Silvia wanted to do now was to confirm that Andrew was doing well.
"Silvia, it's getting late. Why don‘t you take a rest first? I'll bring you to him first thing in the morning tomorrow.“ It was not that Jane refused to let Silvia see Andrew, but it was because Andrew was adamant that he would not meet Silvia after he had woken up and learned about her arrival.
Andrew was as stubborn as a mule. Jane had tried to persuade him for a long time but she just couldn't change his mind.
"I'm begging you, Mrs. Carter. Just let me see him, would you?" Silvia would not be able to sleep that night if she failed to make sure that Andrew was fine.
Jane had always been soft-hearted when dealing with these children. She had almost wanted to bring Silvia to meet Andrew the moment she said she wanted to. However, she pushed away the thought quickly.
The doctor had said that Andrew's current physical condition was very weak. He must not have too much emotional fluctuation as it would take a toll on his body.
Considering that Andrew had even vomited blood last time because of Silvia, Jane was worried that something might happen again. Thus, she could only harden her heart and said, "Silvia, it's the doctor’s instruction that Andrew should rest more. He's gone to bed. Let's see him tomorrow, shall we?"
"Mrs. Carter... Is he really okay?" Silvia asked again.
Jane replied with a gentle smile, "You should know about his condition. Although he won't be able to fully recover quickly, his illness is not going to rapidly worsen as well. What’s more, he is taken care of by the most famous doctor in the world. He will definitely get better."
"Okay." Only then did Silvia realize that the Carter family would definitely be tied up if Andrew was really in a critical condition like what Julien told her. How could they still welcome her happily as if nothing had happened?
Therefore, Silvia guessed that this was probably another trap set by Julien and Levi. It was not the first time they had deceived her, but it seemed that she had not learned her lesson. Just by playing a little trick on her, the kids had successfully lured her here.
No comments:
Post a Comment