CHAPTER 71: CHAPTER 71: INSTIGATION (NEW)

The next day, after returning from Mount Volantis, Selina Hughes rushed to the Jennings’ old lady’s house to complain.

"Grandma, it seems that Talia really doesn’t like me. I don’t even know why. Last time at the racetrack, that was an accident. I misunderstood her, but I apologized to her later. It seems she still hasn’t forgiven me."

On the living room sofa, Selina sat beside the old lady of the Jennings family, her eyes red, her voice tinged with a sob, "She harbors some inexplicable hostility towards me. I don’t know why she’s always targeting me."

The old lady, seeing her granddaughter’s eyes red from crying, was heartbroken and took Selina’s hand, "Good child, tell Grandma how that girl from the Rhodes Family bullied you?"

Selina sniffled and choked up, "Perhaps she thinks I’m taking away my brother’s affection, so she always alienates me. When we were resting at the base of the mountain, I made some oden for my brother, but Talia wouldn’t let him eat it. She took the bowl and ate it herself, saying what I made was terrible."

The old lady frowned, "Did she really do that?"

"She did more than that." Selina said aggrievedly, "I was tired and wanted my brother to help carry my backpack, but she wouldn’t let him. She even said she’s my brother’s girlfriend and that he could only carry her bag. Ugh, Grandma, you tell me, isn’t it ridiculous? We grew up together. I’m his sister. Can’t he even carry my bag?"

The old lady’s brow furrowed deeply, and her face showed displeasure, "This girl from the Rhodes Family is too much. She’s already acting like the wife giving you a hard time before she’s even married in."

"Exactly, I’m so wronged. Not only that, when crossing the river, she wouldn’t let my brother help me across. I almost fell in."

The old lady of the Jennings Family gasped and held Selina’s hand tighter, "This Talia Rhodes is too vile! Selina, are you hurt anywhere?"

Selina whimpered, "I’m hurt."

She lifted her skirt to show the injury on her ankle.

Last night, it was just a mild scratch. By morning, it had nearly healed. To make the old lady feel sorry for her, Selina deliberately rubbed her ankle against the ground to reopen the wound, enduring the pain.

The wound on her ankle was now a large area of broken skin. To achieve her goal, Selina had not cleaned or bandaged it, purposely showing the bleeding wound to the old lady to gain her sympathy.

This tactic proved effective.

The old lady was heartbroken and immediately called for the servants to clean and bandage Selina’s wound.

"I hurt my foot last night and couldn’t walk. I wanted my brother to carry me to the viewing platform to watch the meteor shower, but Talia wouldn’t allow it. She even said... she even said..."

Before she could finish, Selina burst into tears.

The old lady’s eyes filled with thin anger, and her tone became serious, "What else did she say?"

"She said now that I’m an adult, I should keep my distance from my brother to avoid suspicion. She even bragged to her friends that she’s about to marry into the Jennings Family and become the lady of the house. She said she’s my brother’s wife, and my brother can only carry her."

Selina cried bitterly, "Ugh, Grandma, should I really keep my distance from my brother? Even when I’m hurt, I can’t let him carry me?"

"How outrageous!" The old lady was livid, "She hasn’t even entered the family yet, and she’s already flaunting her power!"

"Ugh, Grandma, you have to stand up for me!"

"Selina, don’t worry. Grandma is on your side. At the next family gathering, I’ll definitely put that girl from the Rhodes Family in her place!"

...

Soon, the day of the Jennings Family banquet arrived.

Adrian Jennings picked up Talia to go to the Jennings Family.

As soon as they entered, the old lady found an excuse to send Adrian away.

Talia sat with the old lady and Mrs. Jennings, Melinda Lynch, on the living room sofa.

Selina sat beside the old lady, carefully dressed today with light makeup, wearing a moon-white silk cheongsam, gentle and demure, which was the old lady’s favorite style.

Talia was dressed in a cream Chanel suit, her long hair tied into a bun at the back, paired with pearl earrings. She looked elegant and graceful, exuding the demeanor of a wealthy heiress.

However, the old lady was not satisfied.

She looked Talia up and down, her brow slightly furrowed, "These clothes made by those foreign luxury brands really don’t suit our Eastern girls. I say Eastern girls look best in cheongsams. Look how beautiful Selina’s cheongsam is."

Talia lowered her eyes, softly agreeing, "You’re right, Grandma."

The old lady raised her eyebrows, "You haven’t entered the family yet, so there’s no need to change your address. You can still call me the old lady, just like an outsider."

Melinda Lynch was taken aback by these words.

What does this mean? The old lady’s attitude towards Talia is off.

Isn’t Talia and Adrian’s engagement a settled matter? Calling her ’Grandma’ should be fine. Why emphasize calling her ’the old lady’ like an outsider?

Melinda Lynch felt a bit displeased. After all, Talia is her future daughter-in-law. How can she be treated as an outsider?

Talia was also stunned.

The old lady seemed to have some issues with her.

A glance at Selina grinning beside the old lady made Talia understand everything.

It must be that Selina spoke ill of her in front of the old lady.

Talia’s expression remained unchanged, and she calmly replied, "Yes, the old lady."

Melinda Lynch couldn’t take it any longer and said with a smile, "Mom, Talia is Adrian’s fiancée and your granddaughter-in-law. There’s no problem in calling you ’Grandma’; calling you ’the old lady’ appears too distant."

The old lady held a porcelain teacup, took a leisurely sip, then glanced coolly at Melinda Lynch, her tone carrying an undeniable firmness, "The engagement ceremony has been canceled. She’s just a girlfriend to Adrian now; calling her ’Grandma’ is too early."

Melinda Lynch frowned. What is the old lady playing at now?

After saying this, the old lady took Selina’s hand and kept talking, completely ignoring Talia Rhodes aside.

Talia was aware of the old lady’s deliberate difficulty, but she was not annoyed.

The old lady liked Selina, and Selina didn’t like her, so it was very normal for the old lady not to like her either.

Talia saw it clearly; after all, she’s marrying Adrian Jennings, not the old lady. It doesn’t matter whether the old lady likes her or not.

Besides, her future mother-in-law, Melinda Lynch, liked her very much. While the old lady ignored her, Melinda Lynch chatted with her fondly, showing warmth.

The old lady, seeing Melinda Lynch chatting happily with Talia, immediately turned sullen.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and spoke blandly, "It’s almost mealtime, Talia, why don’t you go serve the dishes for everyone?"

Talia frowned slightly but before she could speak, Melinda Lynch intervened, "Mom, serving dishes is the servants’ job. Talia is a guest; how can we let her serve dishes? That’s against the rules."

The old lady’s gaze suddenly turned sharp, and her voice carried anger, "Did you not say she’s my granddaughter-in-law? As an elder, is it against the rules for me to ask her to serve dishes?"

Talia: "???"

That’s interesting. Just now, she said it was too early to call her ’Grandma,’ wanting her to address her like an outsider.

Yet now, when ordering her to serve, she’s suddenly a granddaughter-in-law?

What a power play.

The last time they met, even though the old lady wasn’t overly warm, her attitude was at least polite. Why the sudden hostility?

No doubt Selina had exaggerated things before the old lady.

Just as Talia was about to speak, a cutting voice came from the elevator exit, "Grandma, my Talia can’t do servant work; she’s too precious for that."