It was a bowl of steaming noodles with a scrumptious amount of shrimp and lobsters as toppings. The broth’s glaze was mouthwatering; in just one glance, one would feel hungry. Even a monk would give in to his hunger.
"Woah, the shrimp and lobster look fresh and plump!" one lady exclaid, drooling at the sight of the food. She regretted not ordering food when they ca minutes ago.
"Do you want it?"
Patricia thought this was a chance and pushed the bowl to the lady. But before it could reach the lady’s plate, Mrs. Moore stopped it with a hand.
The broth almost spilled over when she did this.
"Mrs. Westwood, one should not waste food. It would make us look crude and vulgar." Mrs. Moore twistedly smiled.
Patricia took a deep breath before faking a smile. "Mrs. Moore, didn’t you hear Daniela? She wants it."
"Do you, really, Daniella?" Mrs. Moore turned to the other lady.
Daniella Grant was still salivating at the sight of the food. She had been on a diet for a while now because her husband wanted her to keep watch on her figure. The only ti she could cheat and have a blast was when the elite housewives gathered like this.
Being stared at by the two won who were the figureheads of their organization, Daniella’s saliva got caught in her throat, unable to swallow, yet she was tempted to do it.
Patricia saw her hesitating. She twirled the spoon in the bowl and comnted, "It’s still piping hot. I’m sure you’ll definitely like it, Daniella."
Daniella was almost tempted. Almost. Until Mrs. Moore suddenly added, "Then all the more you shouldn’t reject the food, Mrs. Westwood."
"And didn’t you know that Daniella is on a diet because her husband’s about to return?" Mrs. Moore added, awakening Daniella from her dream.
"Tha—that’s right. My husband’s going back soon." Daniella turned to Patricia and said with a helpless smile, "Mrs. Westwood, you should eat it."
Patricia gritted her teeth. There was no way she would eat sothing that soone she didn’t know gave her!
Besides, she was terribly allergic to seafood! Wouldn’t this kill her if she ate it?
Not a lot of people knew she was allergic to seafood. The sa with these old won. They didn’t know she was allergic to them, and Patricia didn’t get to tell them either. So, no one in their group should have done this.
When she realized what food was given to her, Patricia instantly knew it was not from her son.
What kind of son would give his mother sothing that could kill her?
Then who could have given this to her?
Patricia looked around the restaurant. She was a frequent custor because she liked the food there. The ambiance and reputation of the restaurant were also the best for etings like this. But who would dare serve sothing that could make them a murderer?
More importantly, it was strange that she was the only one who got sothing while the others didn’t.
Patricia would never have imagined that she had just received her forr daughter-in-law’s gift.
"Mrs. Westwood, is there sothing wrong?" one lady asked her in concern when Patricia didn’t speak and kept turning her head around as if she was looking for sothing inside the restaurant.
Patricia replied, "It’s nothing."
The lady, Mrs. Miller, glanced down at the bowl left in the middle of the table. Then, she said, "It’s okay not to eat it. It’s better to be careful. Who knows what kind of thing was put in there?"
Patricia nodded in agreent. Thankfully, soone created an excuse for her.
Of course, she could’ve just told them she was allergic to seafood. But Patricia didn’t want to show any weakness in front of these ladies.
After Patricia and the other old won finished their lunch, they headed downstairs to go about their way. But Patricia stopped to talk to the manager about the dish she was given.
When she asked them who ordered and gave it to her, the manager said he didn’t know. He asked around and soon, soone stepped forward.
"It was a beautiful woman."
Patricia squinted her eyes. "A woman? Do you know her na or what she looked like?"
The cashier shot the restaurant a look as she hesitated to answer. When she received permission, she answered, "She paid with cash and gave a tip. But that’s about it. I was on the cash register and there were a lot of custors, so I don’t clearly rember her face."
Coincidentally, the CCTV cara was not working that day.
Although Patricia wanted to pursue this matter and find out who this ’beautiful woman’ was, she received a call from her father-in-law.
"Hello, father?"
A voice with a strong accent ca through the phone and said, "Where’s Landon?"
"How am I supposed to know?" Patricia sighed as she got into her car.
"Shouldn’t you at least know what is going on with your son?" her father-in-law said. "After all, you’re his mother."
Patricia winced. The edge of the man’s tone grated against her spine. Even though she had been this man’s daughter-in-law for more than three decades now, it still didn’t change that every ti she faced him or heard his voice, Patricia would still be afraid of him.
This man was her father-in-law, soone who should be closer to her as a family. But to other people, he was the tyrant who held the business world with a golden, iron grip. Dominik Westwood was also the founder of Westwood Group and GT Inc.,
"Father, Landon hasn’t been ho that much these past few years. He doesn’t talk to ! How would I know?"
Her words were filled with grief. She poured out her heart to pull in the sympathy of her father-in-law. Then, maybe, he could convince her son to go back ho and stop treating her so coldly!
"It’s all because of that woman, father! She definitely said or did sothing that made my son change so much!"
In the end, Patricia placed all the bla on Lucy, who hadn’t appeared for more than three years.
"Father, a lot of people are asking around if my son has divorced already. Many are interested in getting married into the family. If we waste any more ti, my son’s future would be in tatters!" Patricia cried out, slamming her palms against the car door beside her.
She wanted her father-in-law to realize how important marriage was to the family and the business.
If she could match her son to a girl from a wealthy and influential family, there would be no need for her to worry about his future.
"My son is already old enough to have his own child. Don’t you want to et your great-grandchildren?"
Patricia kept rambling on, trying to persuade her father-in-law to force Landon to get married. Even though she had no idea whether her son was already divorced or not.
After the plan to get Landon married to Yvonne fell through, Patricia put her eggs on other baskets, hoping it would bring so results.
Unfortunately, all of her efforts were wasted as her own son threatened her not to match him with any other won!
She was hoping that her father-in-law would be persuaded into siding with her by ntioning the great-grandchildren he might have in the future!
How could Dominik Westwood not know what Patricia was trying to do?
But he didn’t disagree with her.
"I’ll talk to Landon later."
Patricia’s eyes bead with hope. "Thank you so much, Father!"
Beep.
As soon as the call ended, Patricia scread in glee. She was like a child who finally got permission to buy a ticket to her favorite singer’s concert.
She had been feeling depressed over her son’s matter. How could she not? All her friends’ daughters and sons were already married to other wealthy and powerful families. Yet, her son, Landon, only married a woman with a common background. And what’s even worse was that Lucy had left out of nowhere.
However, Patricia suspected her son was keeping Lucy sowhere. Or he wouldn’t have refused the won she sent her son’s way.
But now, there was no need for her to worry. Her father-in-law promised to talk with Landon so, the chances of everything going back to how she wanted will soon happen.
Taking out her phone, Patricia started calling her friends, whose daughters weren’t married yet.
In her mind, one of these ladies will soon beco her daughter-in-law.
Ah, that’s right. She should start making a schedule to set her son to go on a date with them!
***
Lucy went back to the building and resud her work.
Her dress, which had been spotless in the morning, now had traces of paint, but it did not decrease her beauty at all.
It took a few more hours for her to finish a part of the wall. And as soon as she prepared to leave, her phone chid to notify her of a new ssage.
It ca from an unregistered number.
[I heard what happened, and I already took care of it. I hope you can continue working with .]
Lucy curled her brows loosely, but the tension on her nerves as soon as she recognized the string of numbers reached the tips of her fingers.
Her blood beca cold as she rembered who this number belonged to.
It had been engraved inside her.
And she hated how she instinctively knew who it was.
Who else could it be?
It was none other than Landon.
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