Chapter 126: Chapter 126: An Unremarkable Little Genius at Cursing
Madam Sinclair’s name was Yvonne White, and she was a professor at Crestwood University.
Even in her youth, Madam Sinclair had been a formidable woman. After her daughter passed away, she had poured all her love onto Nina Sinclair.
But after raising her for so many years, it turned out she had been raising a fake heiress.
Still, having raised Nina Sinclair for so long, even after discovering she wasn’t her real granddaughter, Madam Sinclair had wondered if she could ever accept Chloe Sinclair.
But then she heard that this recently returned eldest daughter was an unpresentable girl from the countryside.
If she hadn’t returned to the Sinclair family, she might have been working in a factory by now.
Yvonne White absolutely could not accept that her granddaughter was a good-for-nothing fool.
Now, seeing Nina Sinclair acting so timid and cautious, Yvonne White couldn’t help but wonder if she was being mistreated because of Chloe Sinclair’s arrival.
’Why else would she keep looking at her father and Chloe Sinclair like that?’
A sneer formed on Yvonne White’s lips, her wrinkled face etched with scorn. "Chloe Sinclair, since you’re back, you should just stay home. Don’t go out and disgrace the Sinclair family."
Before Chloe Sinclair could say anything, Gabriel Sinclair spoke up. "Grandma, if anyone’s losing face, it’s our family. Our reputation is strong enough to handle it. Besides, our Chloe is exceptionally talented."
She not only placed first in her entire grade but also won the Genius Competition.
But Yvonne White didn’t believe it.
She didn’t particularly like this grandson.
Not only were his grades poor, but he also got mixed up in the entertainment industry, showing no regard for the family’s reputation.
Therefore, she retorted without hesitation, "I haven’t even started on you. When are you going to quit the entertainment industry? Just look at the kind of things you’re acting in."
Gabriel Sinclair took a dejected step back, giving Chloe Sinclair a look that said he was powerless to help.
"Grandma, my brother founded Zenthia’s largest entertainment company himself. It has billions in annual profits. And whether it’s singing or acting, my brother has won countless awards both at home and abroad..."
"Enough!" Yvonne White cut Chloe Sinclair off, glaring at her. "Flaunting yourself on screen all day long. Why can’t you be more like our Nina?"
Chloe Sinclair raised an eyebrow at that.
’If I remember correctly, isn’t Nina Sinclair supposed to be entering the entertainment industry very soon?’
’I wonder if Grandma will feel like eating her words then.’
At the mention of her name, Nina Sinclair stiffened, the smile freezing on her face.
She had signed a contract with a director not long ago and was planning to start filming right after her college entrance exams.
Only now did she remember that Yvonne White loathed people in the entertainment industry more than anything.
’So what am I supposed to do now?’
As she was anxiously searching for a way out, her gaze happened to meet Chloe Sinclair’s.
Her heart sank, and a sense of foreboding washed over her.
She saw the corner of Chloe Sinclair’s mouth lift into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. Her voice was crisp and melodious, yet soft. "Oh? Didn’t Nina tell her classmates she was about to start acting in a movie? But..."
She paused, a challenging glint in her eyes that instantly made Nina Sinclair’s entire body go rigid.
She quickly cut Chloe Sinclair off, forcing a smile that was more pained than pleasant. "N-Nothing of the sort. You must have misheard."
"Ohhh," Chloe Sinclair drawled, feigning understanding. "That makes sense. I mean, Sister was just in a piano competition, how could she possibly be filming a movie too? I was starting to wonder if the director was blind or something."
Nina Sinclair forced a few laughs in response.
Suddenly, her smile froze again as she realized something.
It finally dawned on her that Chloe Sinclair was insulting her!
’She’s calling me an ignorant fraud, saying I’m not worthy!’
But she couldn’t say anything out loud. She could only grit her teeth and swallow her fury.
She stood beside Yvonne White, her head lowered, her long bangs hiding her vicious, viper-like gaze.
But Chloe Sinclair saw it with perfect clarity.
Slowly, a wide smile spread across Chloe Sinclair’s face, as beautiful and dangerous as a blooming poppy.
The silent battle between the two women went unnoticed by everyone else. It flared up in an instant, and just as quickly, it was gone.
Chloe Sinclair didn’t take Yvonne White’s words to heart. After entering the house, she casually found a seat and sat down.
Since it was Yvonne White’s birthday, Mr. Sinclair had brought many gifts.
"Grandma, this is the bracelet I got for you. See if you like it?"
Nina Sinclair, who had changed her clothes, produced an exquisite box from out of nowhere. A green bracelet rested quietly inside.
Chloe Sinclair raised an eyebrow.
Yvonne White loved bracelets, especially those made of jade. Nina Sinclair had clearly done her homework on the matriarch’s preferences, bringing a smile to her face that she couldn’t contain.
Seeing Yvonne White in such a good mood, Nina Sinclair looked overjoyed.
She looked toward Chloe Sinclair, her tone deceptively casual. "Chloe, why don’t you show everyone your gift?"
At her words, the expression on everyone’s face changed.
They had prepared gifts for the matriarch, but they had forgotten to have Chloe Sinclair prepare one of her own.
Mr. Sinclair quickly spoke up. "This is Chloe’s first time here, I didn’t tell her..."
"I think it’s more a matter of not having any respect for this old woman, isn’t it?" Yvonne White snorted, leaving Mr. Sinclair speechless.
Just as everyone fell silent, Chloe Sinclair slowly spoke. "How could that be?"
As she spoke, a small box appeared in her hand. "I didn’t know what Grandma likes, so I only prepared a small silver ring."
Saying this, she didn’t open it but simply handed the entire box over.
Yvonne White glanced down at it, a flash of disdain in her eyes. "I don’t want it."
Chloe Sinclair wasn’t surprised at all.
In her previous life, she had also celebrated Yvonne White’s birthday. Back then, she had come in a hurry and, on autopilot, just bought several health supplements from the supermarket.
As a result, Yvonne White had mocked her mercilessly.
Being ridiculed by her own flesh-and-blood grandmother had been a devastating blow to her in that past life.
So much so that she never came back here again after that.
So Yvonne White’s rejection was entirely within her expectations, and she retracted the gift without missing a beat.
However, Mr. Sinclair and the others looked deeply uncomfortable. He opened his mouth to say something several times but didn’t know what to say.
"Since Grandma doesn’t like it, I’ll prepare something else next time."
Yvonne White choked on her words. She hadn’t expected Chloe Sinclair to be so nonchalant, without the slightest hint of embarrassment on her face.
This made Yvonne White feel a bit unsettled. She snorted coldly and went into the kitchen.
Nina Sinclair, of course, had to follow Yvonne White, so she excused herself and trailed after her into the kitchen.
Once they were gone, Chloe Sinclair simply lowered her head and went back to her book, as if what had just happened had no effect on her at all.
"Chloe, your grandmother is just stubborn. She hasn’t had a chance to get to know you. During the summer break, I’ll take you to stay in the countryside for a while so you can bond with her more. You’re such a good kid; I’m sure she’ll grow to love you."
Chloe Sinclair raised an eyebrow and, this time, refused without hesitation. "Dad, I have plans for the summer. Maybe next time."
Though he didn’t quite understand the reason behind his daughter’s refusal, Mr. Sinclair could tell she meant it, so he didn’t press the issue.
——
「The Kitchen」
Yvonne White was lost in thought. When Nina Sinclair entered, she looked up, her dark eyes filled with a deep, searching look. There was a hint of suspicion in her voice as she asked, "Is Chloe Sinclair really as terrible as you made her out to be?"
