The topic switched sowhat suddenly, Alia’s face froze, her beautiful eyes looking at Thomas Smith, for a mont she didn’t know how to respond.
Stunned for two seconds, she finally reacted, replacing awkwardness with a smile before explaining: "Previously... we had so misunderstandings, but now they’ve been resolved, he treats well."
"Well? I heard the Hart Family still hasn’t accepted you."
This—
Alia lowered her eyes, nodding slightly: "Yes... But whether they accept or not doesn’t have any impact, I don’t care."
This was her true feeling, but to others, especially to elders, it sounded a lot like she was covering for the man.
As if saying, my grievances don’t count as grievances, it’s nothing.
Sure enough, when Thomas Smith heard her say this, his expression beca nuanced.
"Silly girl, if you two didn’t have kids, if it was just a simple romance, you could not care, his family’s actions wouldn’t hurt you. But you have three kids, they’re the kids’ grandparents, you can’t avoid interacting. If they don’t accept you, they’ll inevitably slander you in front of the children, can you really say it has nothing to do with you?"
Thomas Smith had a very rich life experience, naturally he saw human relationships very clearly.
These words truly touched Alia’s heart.
She looked at this elder, her heart was excited and warm, suddenly, she felt a sense of maternal family.
Alia didn’t act magnanimous, so she smoothly asked: "Then Uncle Smith, do you have any advice? For example, if Doctor Smith ends up liking a girl you’re not interested in, how would you handle it?"
Her words carried a double aning, she was both seeking advice for herself and indirectly probing for Snow.
Thomas Smith didn’t expect she would be so adaptable, upholding the man one mont and then acknowledging reality, seeking his advice the next – her character was so genuine and straightforward.
He paused for a mont, then smiled: "Whom Charles chooses to like is his freedom, as long as the other person’s family is clean and her character is decent. I’m confident Charles wouldn’t pick a bad girl."
Implying, he wouldn’t do anything to break up a couple.
Alia was secretly happy, aning Snow t the criteria!
"As for your predicant, I have two small suggestions."
"Please go ahead, Uncle Smith."
"The Hart Family bullies you simply because they see you have no maternal family, no one backing you. If you had a support, would they dare make things difficult for you?"
Alia gave a bitter laugh, "But there’s nothing I can do about that. My mom’s been gone for a long ti, my dad... He’s in prison and won’t be out for three to five years. Besides, even if he does get out, he’d just be a leech, caring little about my life or death."
Thomas Smith hadn’t delved deeply into Alia’s past, when she said this, it caught his attention, he asked confusedly: "Your father isn’t nice to you?"
She chuckled self-deprecatingly, "It’s worse than that. When my mom was alive, he didn’t care for , and after she passed, he paid even less attention to . Later, he remarried a stepmother who brought along a daughter, he was nicer to my stepsister than to . A year later, the stepmother had a son, and that family had completely—"
Completely lost a place for her.
In all these years, Alia had never talked about this with anyone.
Because those who knew, knew without her saying.
And those who didn’t know, she didn’t speak of family sha to outsiders.
Besides, these pasts are filled with scars, recalling them inevitably brings pain, there’s really no need.
But today facing Thomas Smith, perhaps because he promised to lend such a huge sum of money, her mind felt closer, he being an elder, couldn’t help but pour out her heart, spoke a bit more.
"I’ve thought many tis, how there could be a father so cold and heartless to his own daughter, am I his biological child or not, why can a stepsister receive his paternal love while I can’t..."
"But I can’t think like that, my mom was such a good person, how can I have such irrational thoughts. But about that ho, recalling it, there truly was no warmth. You were right, the Hart Family looks down on , this factor played a big part. A person so rejected in their own family, how can they obtain pity and care from outsiders."
Thomas Smith quietly listened to her talk, thoughts seed to wander into so mory, until Alia finished speaking, he hadn’t yet snapped back.
The vehicle was quiet, Alia realized her emotion was a bit low, imdiately perked up.
Looked at Thomas Smith, saw he seed pensive, complexion was complicated and deep, she called out caringly: "Uncle Smith?"
"Uncle Smith?"
"Hmm?" Thomas Smith suddenly snapped back.
"What’s wrong?"
"No, it’s nothing..." He responded this way, but the look in his eyes was still aningful, paused for a bit, he feigned casualness as he asked, "Your dad... How was he to your mom?"
"Also not good. But I heard when my grandparents were still in a good condition earlier, he treated my mom quite well. Later, as he gradually managed the company himself, he grew worse towards my mom too, lost respect for my grandparents."
"Then did your grandparents never realize back then that he married your mom for the family’s wealth?"
Alia shook her head confusedly, "I don’t really understand... Maybe my father hid it well."
Thomas Smith asked again: "Do you know how long after they married you were born?"
"This..." Alia was even more perplexed, "Never thought about it."
Seeing his unnatural deanor, Alia asked caringly: "Uncle Smith, what’s wrong?"
"Oh, nothing... Just, my heart feels distressed, I always thought your mom married well and was very happy, but hearing you say this, I just realized..."
Thomas Smith’s words were cut short, Secretary Williams reminded: "Chairman Smith, Miss Norton, we’ve arrived at the cetery."
"Hmm, let’s get out of the car then."
Getting off the car, Alia realized Thomas Smith was quite prepared, besides bouquets, there were many other offering items.
Alia looked at these, even more convinced of Uncle Smith’s feelings for her mom.
Unfortunately, fate played tricks, they were long separated by life and death.
"Let’s go, you lead the way."
"Okay!"
Alia quickly picked up the bouquet, leading the way.
Thinking about it, she felt sowhat unfilial.
After returning to the country, she only found ti to visit the cetery twice, chatted with her mom for a bit.
Arrived at Chloe Norton’s tombstone, Alia stopped, "Uncle Smith, right here."
Thomas Smith carrying things, stopped his steps, Secretary Williams following behind, carrying even more.
"Chairman Smith, let do it." Little Williams stepped forward, prepared to arrange the offerings.
But Thomas Smith refused, "No need, you go wait in the car, I’ll do it myself."
"Alright."
Secretary Williams turned and walked down the steps, Thomas Smith looked at the tombstone, on it the small black-and-white photo had been eroded by ti till blurred beyond recognition.
He squatted down, raised his hand to touch it, after a while turned to look at Alia: "Child, can you let speak with your mom alone?"
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