Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Role-playing, Don’t Be Angry
Alice York quickly packed her bags, ready to tell her grandparents she was going to Arden.
The living room television was broadcasting news of the general election assembly. The candidate’s voice was steady and powerful. "Serving the livelihood of the people and ensuring its stability. Putting dedication first, staying true to our founding mission, and promoting a culture of integrity..."
"Change it, change it! Hurry up and change the channel! I don’t want to see that detestable face." The old woman’s voice was full of disgust.
Alice had just come out of her bedroom. She took a few steps and then paused.
The old man held the remote. "We’re watching the news, not him. Just bear with it."
His wife tried to snatch the remote. "Haven’t I put up with him for enough years? Change the channel."
The old man couldn’t win against his wife’s temper, so he changed the channel to a program about law and order.
Seeing the new show, the old woman finally smiled. She adjusted her posture, her eyes bright as she stared at the TV. "Now this is what I like to watch."
Alice walked over, her gaze sweeping past her grandparents.
Her grandmother quickly waved her over. "Little Girl, come and watch TV! This episode is about a man who murdered his wife. It’s fascinating."
"Grandma."
Alice called out, standing where she was.
Her grandmother looked over. "What is it, Little Girl?"
Her grandfather seemed to have guessed what Alice was about to ask and quietly got up to slip away.
Alice called out again, "Grandpa, where are you going?"
The old man immediately replied, "I’m going to get your grandmother a glass of water."
Alice said, "Be careful, then."
"Yes, yes, yes." And with that, the old man quickly made his escape.
Her grandmother hadn’t caught on yet. Craning her neck, she said, "My cup is still right here. Huh? Old man?"
"Grandpa didn’t want to answer my question, so he ran off." As she spoke, Alice sat down beside her grandmother.
Her grandmother was puzzled. "Little Girl, what did you ask just now?"
"I haven’t asked yet. I’m asking now," Alice said with a smile. "That official from the news just now... do you two know him?"
Her grandmother’s expression visibly stiffened.
"So I guessed right." Her grandmother’s reaction was just too obvious, so Alice was certain.
Her grandmother suddenly laughed. "This Secretary Lancaster is known for his sound governance and integrity. All of us common folk know who he is."
"But I clearly heard Grandma say that seeing his face was detestable and that you’ve been putting up with him for many years." Alice leaned closer to her grandmother. "Did I mishear?"
Her grandmother shot to her feet. "I never said that."
Alice stood up too. "Grandma, there are some secrets you haven’t told me everything about, right?"
Her grandmother turned her head away. "Little Girl, we’ve told you all about your background. We haven’t hidden anything."
Compared to her grandmother, who had lost her composure, Alice, the one seeking the truth, seemed much calmer. "This person, Noah York... did he ever really exist?"
Her grandmother said, "He’s not your father. He’s Naomi’s father."
Alice, of course, knew Noah York wasn’t her father. She was just asking if he existed, but— "Who’s Naomi?"
"She’s the daughter that Mindy gave birth to back then."
Alice froze slightly at the answer. It seemed this was the first time she had ever heard the little girl’s name from her grandmother. Even on the day they told her the truth, they had never mentioned the child’s name.
"Little Girl, please don’t ask any more questions," her grandmother pleaded. "Just pretend there was never a Noah York, that we don’t know a powerful man like Secretary Lancaster. Don’t ask about any of it. It has nothing to do with you."
With that, her grandmother turned and headed for the kitchen, saying as she went, "It’s almost lunchtime. I’ll go cook. Just wait, Little Girl. Grandma’s quick. We’ll be eating soon."
Alice withdrew her gaze, picked up the remote from the coffee table, and switched back to the previous news channel.
The news was over, and another program was airing.
She sat down on the sofa, propped her chin in her hands, and once again pondered what Ian Bishop had said that day. ’A high-ranking official for a father, and a mother who was a homewrecker... could the other woman actually be Mindy Vaughn?’
’No... if Mindy Vaughn was the one who interfered, then the deceased Naomi would be the child of Mindy Vaughn and that high-ranking official. But from what Ian Bishop said, it was clear he knew that Naomi was dead, and that I was the one who was adopted...’
The more she thought, the more complicated it became. Alice sighed.
’It seems the only way to find out the truth is to wait until I meet that high-ranking official’s wife.’
Her phone started ringing in the bedroom, and Alice got up to get it.
Seeing the caller ID, she answered. "Third Uncle."
"I’ve arrived in Arden." On the other end of the line was Wyatt Sterling’s somewhat weary voice. He had been incredibly busy lately and rarely had time to visit her.
Alice didn’t complain in the slightest; in fact, her heart ached for him. "Third Uncle, go back to the Sawyer Family’s place and rest for a bit."
Wyatt Sterling replied, "I’ll rest when it gets dark."
Hearing that made her heart ache even more. "When I saw you yesterday, I thought you looked thinner. Your posture wasn’t as straight as it used to be, either."
He had been working around the clock recently, so Wyatt Sterling had indeed had little time to rest. He had been this busy before, but in all these years, no one had ever shown him this kind of concern.
Listening to her concern now, he felt a daze come over him, a sense of unreality.
’Someone’s heart actually ached for him.’
"Third Uncle, are you exhausted?" She figured he must be too tired to even speak.
"I don’t feel tired anymore now that I’ve heard your voice." There was a hint of a smile in his tone.
Alice smiled too. Remembering the call that had almost been busy, she quickly told Wyatt Sterling, "The deal I agreed to with Felix Hawthorne that day isn’t finished yet. He came to see me in person today."
Given their current relationship, she no longer hid anything from Wyatt Sterling, except for the matter of her parentage. She would always tell him where she was going.
"I know," Wyatt Sterling said. "He’s picking you up to go to Arden."
Alice hummed in response, wanting to say something but not daring to.
Wyatt Sterling sensed it and asked, "What do you want to say?"
Alice stammered, "It’s just... when I’m with Felix Hawthorne, I have to play that role. You... don’t be angry."
She was telling him in advance because she was afraid he would be in a bad mood when he saw it later.
"I know. He knows his limits. I won’t be angry." Perhaps hearing her bring it up herself put him in a good mood.
’She’s starting to care about me. Does that mean Owen Sterling is completely in the past? That she... doesn’t like Owen Sterling anymore?’
After ending the call, Alice called Felix Hawthorne back.
While she had been on the phone with Wyatt Sterling, Felix Hawthorne had called, and she had rejected it.
When the call connected, she said quickly, "I’m so sorry, Mr. Hawthorne. I was on an important call."
Felix Hawthorne asked her, "And the important call was with?"
"I’m truly sorry, Mr. Hawthorne." She didn’t want to be too specific, as it was a personal matter.
Felix Hawthorne got the picture and didn’t press her on who it was. Instead, he said, "If you feel that bad, can you treat me to lunch?"
Alice sounded troubled. "My grandparents have already made lunch. How about this evening instead? What do you think?"
Eating in Arden in the evening would be just the same.
"Not good enough," Felix Hawthorne said. "I’ve had my fill of gourmet delicacies and would like to try some simple home cooking. Why don’t I just eat at your place? Would that be okay?"
"..."
His tone was questioning, and so polite, that it was hard to refuse.
