These words carried a deep aning.
The misty tea steam kept rising.
The faces of many present were hidden in the shadows.
So people were still murmuring about sothing, words that Clara Huxley couldn’t quite hear.
Only fragnted snippets of conversation floated over.
"Silas Hawthorne establishing power for Serena Sterling," "Serena is just lucky," "Serena can’t have children," "The Sheridan Family is long gone," "What’s the use of marrying a woman without family support to back her"...
And so on.
Spoken with little courtesy.
After all, it was Clara Huxley who ca here, not one of the remaining elders of The Hawthornes.
Clara Huxley, compared to them, was sowhat junior.
Only then did they dare to use their seniority to their advantage.
Clara let out a cold snort and put down the tea leaves in her hand.
She surveyed everyone present one by one.
When her husband passed away and she was left alone with three children, those people also said such unpleasant things.
It was only later when Silas Hawthorne returned from overseas that they dared not be so presumptuous.
Now it was starting again.
Clara glanced at Percival Ford, who nodded.
With newfound confidence, Clara stood up and gently tapped a nearby porcelain to capture everyone’s attention.
"Though I’m considered a junior, today I’m going to make this clear." Clara spoke with an entirely serious expression, her eyes devoid of jest, "Serena and Silas are about to get married. From now on, she is part of our Hawthorne Family. Any opinions, so people might have, better be kept to themselves!"
In the tea room, the lighting was bright, and the temperature was just right.
Countless fine teas were brewing, releasing a rich aroma.
On various Chinese-style seats, the expressions on everyone’s faces varied.
So were amused, so looked like they were watching a farce, so were angry and mocking, and others were just there to spectate.
Yet the man whom Clara specifically addressed publicly was unwilling to back down.
"I’ll say it here too," he said, "I simply don’t think highly of Serena!"
He sneered, "Three parts like Evan Sheridan? Evan Sheridan has long been dead. If she really had even three parts like him, then what awaits her is the sa fate!"
"Oh really? Chairman Zink, if you don’t think highly of Serena, then what about the younger generation in your family? How outstanding are they? Bring them out and let’s have a look." Clara retorted unceremoniously.
"Clara Huxley, you!"
"What about ?" Clara smiled.
It looked as though the two of them were about to get into an argunt.
"Ahem, ahem..." Percival Ford coughed twice, drawing the attention of the crowd.
"Alright." Percival Ford spoke, looking towards Mr. Lloyd, "Mr. Lloyd, how is your health?"
Mr. Lloyd waved his hand, indicating he was fine.
He had just been discharged from the hospital not too long ago and was still a bit weak, so he had been leaning on the chair by Percival Ford, playing chess, without saying much.
"Serena is a good child," Mr. Lloyd said in a hoarse voice, "she’s not as unbearable as rumors might suggest—it’s just that the Sheridan Family fell too early; it’s a pity."
"But..."
"Enough, Mr. Zink." Percival Ford interjected, "Originally, you didn’t like Evan Sheridan, wasn’t it just because he rejected your daughter back then?"
"Good thing my daughter didn’t get involved with him; otherwise, who knows what kind of situation she’d be in now." Mr. Zink complained.
Seemingly upset, Mr. Zink continued, "In any case, if Serena were my granddaughter, I would never let her do this!"
"Then what would you have her do?" Matriarch Quentin asked, "She has nothing. It’s already not easy for her to have gotten to where she is now."
"She..."
"Enough, seriously." Percival Ford once again stopped them.
He looked at Mr. Zink and said, "Alright then, let’s see how Serena performs going forward. There’s no use in talking now; everyone here earned their positions through their own capabilities. No matter the behavior, we only need to look at Serena’s abilities."
"Hmph!"
Mr. Zink tossed sothing down before standing up. Before leaving, he threw down a parting remark—
"Three parts like Evan Sheridan? I truly don’t believe it. That little Serena could create any sort of storm!"
With that said, Mr. Zink walked out with a cane.
A sense of awkward silence fell over the tea room.
Then, a few minutes passed, and the atmosphere ward up again as people began chatting about the younger generation in their families.
But everyone’s focus remained on Serena Sterling.
Everyone was waiting to see Serena’s ultimate outco.
In fact, most of the people present didn’t think highly of Serena.
The younger mbers of their families had the support of a family foundation, raised with great care from an early age, and even they struggled to achieve anything, let alone Serena Sterling from the fallen Sheridan Family.
As for Matriarch Quentin’s comnt about her being three parts like Evan Sheridan, that was just polite talk.
Everyone knew that the Quentin Family carried her na, and the man had married into her family; it’s normal for her to praise a young girl like Serena out of sympathy.
But if Serena achieved only modest success, it might be okay, but if it ended in a miserable failure, the Ford Family and Hawthorne Family’s reputations would suffer.
Moreover, the Lawson Family recently seed to be at odds with Serena.
Isla Lawson appeared to be consistently targeting Serena.
Nobody knew why.
Percival Ford and Clara Huxley exchanged a glance, both understanding the sentints of everyone present.
So even started placing bets.
Betting whether Serena would succeed all the way, or if her fortune-run would halt here, or even if she’d lose everything.
"A small bet to keep it fun." soone spoke up, "Mr. Zink already told , he bets Serena will et a disastrous end, how about you, Mr. Ford?"
The bets weren’t about money but who would be responsible for various tasks at the next gathering.
For them, this was nothing, really just a ga about face.
"Of course, I’m betting on Serena’s win. My third grandson has a hand in this too," Percival Ford laughed.
Clara Huxley went a step further, taking out her phone and sending a ssage to Serena.
[Do well on the Aether project!]
Receiving the ssage, Serena had no idea what had happened.
She thought a mont and replied to the ssage—[I’ll do my best, Mrs. Huxley, don’t worry.]
Serena put her phone away.
Watching the elevator floor numbers rise steadily.
After talking with Julian Lawson at the cetery, she suddenly wanted to see Silas Hawthorne.
To confirm if her current life wasn’t just a dream.
Whether those terrifying experiences were truly gone, whether she was living the reality she believed in.
"Ding!"
With the opening of the elevator doors.
Serena headed straight for Silas Hawthorne’s office.
"Miss Sheridan."
"Good afternoon, Miss Sheridan."
Everyone she passed greeted her warmly.
Serena nodded in response.
With a heavy heart, she arrived outside Silas Hawthorne’s office door.
"May I co in?" Serena asked Secretary Sawyer.
Secretary Sawyer smiled, "Mr. Hawthorne said Miss Sheridan can co and go as she pleases anyti."
Allowed to co and go at any ti without a reason, access to all files, his seal for her private use, the safe combination taught to her, his everything available for her to take if she wanted.
That day, in the well-lit study, after she declined Silas Hawthorne’s proposal to share all his assets with her, he said, "Then you have to promise sothing else."
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