Free Web NovelChapter 782: Chapter 753: Gage Grant vs. Maeve [015]
Maeve’s mother passed away due to liver cancer.
This illness is extremely dangerous, and from diagnosis to her passing, it was only six months. Less than a year after she passed, to be precise, seven months and five days later, Leo Lester quietly married Diana Dalton. Less than six months after their marriage, Diana gave birth to their first child.
In other words, less than three months after Maeve’s mother passed, Leo had gotten Diana pregnant.
Maeve didn’t believe that at over thirty, Diana could conceive so easily, so she suspected that Leo had been secretly involved with Diana while his first wife was still alive.
This is also the direct reason for Maeve’s continuously strained relationship with Leo – she believed he disrespected his wife, that even while his wife was sick from exhaustion after building everything together with him, he still had the heart to get involved with Diana.
Two years after his first wife’s passing, Leo sent the twelve-year-old Maeve to boarding school, only having a driver pick her up for a meal during holidays. The rest of the time, he enjoyed family life with the two daughters he had with Diana.
If everyone has an unhealable wound deep within, then Maeve’s wound comes from the harm of her original family. Because Leo was unfaithful and unjust to his first wife, Maeve doesn’t trust men, doesn’t believe in love, and doesn’t believe in marriage.
Also, since she hadn’t felt familial warmth since she was ten, she appeared strong and independent, hiding her lack of love. Wearing this mask for so long, it eventually became her skin.
She eventually became a cold person.
Maeve stubbed out her burnt-out cigarette in the ashtray, picked up the knitted cardigan at the end of the bed, brought the pack of cigarettes and lighter with her, and went downstairs.
In the dining room, Diana, still charming at over fifty, sat in the main seat; Ethan Conrad and his mother were on her left.
Maeve held onto the stair railing, gracefully descending the stairs, the sound of her cotton slippers brushing against the wooden floor created a rustling sound.
Diana sat firm in her seat, aware of Maeve’s presence, yet displaying no surprise or other emotion at their reunion after six years.
Maeve knew she was waiting for her to make the first move. With a slight curl of her lips, she slowly walked to the dining table and sat down elegantly.
The thin white cigarette pack and lighter were lightly placed on the table.
Ethan looked over, his eyes widening in surprise.
Ethan’s mother’s gaze was odd too, probably wondering why a young girl was smoking.
Maeve ignored these stares, offering a faint smile as she took a cigarette from the pack and lowered her head to light it.
Diana lightly cleared her throat, disgust evident in her eyes as she waved away the secondhand smoke drifting toward her, "No smoking allowed in this house!"
Maeve chuckled, "Anyone who can’t stand the smell can leave."
"You!" Diana slapped the table in anger and stood up, "What do you mean? Are you opposing me as soon as you come back?"
The smile on Maeve’s face widened, leaning back with her legs crossed, one hand lightly resting on the table edge as she toyed with the lighter. She took a deep drag from her cigarette and exhaled a cloud of smoke in Diana’s face.
"Opposing you or giving you face," Maeve raised an eyebrow and smiled, "If you don’t want this face, fine, then get out."
Her voice softened intentionally, paired with her unique smoky voice, which made even the harsh words sound like the most melodious tune.
Ethan curved a smile, watching her with interest.
Diana, enraged, shouted, "This is my home! Why should I leave? It’s you who should!"
Maeve took another drag and blew another smoke ring at Diana, shrugged, "Your home? Let’s not say that my name is on the property’s deed, but on a more down-to-earth note, aren’t you afraid my mom will come looking for you at night if you say it’s your home?"
Diana was so choked by her words that she was speechless, too angry even to eat, slamming down her chopsticks and heading upstairs.
Maeve smiled and got up to look for an ashtray.
Upon seeing this, Ethan’s mom said softly, "Mr. Dalton doesn’t like the smell of smoke in the house, so there isn’t an ashtray."
Maeve didn’t respond, walking to the kitchen to dispose of the cigarette butt.
When she came back, Mrs. Chandler was serving soup into Diana’s bowl, chatting with Ethan, "Eat up, finish and bring these upstairs to Mr. Dalton."
Ethan mumbled a response while drinking the soup, "Whether she eats or not is her problem, I’m not waiting on her, she’s spoiled."
As he spoke, seeing Maeve emerge, he placed down the soup bowl, "Eat up, eat while it’s hot, she’s just having menopause, don’t let her ruin your mood." While speaking, he glanced toward Maeve’s chest.
Maeve was wearing a silk deep-V nightgown, with only a thin cardigan over it. She knew what Ethan was looking at, but she didn’t care; no matter how much he looked, he wouldn’t see anything new.
The nightgown she wore was the same style as the one Gage Grant tore last night, just a different color. Last night’s was black, today’s was pink. When she put it on after her bath, she suddenly thought of Gage Grant.
Since last night, she hadn’t been feeling well, especially when she used the bathroom.
However, she didn’t regret it, just hoped this discomfort would soon pass.
...
Maeve was sleepless that night, only dozing off as dawn broke. During her insomnia, she thought about what she would do next, considering it all night and deciding to open a hot pot restaurant for fun.
She didn’t get up until noon, Diana wasn’t home, Ethan and his mother were lounging around, their lives supported by Diana.
Maeve didn’t like this, showing no friendliness toward them, but Ethan’s mother still diligently made breakfast just for her.
After eating, she went to the temple where her mother’s ashes were kept, settling the caretaking fees owed over the years, collecting her mother’s photo and ashes.
When she returned in the evening, Ethan’s mother was preparing dinner, and Ethan was nowhere to be seen. Maeve carried her mother’s ashes and photo into the small shrine beside the living room, tidied up a bit, and placed her mother’s photo and ashes inside.
After finishing, she knelt on a mat and chanted for her mother. It was dark by the time she went upstairs to bathe and change clothes.
During the shower, she still felt unwell; it was the third day, why was it still so painful...
The physical discomfort annoyed her, creating a feeling of impending eruption.
However, before she could erupt, someone else did first.
Downstairs came Diana’s shrill scream, followed by the sound of things being smashed.
Maeve got dressed and went downstairs.
The foot of the stairs on the first floor was littered with various Buddhist artifacts, as items were continuously thrown out of the shrine facing the stairs.
Maeve gritted her teeth and rushed in, grabbing Diana’s hand holding the urn with a stern shout, "Put it down!"
Diana screamed hysterically, "You ungrateful brat! Are you doing this to disgust me on purpose? Get out! You and your mother both can get out of this house!"
