At this time, Stefani also looked at Lilia's face before smiling softly at Caleb. "This girl is more interesting to look at than Leila."
"Lilia, come here right away," Mellisa snapped out of her confusion.
Lilia took a deep breath, then walked slowly to Mellisa's side. She respectfully bowed her head towards Caleb.
"Hello, Mr. Caleb," Lilia greeted formally.
Caleb frowned and tapped his wand. He said with an angry expression, "There's no need to be so polite to me! Call me Grandpa!"
Lilia's throat felt like it was blocked by an inexplicable feeling. Her clear black eyes met Caleb's firm yet kind eyes. For a moment, doubts flashed through Lilia's mind. Was this true? Did she finally find a family that really wanted her?
Lilia immediately woke up and calmed her mind. She smiled broadly as she said happily, "Grandpa..."
Even though Caleb's identity was no less important compared to that of the Irwan family, that man did not hesitate to spill out his guts. Lilia's impression of Caleb became even more positive.
Hearing this, Caleb looked very happy. He continued to nod excitedly. Under his gray hair, his cheeks, which were covered with wrinkled lines, pulled upward into a broad smile. "Okay, okay! Good girl, you've been suffering all this time. You two, sit next to Grandpa here,"
Stefani stepped aside to give them a place, while Lilia and Mellisa sat beside the old man.
Caleb looked at Mellisa, then looked back at Lilia, with his eyes filled with emotion. The old man let out a heavy sigh. "If only Janice had listened to me at that time, this situation would not have happened. She would not have let her biological daughter disappear for years," he said bitterly.
"Grandpa, it's not your fault," Lilia immediately shook her head. She didn't want this kind old man to blame himself.
"You don't need to make me feel better! Everyone else had a hand in causing this situation!" Caleb said aloud. "Simon Irwan is a stubborn academic. I have said for a long time that Leila doesn't look like a child of the Irwan Family, but he doesn't believe me. People like him seem like they will only believe if they see the evidence with their own eyes!"
Stefani coughed lightly from beside him, then glanced at Jean and Leonard. The woman said with a smile, "Caleb, please stop talking nonsense. You will scare these children."
Caleb looked at Jean, who stared back at him with a disapproving expression. Finally, he stopped talking. Nobody knew what was on Caleb's mind when he then turned his gaze to Leonard.
Caleb frowned and asked, "Who is this boy? From which family is he?"
Upon hearing this, Mellisa immediately straightened her back. She wanted to answer but Leonard got ahead of her.
Leonard greeted Caleb for the first time, "Hello, Grandpa. My name is Leonard Adler, Mellisa's fiancé!"
Mellisa looked at Leonard with her mouth half open. What kind of self-introduction was that?! They weren't even friends, never mind fiance!
Lilia's shoulders shook as she stifled a laugh, but in the end, she couldn't take it anymore and her laughter broke.
Caleb looked closely at Leonard's figure, watching him from top to bottom. After a while, he nodded with a serious expression. "This kid is quite talented! Mellisa, you have good taste!" He praised her.
"Grandpa, don't listen to his nonsense!" Mellisa was angry and glared at Leonard.
Caleb caught Mellisa's annoyed gaze, and tapped his wand. "What? Don't tell me he's actually bothering you? If this kid dares to bother you, tell me! Our Mayer family has no other skills, but we never lose a fight!"
The old man was an old general who had fought on the battlefield. He prided himself on his strong blood.
Caleb's arrival seemed to have calmed the cold welcome the two sisters had previously received in the Irwan Family. He was a person who never hesitated in deciding. For Caleb, the world was only made of black or white. Wrong was wrong, right was right. Since it was proven that Lilia was the grandchild of the Mayer Family, he recognized Lilia as his granddaughter clearly.
By noon, Sister Mei prepared a very delicious lunch for all of them. Stefani also personally cooked a light and delicious meal for the old man.
While Sister Mei and Stefani were busy cooking, Caleb invited Lilia and Mellisa to talk in the living room. Meanwhile, Jean and Leonard went to the man's study so as not to disturb their family reunion.
To an outsider, the Lakeside Villa looked like it was in a state of martial law. There were a number of bodyguards in black uniforms standing outside the villa's door.
While waiting for lunch to finish cooking, Caleb looked at the used green tea making equipment on the table. He took turns looking at the two sisters, but his question was directed at only one of them.
"Lilia, are you good at making tea?" Caleb asked curiously.
Lilia smiled shyly from beside him. "I'm not very good at it, but I'm still studying," she humbly answered.
Mellisa frowned and protested to the old man. "Grandpa, why don't you ask me too? You don't know who uses this tea-making equipment!"
Caleb turned to Mellisa with an expression of disbelief. "Mellisa, I raised and taught you myself from childhood. You think I don't know your character? You've been stubborn since you were little, and you never like any female-related activities, let alone the ones that make you look feminine. So how could you know how to make tea?!"
Mellisa immediately shut her mouth when she heard Caleb's argument. Her grandfather was right, but she still felt a little hurt at being labeled 'unfeminine' by her own grandfather!
"But that's not what Grandpa wants to discuss with you right now, Mellisa." Caleb's voice turned serious. "When that accident happened, why didn't you come back to find Grandpa? Even though the Irwan Family can't protect you, don't you still have a Grandpa to rely on?" He asked in a harsh tone.
Mellisa did not think that Caleb would change the topic of the conversation and discuss the accident five years ago. She lowered her gaze and didn't dare look into her grandfather's insightful eyes.
"Grandfather, after the accident five years ago, I was lying in the hospital for three months before recovering. When I wanted to go back to find you, the Irwan Family announced my death and then blocked all news about the accident," Mellisa said softly. "To be honest, I thought about going back, but then..."
Before Mellisa finished speaking, she fell silent. The words she wanted to say seemed stuck in her throat.
After the accident, Mellisa found out that Leila was acting like the only daughter of the Irwan Family. Even worse, the Irwan Family didn't seem affected after losing their daughter. Both Richard and Janice lived their days full of happiness, as if nothing had been taken from their lives.
The woman took Mellisa's position by trying to kill her and she still enjoyed all of her parents' love. Mellisa's death seemed not to leave any traces on the hearts of her parents.
In such a situation, how could she possibly return to them? Mellisa even lost a place that she could call home, as well as a position in their hearts.
Five years ago, she lost it all in that accident.
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