Adrienne left the estate early in the morning with Uncle Mo, one of the people Rosemary Zhao brought with her when she married into the Jiang family. With this familiarity, the Zhao family wouldn’t dare to question her identity as Rosemary’s daughter.
An hour later, the car stopped in front of the Zhao family estate. Unlike other luxurious mansions within the city, the Zhao family estate was situated on the outskirts of Changshi City. It was still magnificent though the structures and design needed to be updated.
The Zhao family were descendants of a scholar family, and many of their children were outstanding within the literary field. Although the Zhao family wasn’t deeply involved in business and trading, they were recognized as affluent.
Adrienne ca to this place in her previous life when her mother had gotten yet another critical complication. She desperately cried outside only to be chased away by the servants, but not before receiving a word from the Old Master Zhao.
’No Rosemary Zhao nor Adrienne Jiang are written on our family records. You have the power to change your fate.’
At that ti, Adrienne didn’t understand what the old man ant. He could deny her as his granddaughter, but she never expected him to be heartless enough to disown his daughter. Since then, she held a grudge against the Zhao family and never dared to return.
However, now that she was reborn, Adrienne understood her grandfather’s words well. She already had the needed resources but would need to stake a claim on it, even if it ant going against her father. Her mother provided everything the Jiang family had. It’s only natural for her to demand the Jiang family to provide what she needed, but they denied her.
Uncle Mo opened the backseat door for Adrienne, allowing her to step out and look around.
"Miss, this is the Zhao family estate. This is where your mother was born and grew up." Uncle Mo said excitedly. He hadn’t been in this place for over two decades since Rosemary left.
Vines crawled and covered the gate’s pillars, and upon peeking inside, Adrienne noticed a massive garden and a greenhouse next to the main estate. A housekeeper opened the gates for them, his eyes widening upon seeing Adrienne’s face.
"M-Miss?!" He exclaid, but then realized that this woman was too young to be their Miss Rose.
"I’m Adrienne Jiang. I’m here to see my grandfather and uncle."
The housekeeper then recovered from his shock and stepped back. "Miss Adrienne, please co in and follow !"
Adrienne thanked him and quietly followed him along with Uncle Mo. They were led inside the main estate and took the path leading to where the guests were welcod. Adrienne wasn’t surprised or offended since she had no familial ties with the Zhao family.
Adrienne then knelt on the wooden floors and gave her respects to her elders, and then sat up with a straight back. The atmosphere inside the room was strange, but it didn’t affect Adrienne. She saw an old man and a man in his mid-thirties waiting for her. The old man looked at her with a complicated expression. He was already in his late seventies, and it was obvious to Adrienne that he wasn’t in the best of health.
"You are Adrienne Jiang? You are Addie?" The younger man asked, giving her a surprised look. He then pursed his lips and leaned slightly to his father. "Father, she looks like Rose."
Being a military official, Reese Zhao could rarely be seen at ho or in the city. He was frequently sent out of town for special missions that took months or years to complete. Adrienne had chosen this ti to et the Zhao family for this reason because he was at ho for a short break.
"Yes, Lt. Zhao,." Adrienne wasn’t sure why Reese Zhao was acting like this. "I apologize that I couldn’t bring Mother along with . She is currently incapable of coming over and personally introducing ."
Did he and her mother remain in contact over the years? Didn’t the Zhao family disown her mother and cut ties with her when she married her father?
Adrienne gently smiled at him. Although a military man, Reese Zhao didn’t appear crude or frightening. At thirty-seven, she had to admit that his handso charm could easily make other won swoon over him. However, her uncle was still a bachelor and she couldn’t rember hearing any news of him marrying in her previous life.
The Old Madam Zhao had trouble conceiving, just like Adrienne’s mother. So when Rosemary was born, the entire Zhao family had doted on her. Everything she needed and wanted was provided for. Growing up under such circumstances might have caused Rosemary to beco sowhat naive about other’s intentions and had failed to realize Lewis Jiang’s sche.
–
Reese Zhao was younger than Rosemary by nine years and his birth was considered a miracle as Old Madam Zhao was told that she would never have a child again after having her daughter. The pair of brother and sister were incredibly close to each other, and Reese Zhao held his sister in high regard.
Reese Zhao had openly criticized Lewis Jiang’s incompetence among the Zhao family mbers. He didn’t believe that the man proposed marriage to his sister out of love. He insisted that it was done out of despair to save Jiang family’s company and raise his status within the circle through his sister’s connection. He wasn’t oblivious to Lewis Jiang’s intention toward his sister and hated him more than anyone else.
However, at that ti, Rosemary was blinded by her love and insisted on marrying Lewis Jiang, refusing to listen to anyone. She’d foolishly thought that her father had refused to bless them because the Jiang family wasn’t on the sa level as the Zhaos.
He set his eyes back on his niece. Adrienne Jiang looked just like her mother, but this young lady’s eyes had neither gentleness nor warmth. It was like he was looking at a vengeful spirit instead.
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