Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Soon, Ingrid and Roxanne arrived at the old Everett Mansion.
It was located on a mountain near the coast.
Although the mansion was old, it was one of the most expensive estates in Greyport.
The Everett family had countless properties all over the world, but Margaret had always lived in the old
mansion.
During the holidays, Bruce would go back here to live with his grandmother.
Ingrid drove along the mountain road, slowly getting into the lush greenery. Even the oxygen here. was
abundant and clean.
Greyport was a very busy city, and the air pollution was also serious. Nevertheless, this place was like
an isolated fairyland.
At the gate, the handsome young guard stopped the car and asked warily, “What are your business
here?”
Ingrid rolled down the window hastily and gave the young guard a sweet smile. “It’s me. I just got off
the phone with your butler. I have an appointment with Margaret at ten o’clock!”
“Oh, so you must be Mrs. Haynes!” said the guard and opened the gate..
Ingrid and Roxanne went through two more gates after that.
The car had been driving for more than ten minutes, and finally, they arrived at the front yard of the
villa.
“Greetings, Mrs. Haynes, Ms. Haynes,” Margaret’s butler, Korbin, greeted them.
He had been waiting at the door.
Korbin wore a neat tail coat and gold–rimmed glasses, polite and meticulous.
He had been working here for over 30 years, and he was Margaret’s most trusted servant.
“Oh, dear, this place is huge! It’s several times bigger than our house,” said Ingrid.
Even though she was a rich lady, she still couldn’t help but be amazed by the splendid mansion.
Ten minutes later, the butler took Ingrid and Roxanne into the living room.
The living room was more like a banquet hall, in Roxanne’s opinion. It was so large that it was enough
to hold a party for hundreds of people.
And the old lady, Margaret Everett, caught her eyes at once.
Margaret was sitting on the sofa. A pair of glasses with a chain was placed on her nose, and she was
wearing a gown with a silk shawl on her shoulder.
Margaret was so noble and dignified that it was not hard to tell her beauty when she was young.
“So nice to meet you, Mrs. Everett!” Ingrid said. “It’s been a long time!” She smiled obsequiously as she
approached Margaret to shake her hand.
Margaret just sat there without even looking at her.
She had no interest in responding to Ingrid’s flattering, false manner.
“Yeah, it has. Now, please, be seated,” said the old lady indifferently.
Smiling awkwardly, Ingrid quickly handed over the fancy gifts she had bought. “Here, this is our gift for
you, Mrs. Everett. A small token of our appreciation. Please, take it.”
“Oh, you’re so kind,” said Margaret and turned to speak to the maids aside. “Tea for our guests!”
She was petting the cat in her arms, showing no interest in the gift at all.
Ingrid had to put down her gift on the coffee table. Then she and her daughter sat down stiffly.
The maids walked over and poured them teas.
“So, um, is Bruce back from his business trip?” Ingrid asked tentatively.
Margaret raised her eyebrows slightly. “Yeah, he’s not back until tomorrow,” she replied with an aloof
voice.
“Oh, well… then will he…”
“Why are you here today, Ingrid?” Margaret interrupted her. “Let’s just cut to the cheese here.”
Ingrid laughed dryly and answered a little sheepishly, “Nothing important. I just thought I should stop by
and visit you. Because, you know, Roxy misses you so much. She’s always telling me she’s coming to
see you…”
That made Margaret’s lips curl into a faint sneer, and her sharp eyes turned to Roxanne.
Roxanne was too nervous to make eye contact with Margaret. She merely forced å smile.
In fact, Roxanne was not always like this. In the beginning, she tried to impress Margaret. She acted.
like an innocent maiden, she pretended to be sensible, and she even tried to do things as a virtuous girl
did. But her attempts all failed.
Margaret just did not buy it at all!
“Oh, well,” said Margaret and rose from her seat, “since you have no important matters, I’ll go upstairs
and take my afternoon nap.”
Ingrid stopped her and said, “Please wait a minute! Yeah, um, I do have something to discuss with you.
I’m just embarrassed to say it.”
Margaret sneered. “Then perhaps you shouldn’t say it at all!”
Ingrid was retorted rather speechless, and on the inside, she could not help cursing the old lady’s
ruthlessness.
However, on the surface, Ingrid was still wearing the false smile. “Uh, well… it’s about Bruce and Roxy. NôvelDrama.Org owns © this.
You see, they’ve been dating each other for too long. Maybe, it’s time for them to get married?”
With a frown, Margaret said nothing.
Roxanne was rubbing her fingers nervously, her face scarlet. Here in Greyport, normally, it should be
the groom’s family taking the initiative to talk about the wedding.
However, given the circumstances, she could only ignore the tradition as long as she could be Bruce’s
legal wife.
Ingrid gave the silent Margaret another sheepish smile. “The sooner they get married, the sooner they
can have children! Imagine that, Margaret, you will have great–grandchildren!”
Margaret’s mouth twitched as she replied coldly, “You should discuss this with Bruce. I don’t have a
problem with when he’d like to get married.”
“Right, right, but young people don’t like to bother themselves with these matters. As their guardians,
we have to make arrangements, don’t we? And…”
Before Ingrid could finish, Margaret had already stood up. “That’s enough, Ingrid. I’m tired. Besides,
Bruce is not a kid anymore. He can make his own decision.”
“What? But Mrs. Everett, I…”
“Korbin, see the guests out!”
Ingrid was so embarrassed, her mind occupied by anxiety.
“Mrs. Haynes,” said Korbin who had blocked Ingrid’s view. “Mrs. Everett is not well and needs to rest.
She can’t be disturbed. Please, allow me to see you out.”
“Fine…”
Ingrid and Roxanne had hit dead ends, and they had no choice but to leave now.
After they were gone, Margaret snorted with a sneer. “Humph, those two clowns thought we Everetts
are a bunch of idiots!”
Bruce had also come out of his bedroom. Unlike the poker–faced man whom people considered, Bruce
pur his arms around his grandmother’s shoulder with a bright smile.
“Grandma, why are you so prejudiced against Roxy?”
He came back from a business trip to Europe yesterday.
But he did not want to see Roxanne. So he lied that he was coming back the day after tomorrow.
“How can she be any better when her mother is a woman like that? Like mother, like daughter!”
Margaret replied.
She disliked every part of Ingrid.
She might be too old to fight in the front, but behind the scenes, Margaret was still in control of the
Everett Corp.
After all, an incapable old lady could not help her grandson all the way up to the most successful
entrepreneur in the city.
Back in Margaret’s days, Ingrid had already been a famous gold digger in Greyport. After hooking up
with Shaun Haynes, Ingrid finally made her way into the so–called upper–class society.
Thus, how could Ingrid’s history and little tricks hide from Margaret’s sharp eyes?
“Grandma, Roxy is not like her mother at all. They are not the same. You can’t just…” Bruce tried to
convince the old lady.
Yet his grandmother’s face sank as she interrupted, “Do you remember what I’ve told you? Have you
done it?”
Bruce looked confused. “Done what?”
“Oh, you silly boy, Joanna’s kids! Haven’t I told you to invite Joanna and her sons over? I’d like to see
them.”
Bruce froze, at a loss for words.