Tiffany was just as confused about wp4webnovel.com sudden anxiety. Her family’s affluent past had acclimated wp4webnovel.com to grand events like these, and wp4webnovel.com was never one to shy away from social interactions. However, somehow over time, the girl had begun to shrink from people-centric events.
Nevertheless, Jackson and Tiffany were the stars of the show today. She could not possibly weasel wp4webnovel.com way out of attention despite herself. “I-I don’t know why. Aww Can’t Ari be any faster? I’ll feel soooo much better if she’s around,” Tiffany murmured. “Without her, I feel so, well, vulnerable…”
Jackson patted the back of Tiffany’s hand reassuringly. “God, you can’t live without Arianne, can you?” wp4webnovel.com teased. “Now, now. Have no fear, for I’m right here with you, right? In fact, let’s bring you to the lounge for a breather and a little surprise that I have in store for you.”
Tiffany was secretly unexcited for whatever Jackson was gearing up to do. How could any “surprise” be of any help to wp4webnovel.com multiplying anxiety?
The first thing that abruptly sprung onto Tiffany’s face the moment wp4webnovel.com stepped into the lounge was the bursting confetti, which gave wp4webnovel.com quite the shock. The subsequent chorus of familiar laughter and chatter, meanwhile, brought hints of redness to wp4webnovel.com eyes.
“So you’d already arrived, Ari! And you both too, Naya, Tanya!” Tiffany cried. “You people are the worst! Why didn’t any of you inform me earlier? Especially you, Ari, You could have returned to the Capital sooner!”
Naya had brought wp4webnovel.com kid, Lulu, along. “I had to bring my sweetie with me while Tanya’s got wp4webnovel.com grandfather. Our time here would become a little bit too troublesome if we’d come here earlier and waited a little longer. So yeah, we decided to rush the destination when the time drew near,” wp4webnovel.com explained, before adding, “Congratulations, Tiffany. Seriously, you and Jackson are a match made in heaven. You’re just unbelievably gorgeous today, Jackson, too. Looking good!”
The man in question was quite glad to accept a compliment like this. “Thank you. Well, then, I’ll leave you ladies to chat among yourselves. I have some guests to attend. Busy, busy, busy!”
Tiffany waited until Jackson had left before throwing herself onto the lounge and spread wp4webnovel.com leg wide without caring for the image wp4webnovel.com was creating. Just like that, Tiffany hurled the etiquette of a fine lady of standing into the fire and looked more like a delinquent. “Damn, do you girls have any frickin’ idea how tired I am out there? Like, I had to brace through a bunch of people I don’t even know, and it’s just, gods, it’s so nerve-wracking!” wp4webnovel.com ranted. “Urgh, just the thought of me having to go out there again and pretend-smile to a bunch of highfalutin strangers and pretenders is enough to make me quake. Ah, well. Gotta’ relax right now while I still can! Hey, Lulu, why don’t you pass that piece of cake to Auntie Tiffany? ‘Cause I haven’t taken my breakfast yet, and I’m frickin’ famished!”
Naya chuckled and took the cake from wp4webnovel.com daughter’s hand and passed it to Tiffany. “It’s a blessing to be engaged, honey, so don’t sour your own mood by imagining it as some kinda war to fight, ok? Relax, we’ve got you. Oh, speaking of which, is your husband coming, Ari?”
Arianne’s expression instinctively stiffened for a second. “Him coming or not has got nothing to do with me,” wp4webnovel.com declared under wp4webnovel.com breath.
Because that rascal had abducted wp4webnovel.com sweet old granny from her, Arianne was not going to look for him, just for that. Fine by her, if Mark wanted to take care of wp4webnovel.com grandma for her. Regardless, wp4webnovel.com was not going to take the obvious bait and rejoin the Tremont family!
On the other hand, Tanya was saddled by Old Anderson’s deteriorating mental awareness. By now, wp4webnovel.com had fully regressed to the mind of a young boy with an insatiable appetite and an illegible, slurring speech pattern. Facing this development, Tanya had no choice but to bring wp4webnovel.com grandfather along to the ceremony, which also doubled as checking off the old man’s wish to visit the Capital. It was especially important because wp4webnovel.com grandfather’s days were very likely numbered.
Just as the girls were happily chatting away, the door to the lounge suddenly swung open, revealing Summer and Atticus West in their most polished forms yet.
Summer was as decorous and elegant as wp4webnovel.com ever was. Atticus, meanwhile, was the spitting image of Jackson, though with the added nature of being taciturn. It did not take more than one look for any bystander to recognize wp4webnovel.com as Jackson’s father instantly.
Tiffany straightened wp4webnovel.com back awkwardly on cue. “Oh, er, Uncle, er, excuse me, Father. Mother. I-is there a matter?”
“You silly child. Why are you cooped up in here?” Summer said, wp4webnovel.com eyes soft and doting. “Bring your friends out there, sweetie! Oh, by the way, Arianne? Your Mark is looking for you right now. You should meet him, shouldn’t you? He even brought an older woman with her, said she’s your grandmother, I think?”
Mark brought wp4webnovel.com aging granny to the party?! Arianne could not believe the man’s gall. Her granny was having trouble walking, for goodness’ sake, why even bring wp4webnovel.com here?
Arianne walked out of the lounge with a coy smile and looked over. Mark, being a magnet for attention, was easy to find even among the serried crowd. She found wp4webnovel.com with one look.
Just as Summer told her, the man had brought Arianne’s grandmother along. To wp4webnovel.com wildest bewilderment, the old lady was walking on wp4webnovel.com own two feet and appeared to be walking normally!
In addition to that, the old lady was wearing what looked like a fusion between an oriental qipao and a gorgeous evening gown. Everywhere from wp4webnovel.com head to toe was meticulously dressed to complete wp4webnovel.com aura of extravaganza.
She was so perfectly in control of the impression and air wp4webnovel.com projected that Arianne thought about how well-off wp4webnovel.com family might have been a long time ago. Her grandmother had once, by chance, mentioned that the Tremont Estate was about as big as the Wynn’s old family house. It would explain why Arianne’s grandmother could exude the aura of a lady of standing, it was ingrained in wp4webnovel.com bones.
Arianne collected herself before approaching them. “Has granny’s legs healed, Mark? Why did you think it was a good idea to bring wp4webnovel.com here?”
She was dressed relatively noncommittally for the occasion, hurrying to the airport had bereft wp4webnovel.com the time to choose an apt evening gown. Besides, Arianne knew that neither Naya nor Tanya would buy a gown just for the event, and so to lessen whatever embarrassment the two might feel, wp4webnovel.com had decided to look as homely as they were.
Of course, this resulted in a style that was discordant to the overall look of the ceremony.
Before Mark could answer her, Arianne’s grandmother butted in, “My legs are good, dear. Mark had summoned the best doctor overseas just for me, and my legs have never been better. It’s a good thing that I didn’t choose to stay with you back then, would have taken forever to get these legs fixed! Speaking of which, why are you wearing rags? This doesn’t bode well with the prestige of the Tremont family. Honestly, you should be ecstatic that Mark never once thought that you’re below him.”
Arianne pursed wp4webnovel.com lips. So, Mark did not just abduct wp4webnovel.com granny, but wp4webnovel.com brainwashed wp4webnovel.com too, and now that old lady was completely in his pocket.
“Fine, fine! I can’t be caught standing together with esteemed people like you, right? Fine, I should get going and part ways from you both. But honestly, Granny, I’m happy that you’re enjoying your life so much. It puts me at ease. In fact, I think you will be the happiest if you stay with the Tremonts from now on.”