CHAPTER 27: CHAPTER 27: OLD MASTER NORTH’S INHERITANCE (PART 1)

"Housekeeper Warren, are you just bringing anyone into the house? Don’t you know Grandfather is still sick?"

As soon as she spoke, another person appeared before Raina.

Evelyn Xavier, daughter of Eve North, Raina’s aunt, who has lived with her mother at the North Family home since Eve’s divorce.

Evelyn is a year younger than Raina. When they were young, she was always around Raina, calling her sister sweetly. But once Claire North returned, Evelyn became her best friend.

"Raina, I didn’t expect you to really come back. Claire said you returned to Southgate earlier, but I didn’t believe it."

Evelyn glanced sideways at Raina and smiled maliciously, "Raina, I heard you got married, to a cripple with a son. Congratulations indeed."

Evelyn’s face couldn’t hide her schadenfreude. Raina was once high and mighty, like a cloud in the sky, looked up to by everyone, whereas Evelyn was a poor soul, relying on pleasing Raina to find footing in the North Family.

Now, the tables have turned. Raina is nothing more than mud on the ground, trampled at Evelyn’s whim.

Evelyn looked around.

"Why didn’t you bring your crippled husband and your cheap son back?"

"Miss Evelyn, the eldest is here to see Old Master," Housekeeper Warren said.

"Housekeeper Warren, Claire is the eldest of the North Family. Are you getting old and muddled?" Evelyn’s eyes glinted with coldness, "Raina, don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Wanting to take advantage of Grandfather’s illness for your benefit? Better take a good look at yourself in the mirror. You’re just a bastard, not worthy of standing in the North Family’s territory."

Raina looked at Evelyn, who was smug in front of her. "You’re all about ’our North Family,’ but what does the North Family have to do with you, Evelyn?"

She knew returning today wouldn’t be peaceful. Evelyn was nothing more than a pawn in some people’s hands.

She turned her head to Housekeeper Warren: "Housekeeper Warren, is Grandpa still in his old room?"

Housekeeper Warren hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Without needing guidance, Raina walked straight toward Old Master North’s room.

After six years, Old Master North had aged considerably, almost like a flickering flame about to be extinguished.

Seeing Raina, Old Master North’s aged face instantly blossomed with a smile.

Not wanting to reject the older man’s wishes, Raina stepped forward, holding the old master’s dry, wooden-like hands, her eyes flashing with a bit of heartache.

"Grandpa."

"It’s good you’re back. It’s good you’re back," the old man’s eyes glimmered with tears, "Child, you’ve suffered. This time, don’t leave again. Vaeloria is your home. I know you don’t want to live in the North Family home, and I won’t force you. But I hope you can work at Northwind; I’ve already arranged everything there."

Clearly, the old master had heard the dispute outside just now.

"No need. It wouldn’t be appropriate."

"What do you mean? You’re the eldest of our North Family, part of our bloodline. If it weren’t for concerns about your mother, you wouldn’t have suffered so much all these years," Old Master North said, holding Raina’s hand tighter, "Raina, have you resented Grandpa all these years?"

Resent this frail old man before her for what?

For being snobbish and tearing apart her parents’ love, forcing her father to marry Claire’s mother, which eventually led to her mother, consumed by love and hatred, swapping her and Claire, resulting in this tragedy?

Outsiders only thought the North Family was scandalized by a false princess, but in reality, it was merely a woman’s revenge for her unrequited love.

"Let’s not talk about it. Grandpa, your health isn’t great and you can’t get excited." She had just taken advantage of the situation to check the master’s pulse — heart failure. In such a situation, only a heart transplant could help, not to mention finding a matching heart is difficult; the old man’s age would also increase the surgery’s difficulty.