Juliana could see Elias’s protectiveness toward Mrs. Sinclair.
A faint, cool smile appeared on her face.
"All these years, you’ve been tirelessly searching for the Sinclair’s daughter, not because you really care for her. You’ve done all this to repay Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair for raising you, to soothe their pain of losing their daughter."
Juliana looked away, forcing down the bitterness welling up inside her.
"I really feel sorry for that girl. Her parents never truly loved her, and even those she cherished and relied on had hidden motives. Thankfully, she only lived for a re 12 years; otherwise, how cruel it would be for her to see all this?"
"Juliana..."
Elias felt a weight on his heart, his jawline taut.
He paused for about ten seconds before controlling his emotions and saying, "You have no idea of the situation back then, nor do you understand... how deeply Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair have mourned their daughter over these years.
His arm still wrapped around her waist, the two were so close that his warm breath brushed against the strands of hair on her forehead.
"Florence Sinclair, Isabelle Sinclair, they were just solace found in reflections of her differing facets. Florence was smart and studious, resembling her focused and serious manner at her desk; Isabelle’s lively and spirited nature mirrored her playful and charming side in private."
Elias turned his head to look at her, his gaze calm, as if seeking a flicker of emotion on her face.
"Over the years, whenever Mrs. Sinclair discovered an orphan with the slightest hint of resemblance to her daughter, she’d try her best to help. She’s always been trapped in her longing for her daughter, and even with Isabelle and Florence, she couldn’t move on. So you understand now, what that necklace you destroyed last night ant to her, don’t you?"
However, Juliana rely chuckled and tried to push him away.
"Why should I understand Mrs. Sinclair? You’re attached to the comndable, morable qualities you see in the girl. But what about her simplicity? The cost of her naivety in trusting others too easily; her ignorance? The innocence and naivety she should have had at that age. She lived simply, just yearning for soone to care for her... Do you rember these less ’brilliant’ parts?"
Juliana took a deep breath at this point.
"Elias, if the love you speak of is ultimately letting her go, then I cannot understand such emotions."
"It’s not like that..."
Disregarding her struggles, Elias held her tighter.
His heart ached too much, and only being close to her, feeling her real heartbeat, could bring him a mont of peace.
"The engagent was the order of our elders, and she was still young at the ti. I indeed hadn’t developed romantic feelings for her then... But in my heart, she was always a little sister I needed to protect. I cared about her, from start to finish, and never thought of giving up on her."
Though his answer left Juliana unsure if she should feel disappointnt or relief, at least he didn’t try to cover it up with lies.
Juliana relaxed completely.
"Go ahead and bring Mrs. Sinclair in. I won’t do anything to her, but if you’re worried about Isabelle, then forget it."
After speaking, she gently pushed him away and went into the bathroom.
No one ntioned whether they would still sleep in separate rooms.
At night, just as Juliana was feeling sleepy, the mattress shifted.
The man lay down behind her, gently wrapping an arm around her.
Juliana didn’t pull away. After his breathing evened, she turned over and nestled her head against his chest, falling asleep.
The next afternoon, Elias called Juliana, saying Mrs. Sinclair was coming to dinner that night and asking if she had anything to prepare in advance.
Of course, she did.
Juliana understood his hint but didn’t say much; she hung up the phone and hurried back to the quadrangle.
The mansion was already bustling.
Even April Wallace had been permitted to help in the kitchen.
Of course, the only thing she could handle was the kitchen waste.
"Ma’am," Steward Fay saw her and quickly stepped aside to clear the way into the kitchen, "four dishes at the dinner are Mrs. Sinclair’s favorites, and the rest are made according to your preferences. Please see if there’s anything amiss."
Juliana stepped into the kitchen, glancing around as three or four chefs busied themselves.
Her gaze seed to pass unintentionally over April Wallace, then settled on the countertop.
"Are you planning to make Hua Diao Braised at?" she asked.
"Yes, ma’am."
"This dish really emphasizes the quality of Hua Diao wine; which brand are you using?"
Steward Fay quickly presented a small wine jar: "It’s a ten-year-aged ’Jia Jiao Yu Xiang’."
Juliana opened the lid, sniffed, and lightly tapped her pinky against the jar’s edge.
So powder accidentally fell into it and then disappeared with her slight shake.
"Not bad, it’s good wine, go ahead," she said.
"Rest assured, ma’am, we will not skimp on the ingredients,"
Steward Fay said as he carefully returned the expensive Hua Diao wine to its place.
Juliana gave her usual gentle smile, "To Mr. Sinclair, Mrs. Sinclair is like a half-mother, and he always listens to her. Tonight’s family dinner must not be negligent in the slightest."
Steward Fay nodded repeatedly.
Juliana glanced at April Wallace, working busily in the corner.
Her words entered her ears word for word, and if she had any sense, she’d be pondering how to cause trouble now.
Juliana smiled faintly and left the kitchen.
In the evening, Mrs. Sinclair arrived as expected.
Of course, Isabelle was with her.
Elias and Juliana welcod Mrs. Sinclair at the door.
Isabelle tried to maintain her image as an obedient, well-bred daughter, though her eyes occasionally darted around the courtyard.
She was looking for that vixen.
But tonight, Lena didn’t show up.
Before the al, Elias brought out a black lacquered wood box containing a piece of rare mory tal.
"Juliana accidentally broke your necklace earlier. She’s been uneasy about it, and today she finally found the sa tal, hoping it could make up for this regret."
Mrs. Sinclair could hear the politeness in his words.
Juliana had no intention of apologizing, but Elias was giving her face.
She glanced indifferently and had soone put the box away.
During the al, the steward served Hua Diao chicken.
Isabelle frowned, "Mom needs to watch her cholesterol, why such a greasy dish?"
Steward Fay quickly explained with a smile, "Our lady likes this dish, made with a rare ’Jia Jiao Yu Xiang’ ten-year vintage, the timing and ingredients are ticulous..."
"Steward Fay," Juliana interjected mildly, "why explain so much to her? The essence of this dish is in its collagen, nurturing and beautifying. Only those who can’t appreciate it consider it greasy."
With that, she used public chopsticks to pick up a piece for herself, but just as she raised her chopsticks, Elias naturally put his bowl out to catch it.
As a result, that slick, shiny Hua Diao at ended up in his bowl.
He set the bowl down, his gaze lightly passing over her fair neck before chuckling softly, "No wonder it seems so tender and smooth. I should have a few more, see if it can’t nurture my coarse, rough skin back to life."
His words made Juliana laugh.
Mrs. Sinclair lowered her eyelids, suddenly reminded of years ago when the sa dish was made at ho, and little Helena would gaze longingly at it while clinging to the edge of the table.
Back then, they worried that the child shouldn’t have alcohol, so they didn’t let her taste even a piece.
Now she could finally eat it, but who knows where she was.
Thinking of this, Mrs. Sinclair was overco with a mix of feelings, leaving her food tasteless.
Isabelle watched Elias and Juliana’s intimate interaction, feeling unbearably bitter, resentfully gorging herself on several pieces when no one was watching, her face slightly flushed.
This was because the powder Juliana had added to the wine had a stimulant effect.
As the evening wound down, just when Juliana thought the family dinner would end peacefully, April Wallace suddenly barged in with a face full of smiles, ignoring Steward Fay’s attempts to stop her.
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