Chapter 40
“Hmm… not really! I’ve read similar books before.”
Elaine had actually left behind a lot of things in the Riley family villa. There was a big basement specifically for storing her belongings.
Among those items, books took up a large portion, along with some boxes, but she didn’t have the keys to open them.
Hearing Lindsey say that, Jeffrey felt so much more at ease.
“Ah, finally, my heart feels light.” Jeffrey sighed with relief and started humming a little tune.
In the midst of it all, he received a phone call. On the other end was a soft, sweet voice. “Jeffrey, I’m heading back home tonight. I really learned a lot during this trip.
The girl’s tone was cheerful at first, but all of a sudden, it shifted. “But even though there’s a top–notch medical team here, I’ve seen many patients pass away. Their conditions are so complicated that even the experts can’t help. At that moment, I thought, if only I could learn Grandpa Grier’s Thirteen Needles technique, maybe the outcome would be different…”
Jeffrey quickly comforted her, “Everyone has their own fate. Even the experts can’t help in those situations; there’s no point taking the blame on yourself. You shouldn’t feel guilty for their passing.”
“But… but I still feel so bad. There were signs of hope, yet I couldn’t get Grandpa’s recognition in time,” the girl said, her voice cracking with sobs.
Jeffrey felt his heart tugged. He lowered his tone, “Quinci, you’re so kind. Grandpa will definitely pass on the needle technique to you. I’ll talk to him again.”
The girl’s voice brightened. “You’re so sweet, Jeffrey! But you’ve already tried to convince Grandpa for so long; he might have forgotten by now. What if you tried a different approach?”
“Alright, you know how stubborn my grandpa is. Changing his mind isn’t something that happens overnight. No method will work. Relax, I’ll pick you up later.”
“Fine, you’re so filial to Grandpa. It’s like he comes before your girlfriend.”
Jeffrey chuckled a couple of times and reassured her a bit before ending the call.
“See, Lindsey? Quinci is just a sweet and gentle girl. Where does Grandpa get this idea of her having bad motives? I think he’s just grumpy from getting older.”
Jeffrey shook his head, wearing a disapproving expression.
Lindsey snickered. She thought, ‘Sweet and gentle? Not at all! That girl is a scheming one, and she’s quite ambitious too.
But facing Jeffrey, she couldn’t just outright say his girlfriend was bad; instead, she tactfully suggested, “You know, some new palace drama series just came out. Jeffrey, you should check them out. You might find it illuminating.”
Jeffrey was perplexed. Why was Lindsey talking about that?
He just thought, ‘Whatever. It’s my girlfriend; I like her and that’s what matters. We don’t need anyone else’s approval.
After dropping Lindsey off at the villa door, Jeffrey hurried off. Quinci was waiting for him to pick her up from the airport.
When Lindsey walked in, she found Anthony, Olivia, and Sheila already there.
The three were engrossed in an exciting discussion, and as soon as they saw Lindsey, they promptly zipped their lips.
Not paying any mind, Lindsey headed straight up to her room.
“Hold up! Lindsey, don’t you have anything to explain about what happened today?” Anthony’s voice rang out suddenly.
Lindsey halted and turned around, “Nope.”
“Anthony slapped the table. “Do you even realize your mistakes?”
His eyes looked ready to ignite with fire.
Lindsey scanned the table corner and thought, ‘when did Anthony develop the habit of slamming the table? Doest in’t hurt?
1/3
Fatra Check–in
Vouchers
Ad–Free Handing
Exclusive Profile
Bodge
Chapter 40
She shook her head, “I didn’t do anything wrong, so how could I possibly recognize a mistake?”
“Didn’t do anything wrong? Not attending Mrs. Parker’s birthday party and embarrassing Mr. Parker in public are both on you.”
Lindsey thought Anthony was being ridiculous. “The Parkers aren’t royalty. Why should I bend over backward and cater to them? Dad, I’m not you. I have my pride.”
Little did anyone expect Anthony to just blurt it out, “The Parkers are like royalty to us! Lindsey, do you know that Luminova is already starting to decline? The only way to save Luminova is for you to marry Jayden. Given that we’re practically family now, they’ll lend us a hand.”
Lindsey smirked, “So, dad, are you saying we should trade off one daughter for a company?”
Anthony paused. “There’s no need to say it so harshly. Arranged marriages have been common since ancient times, you know.”
Lindsey couldn’t help but remind him, “Dad, it’s the 21st century. Plus, if Luminova is fading, shouldn’t you ask Ms. Jennings and Mr. Jennings for their insights?”
Olivia grounded her teeth, feeling frustrated that Lindsey was trying to pin this on her again.
She forced a smile, “Lindsey, what are you talking about? I’m at home all day; how would I know what’s happening with the company? By the way, you’re missing out on Mrs. Parker’s birthday party today. Just look at this bracelet Sheila’s wearing, a gift from Mrs. Parker–it’s so beautiful.”
Sheila coincidentally showcased the delicate bracelet on her wrist. “Sis, with how much Jayden likes you, why do you keep pushing him away? A good guy like that is hard to come by these days.”
With a sly grin, Lindsey replied, “Well, if you think so highly of Jayden, you’re totally free to date him. You could marry into the Parkers, and then the Riley family and the Parker family would be in–laws. And just like that, we’d solve Luminova’s troubles.”
Lindsey couldn’t help but chuckle at Sheila, but Sheila quickly shook her head vehemently. “No way! Jayden’s into you, not me. No matter how down I am, I can’t steal my sister’s man, right?”
She thought, ‘Until Jayden secures those shares from you, I might as well just stand by and let you marry him.‘
Lindsey shot a look at Sheila, thinking how hypocritical she was. In her past life, Sheila had stolen her boyfriend without a second thought.
Anthony’s frustration grew. Even with Sheila being so demure, Lindsey wouldn’t back down.
“Lindsey, it’s bad enough you have a twisted mindset; you shouldn’t be judging your sister like that.” Anthony snapped, his face darkening.
Lindsey yawned, her lips curling into a lazy smile. “That’s not judgment; it’s firsthand observation.”
With that, before Anthony could process her words, Lindsey headed upstairs.
Olivia patted Sheila’s hand, signaling her to stay calm.
Just as Anthony was about to ask Lindsey further, Olivia jumped in first.
“Anthony, it seems like Lindsey’s misunderstandings about us have just grown. How about I take Sheila and move out for a bit? I feel partly responsible for the mess between you two,” Olivia said, an expression of guilt on her face.
“Move out? It’s that ungrateful Lindsey who’s out of control. Just looking at her annoys me!” Anthony retorted, hands on his hips, furning.
Trying to soothe him, Olivia managed to calm him down, finally allowing herself a breath of relief.
Once in the kitchen, Olivia pulled Sheila closer. “When did Lindsey find out about you and Jayden?”
“Uh, just this morning,” Sheila admitted, with eyes downcast.
Olivia poked Sheila’s forehead. “Come on, be more careful. Now that she caught wind of it, convincing her to agree to the marriage is going to be even harder. We need figure out a plan.”
As she spoke, her eyes fell on the bracelet Mrs. Parker had given Sheila.
2/3
