Chapter 117: Count Me Out From Situations Like This
Wendy thought about it, then gently smiled before responding frankly, "Oh I wasn’t here for that long, but I did overhear a part of your conversation."
Isabel grew increasingly uncomfortable. She ruffled her hair and said, "Well, um, I’m on my way to check in on the guests. Go ahead and have a seat inside, Wendy." Isabel then walked off.
Five years ago, Isabel had been much younger. As she had still been a student, she had rarely come into contact with Wendy. As such, she neither liked nor disliked Wendy. All she was clear about was that both her elder brother and mother disliked Wendy, while Grandmother adored her. Without having interacted much with her, Isabel was in no position to criticize Wendy.
All she did was treat her as her own sister-in-law. It mattered little whether they met or not as when they did, they would merely exchange greetings.
The rest of the family in the hall could hear Isabel speaking with Wendy. Shortly after, Wendy stepped into the hall.
Grandmother was overcome with emotion as she rose to her feet and headed straight toward her. "Wendy!"
At this sight, Wendy hurried over.
Grandmother held on tightly to Wendy’s hand. She looked Wendy all over, her eyes wet with tears, "Dear Wendy, you’re alive! For me to be able to see you again is simply wonderful."
Wendy hugged Grandmother tightly. Her voice quivered as she spoke, "I’m sorry, Grandmother, that I didn’t visit you in such a long time."
"It’s okay, as long as you’re fine," Grandmother soothed, patting Wendy’s back gently as tears made their way down the wrinkles that streaked her face.
Grandmother was sincerely delighted knowing that Wendy was still alive. Now that she was actually holding her, her worries melted away.
The scene unfolding before Winnie made her face crease in displeasure. Coldly, she muttered that she was going to take a look outside before she walked off.
As Grandmother’s daughter-in-law, she had never enjoyed this much favor from Grandmother.
Things were completely different with Wendy.
Grandmother treated her granddaughter-in-Haw as though she was her own granddaughter. Releasing Grandmother from her embrace, Wendy smiled as she wiped the tears from Grandmother’s eyes, "Why are you crying, Grandmother?"
"These are tears of joy, my dear." Grandmother and Wendy walked hand-in-hand. "Sit, and let me take a proper look at you."
Jake realized that once his mother had arrived, all eyes were on her instead. Before that, all the attention had been fully fixed on him. He wondered why no one seemed to bother with him anymore.
Naturally, the situation was not upsetting to Jake. Instead, he was happy for his mother.
He was relieved that at least in Lake City, there were people who were genuinely concerned about his mother. He could not imagine how his mother would otherwise spend her days in Lake City alone, without these people.
"You’ve grown more beautiful and radiant," Grandmother remarked as she nodded to show her satisfaction. On the other hand, Wendy studied Grandmother, noting how much she seemed to have aged. Although she was considerably advanced in years five years ago, Grandmother had been more energetic.
Today, she did not seem as lively as she used to be. Grandmother was definitely in the autumn of her life. Pangs of regret washed over Wendy.
She should have paid Grandmother a visit the moment she had returned to Lake City.
"Happy Birthday, Grandmother," greeted Wendy as she placed her gift before Grandmother.
Grandmother took the gift from her in radiant delight. She did a double take when she noticed that there were two gift boxes and looked more carefully at Wendy’s gifts for her.
Her face lit up upon noticing the lotus cakes in the larger gift box, "Wendy, you truly are my darling girl, seeing how you remember my love for lotus cakes!"
As she spoke, Grandmother threw open the box and with a lotus cake in hand, she commented, "Your handmade lotus cakes are the best! In the years you haven’t been around, I haven’t had much of these. After all, the lotus cake that anyone else makes just doesn’t taste right.
Wendy teased, "Grandmother, your compliments sound so exaggerated!"
"This is my honest opinion, dear." Picking up another lotus cake, Grandmother offered it to Jake. "Jake, have one too."
"Grandmother, you go ahead. I get to eat these often," explained Jake with a gentle and courteous wave of his small hands.
In actuality, he rarely ate his mother’s handmade lotus cakes. Wendy was always up to her neck in work and it was impossible for her to find time to make such pastries.
Nonetheless, Jake could tell how much Grandmother enjoyed the lotus cakes and thought that she should have as much as she wanted.
"Well then, I’ll eat as many as I’d like!" Grandmother said heartily as she took a bite of yet another lotus cake. With a deeply satisfied smile, she marveled, "Oh how I’ve missed this flavor for the past five years!"
"As long as you like eating it, I’ll make more for you whenever you’d like!" Wendy was content seeing how pleased Grandmother was.
"Okay, when I feel like eating more, I’ll let you know," Grandmother laughed as she finished up her second piece. Seeing that she had had quite a lot, Wendy stopped Grandmother from having more.
"Grandmother, I’m glad that you enjoy the lotus cakes so much. Still, do eat in moderation," Wendy reminded, concerned that having too many of these cakes could cause Grandmother to get indigestion. As she spoke, she swiftly closed the box of lotus cakes and put it away.
Noticing Wendy’s actions, Grandmother laughed in disbelief. "Young lady, how could you stop someone from enjoying their birthday gift after giving it to them!"
"Grandmother, you’ve already had two pieces," Michael argued as he stepped in to defend Wendy. "Let’s keep these first and have more tomorrow. They’re all yours, after all, so nobody will be fighting you for them."
"What a couple the both of you are! Are you trying to gang up against me seeing that I’m so old?" The old lady teased, her broad smile quickly creasing into a forced pout.
At the word ’couple’, Wendy cringed. She had returned solely to celebrate Grandmother’s birthday and Michael had nothing to do with her attendance. As she opened her mouth to speak, Michael reached over and held her shoulder tenderly as he followed up with, "Of course! As husband and wife, we are of one mind."
Michael had taken liberties because he was convinced that Wendy would not reject him outrightly in Grandmother’s presence.
He was wrong.
Wendy flung Michael’s hand from her shoulder in a single motion, and tightened the corners of her lips in a half-hearted smile, before stepping away from Michael as she clarified, "Mr. Lucas, I am only present today to give Grandmother my well wishes. As for us, we are no more than business partners."
The amicable atmosphere grew stale in a split second, leaving Michael feeling out of place.
He was thankful that this was a private setting. Rubbing his nose sheepishly, Michael coughed gently before he uttered, "Wendy, are you still insisting that you have selective memory loss? How can it be that you remember Zen Tanner and Grandmother, but have forgotten about me?"
"That’s right," Wendy looked Michael straight in the eyes and in a firm tone, she said, "I really don’t remember you. That’s why there is nothing between us."
At this sight, Grandmother sighed audibly, before trying to explain things on Michael’s behalf, "Wendy, we’d all believed that you were dead these past few years, but Michael was the only one who thought otherwise. He kept looking for you. I know that he was not the best husband in the past, but on behalf of the son you have, it Would only be fair that you give Michael a chance to make it up to you. Your child ultimately needs his father."
Wendy could not bear to pursue things further in front of Grandmother as it would likely upset the old lady. Biting her lip, she asserted, "Let’s not talk about this since it’s Grandmother’s birthday today. Celebrating her birthday is the main reason I am here."
"Okay, we won’t say more," Grandmother assured her. She was careful not to discuss the matter further, for fear of eliciting Wendy’s annoyance. With a smile, she suggested, "Come, follow me to the garden. It is almost time for the lady of the day to make an appearance."
Wendy nodded and supported Grandmother as they made their way toward the garden.
Left with no choice, Michael reached over to hold Jake’s hand, but Jake evaded him and trotted behind his mother.
Looking at the three people ahead of him, Michael sighed in resignation.
A thought suddenly struck him. "If this goes on, when can l officially regard my wife and child as a family?"
Suddenly, for just a second, Michael’s heart ached.
...
Wendy held Grandmother’s hand tenderly and accompanied her to the garden area. It was a grand garden but Grandmother’s birthday banquet was also an extremely elaborate event.
Therefore, the garden was crowded with guests at this point.
As Grandmother entered, the guests echoed their birthday wishes. Grandmother gleefully thanked each of her guests for their presence and their well wishes. Putting it bluntly, the eighty year-old lady would not have many more opportunities to have such extravagant birthday parties.
To Grandmother, wealth did not matter. Her true riches lay in having the legacy of a large and harmonious family. Her weatherworn face creased in delight as she greeted each of her friends who were in attendance.
Wendy had made her entrance by Grandmother’s side, naturally drawing the attention of the other guests.
After Michael had announced his marriage to Wendy five years ago, Wendy had gone missing. Everyone had thought that she was dead. Privately, many spoke of Wendy as one who did not have luck by her side and was doomed to die. Therefore, once she became Michael’s wife, all she had was a fading beauty With no true riches to enjoy.
Seeing her at the birthday banquet left everyone discussing amongst themselves in hushed voices. Although Wendy could not hear what exactly they were saying, it was not hard for her to guess. Her showing up at the main house meant that she could not keep her identity under wraps any longer.
Yet that was of no consequence since she knew that it was a situation that was bound to happen. Wendy was fine with it, as long as she could refuse the identity of being Michael’s wife.
Wendy helped Grandmother to the stage and handed her the microphone, before turning to step off the stage. However, Grandmother held on to Wendy’s hand, her words sounding almost like a plea, "Wendy, join me as I express my gratitude to our guests."
All those in attendance today at the Lucas estate were representatives of the most affluent families in Lake City. To be able to stand by Grandmother for her speech, one had to be from the Lucas family. However, at that moment, even Michael did not have a spot on stage.
If Wendy agreed to Grandmother s request, it would be equivalent to announcing that she was part of the Lucas household once again.
Taking on the identity of someone married into the Lucas family was something Wendy had no desire for.
Shaking her head gently, Wendy turned Grandmother’s offer down, "Grandmother, let Michael and his father join you onstage. That would be more appropriate. I’ll count myself out of situations like this."
With no further delay, Wendy stepped off the stage.
As she walked past Michael, he grabbed her wrist. In a hushed tone, he asked, "Wendy, must you make things so difficult for the family?"
"You must be joking. For an event like this, only members of the Lucas family should be onstage." In front of everyone, Wendy pushed Michae’s hand away. In a cold tone, she continued, "As the eldest grandson of the Lucas family, you should be there."
With that, Wendy gestured for Michael to go ahead.
The onlooking crowd was abuzz in discussion at Wendy’s behavior.
"Is that really Wendy? Why is she arguing with Michael?"
"Isn’t that the rumored Corrine Swift? I can’t really tell if it’s actually Wendy. Michael might have mistaken someone else for her. Wasn’t that what the news had reported previously?"
"But she really looks like Wendy. Though the way she speaks, her gaze, even her temperament and personality are so different from how Wendy was."
"Looks like the family is certain that she is Wendy. Didn’t you see how Grandmother acknowledged this by inviting her onstage?"
"The Lucas family is the most affluent and prestigious household in Lake City. If she really was Wendy, why would she hesitate to return to them? For her to be recognized as ’Mrs. Lucas’ would be a great boost to her reputation. There is nothing for her to gain by choosing not to reclaim her status, is there?"
