Free Web NovelChapter 742: Chapter 713: Love in a Parallel Universe [035]
If Sienna Thorne were a child from an ordinary family, Sylvia Langley would suspect her of being a spy for Thomas Reed, but knowing she’s Quentin Thorne’s only daughter, she feels Sienna wouldn’t help Thomas Reed to deceive Simon Forrester.
In the eyes of the world, the Thorne family’s child would never engage in such deceitful activities. However, Sylvia Langley, being very astute and suspicious by nature, knows well the importance of a family’s matriarch. So, after dinner, she pulls Sienna Thorne back to the living room for a chat, trying to probe her.
Once seated, she motions for the servants to bring out the desserts she brought back from Franland. After doing so, she turns back to Sienna Thorne with a smile, "Auntie didn’t know what you would like, so I brought back two boxes of tarts from Franland for you to try."
Old Master Forrester forces a smile while Simon Forrester looks speechless.
After a while, the servants bring out sliced apple tarts and strawberry tarts. The tarts are sliced for easy tasting, served on French porcelain plates with gold trim, paired with a pot of pink floral tea, looking quite tempting.
Sienna Thorne, who likes sweets, can’t move her eyes away, staring at the two plates of tarts and swallowing hard.
Simon Forrester was about to fork a piece for her when Sylvia Langley swiftly hands a piece of strawberry tart, topped with half a large strawberry, to Sienna Thorne.
"Here, Annie, have a try."
"Thank you, Auntie."
Afraid the strawberry tart might crumble, Sylvia Langley diligently holds a napkin under it for her.
Simon Forrester: "..."
Sienna Thorne cautiously takes a small bite, smiling sweetly, "Delicious, sweet and tangy."
"Next time you visit Franland with Jules, Auntie will take you to try fresh ones." With that, Sylvia Langley turns to look at Simon Forrester sitting beside Sienna Thorne, "How about taking Annie to Franland this Lunar New Year? I won’t return until the New Year, so I’ll wait for you there."
Simon Forrester laughs, "Alright, alright, you don’t need to worry about our matters."
Sienna Thorne blushes while eating the strawberry tart.
Having set the stage enough, Sylvia Langley moves to the main topic with a smile, "Annie, what made you decide to work at Vantage as a lawyer? Didn’t your father suggest you join the justice system?"
Old Master Forrester looks over keenly, seemingly interested in this question as well.
Sienna Thorne puts down her tea cup, wipes the corner of her mouth with a napkin, and smiles, "I want to open my own law firm in the future, so I’m starting at a large firm to learn and gain experience, laying the groundwork for opening my own firm. My father supports me very much."
"Dean Thorne is really enlightened." Sylvia Langley smiles as her gaze drifts a bit, "But it’s coincidental that your firm Vantage’s partner, Reed, is the old master’s grandson, Jules’s aunt’s son."
Sienna Thorne nods, "I know." At this point, she doesn’t dare to say more, fearing Sylvia Langley would probe into how she and Simon Forrester met.
The atmosphere quiets down as Sylvia Langley enthusiastically offers Sienna Thorne an apple tart, chatting briefly before steering the topic back to her work.
"Brimfield has many big firms, like Apex Law and Kingwood, aren’t they better? With your educational background, Annie, you could surely choose the best firm in Brimfield." ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Sienna Thorne says, "Kingwood mainly focuses on finance and corporate law; Apex Law is more about engineering, construction, and criminal law. I chose Vantage because its scope aligns better with my practice direction, which is foreign law."
Simon Forrester knows what Sylvia Langley means and uses his eyes to warn her not to ask further.
Sylvia Langley, understanding by now, doesn’t press further on Sienna Thorne’s work, but instead, praises her academic achievements, saying how smart and studious she is, earning a PhD by 25 while some people are just finishing their master’s, and that she holds licenses in three jurisdictions, calling her a scholar and beauty queen.
Sienna Thorne, embarrassed by the praise, blushes and modestly says, "I’m not a scholar; I actually found studying law quite easy. Ever since elementary school, my father would tell me legal stories daily. At first, it was simple legal education, and as I grew, he started incorporating professional legal knowledge into our chats. It’s thanks to his guidance that I became a legal practitioner."
Sylvia Langley nods in approval, while Old Master Forrester looks toward the Grant Family’s direction, sighing, "Dean Thorne is noble and virtuous, and it’s no wonder the Thorne Family’s descendants are so outstanding... I haven’t seen Dean Thorne in years, and thanks to Annie, I hope one day we’ll have a good chat with him."
Sylvia Langley, concerned that the elderly might bring up the Thorne and Grant family feud in front of a future granddaughter-in-law, quickly changes the topic.
As they talked, the conversation went on until past eight, and Simon Forrester, noticing the time, suggested driving Sienna Thorne home.
Upon learning that the Thorne Family lives in an old villa area an hour’s drive from the Forrester Family, Sylvia Langley surprisingly invites Sienna Thorne to stay at the Forrester’s old house tonight, saying it would be more convenient to head to Vantage for work tomorrow.
Sienna Thorne, blushing, replies that her family doesn’t allow her to stay out overnight and that she’s never returned home past ten at night.
Old Master Forrester and Sylvia Langley, hearing this, are very pleased and nodding frequently, stop insisting and see off the young couple to the door, reminding Sienna Thorne to visit more often.
The black Volvo drives out of the alley, makes a turn, and blends into the night traffic.
Old Master Forrester, with his hands behind his back, looks away and gazes at the neighboring Grant Family, shaking his head and sighing frequently.
Sylvia Langley links arms with the elderly and heads back into the yard, taking a look at the dark gray wall of the nearby Grant Family, whispering, "If Jules and Annie really become a couple, would Uncle Grant blame you?"
Old Master Forrester looks up and lets out a long sigh, "How could he not? Years ago, Dean Thorne made Grant lose face, and Grant dislikes the Thorne Family the most. Once he learns about our family tying the knot with the Thorne Family, he’ll surely take his anger out on us."
"We’re merely neighbors with the Grant Family, not relatives. Even if we were relatives, could it be that we’d let an old family feud stop a marriage? If Uncle Grant wants to gripe, let him. Just don’t go bird-watching with him in the future!"
Old Master Forrester shakes his head without saying anything more, entering the house with a troubled look.
The elderly sits in the living room, deep in thought, while Sylvia Langley starts making phone calls, starting with Zane Forrester in the United States.
In Los Angeles, the sky hasn’t even lightened, yet Sylvia Langley calls and wakes up a still dreaming Zane Forrester, regardless of whether he’s fully awake, and says, "Husband, let me tell you, Jules brought his girlfriend home for dinner today!"
No sooner had she said this than Old Master Forrester interjects, "Sylvia, turn on the speaker, I want to hear Elliot speak."
Sylvia Langley hurriedly does as told.
With the phone on the coffee table, all three of them, plus Zane Forrester in the United States, begin a little family meeting.
Zane Forrester, woken up before dawn, surprisingly doesn’t seem annoyed and gently asks, "Jules’s girlfriend? That’s your friend’s daughter, isn’t it?"
