CHAPTER 64: GRANDMA’S DISAPPROVAL

The moment Elean arrived at the Pierce estate, the mansion plunged into chaos. She headed straight for her son, who sat in the parlor, quietly reading.

She was furious about Rowan’s marriage to Harold Hale’s granddaughter, and she made no effort to hide it.

"Why?" she demanded. "Why did you let this marriage happen? Didn’t I tell you to stay out of the Hales’ business?"

Albert closed the book in his hand and set aside. He had expected this.

His mother had reacted the same way when Theo got married years ago, before the divorce.

"I don’t have an issue with it," he said. "Why shouldn’t I let them get married? You don’t even know Harold’s granddaughter, yet you’re quick to judge her."

"See? Everyone thinks I’m just an old woman who doesn’t know a thing," she said with quiet frustration.

"You have no idea. That Harold’s wife always has something up her sleeve. Look at what happened to her daughter. The police stopped the investigation, there was no body, and yet they still held a funeral."

Albert’s face twitched when his mother suddenly brought up the old incident. His voice hardened as he warned her, "Enough, Mother. That’s not something you can talk about carelessly. Stay out of it."

"That stubborn son of mine," Elean muttered, pressing a hand to her chest.

"That’s enough, Mother," Monica cut in softly.

She entered the parlor, followed by the maids, who began serving tea and light food to tide them over before dinner.

"If Rowan hears this, it won’t be good," Monica said quietly, rubbing her mother-in-law’s back.

Elean reached out and held Monica’s hand.

"All right, all right," she said, settling onto the sofa and taking a small sip.

Monica was Elean’s favorite daughter-in-law.

A former beauty model who had stepped away from the entertainment world after marriage, Monica came from a simple background, without a powerful family behind her.

Elean had always distrusted women from high-status families. In her experience, that kind of wife ended up controlling her husband’s decisions.

She still remembered Theo’s ex-wife. The way she carried herself had never sat right with her.

And she knew Agnes was hard-headed too, just like her daughter, Avelina. To her, that was the danger of powerful women.

That was why she worried when Rowan married a woman from the Hale lineage. It instantly gave her a headache.

Speak of the devil. The butler walked into the parlor and announced that Rowan and Lyra had arrived.

Monica sensed Elean’s grip tighten around her teacup, the porcelain trembling slightly as she struggled to contain her anger.

Monica reached for her hand, hoping to calm her.

"It’s okay, Mother. Relax. I know you’ll come to like her," she said quietly.

"No," Elean replied with determination. "I don’t want to like her. Not even a little."

Albert and Monica rose from their seats to welcome their guests. But Elean remained frozen, refusing to turn toward them, calmly munching on the biscuit in front of her.

Monica hugged Lyra and pressed their cheeks together.

"How are you, sweetheart?"

"I’m fine. I hope you are too," Lyra said with a smile.

She handed her a small gift. Monica accepted it, and then Lyra turned to hug Albert as well. She then looked around, searching for someone.

Albert and Monica exchanged a glance before turning their heads toward the stubborn old woman who sat rooted to the deep mahogany sofa.

Rowan followed his parents’ gaze and spotted the stooped elderly woman sitting there, eating a biscuit in a clearly foul mood. He rubbed his forehead in quiet disbelief.

His eyes widened as he looked at Monica and Albert, silently asking as his lips moving without sound, "She did it again?"

Monica and Albert nodded silently and shrugged.

Rowan turned toward Lyra beside him, only to find the spot suddenly empty.

Then they realized Lyra had already walked toward the sofa, about to greet the grumpy grandmother. It was too late to stop her.

Rowan strode toward them, afraid Elean would lash out and insult Lyra in front of everyone, but Monica caught his arm and stopped him in his tracks.

"It’s okay. Give Lyra a chance," she said, patting her younger son’s shoulder.

From afar, they simply watched the two of them. Only Rowan, step by step, tried to get closer, but each time, Monica pulled him back.

"Stay here," she warned.

Lyra lowered herself, kneeling on the floor beside the sofa so she was at the same or slightly lower eye level as Elean.

She shifted slightly to peek at her, since Elean had been avoiding her gaze the entire time. And Lyra’s quiet persistence only made Elean restless.

"Hello, Grandma," Lyra greeted. She waited for Elean to react, but Elean continued to ignore her.

...

Just outside the mansion, Theo’s car pulled into the parking area. A butler hurried inside to inform his master that their eldest son had returned.

Theo rarely came home because his job kept him away most of the time. But today, he arrived without warning, with a woman by his side.

Theo opened the car door when Mia suddenly grabbed his hand and stopped him.

"Are you sure I’m invited? Why does it feel like a family dinner?"

She asked as she glanced around, the atmosphere feeling private rather than like a big event.

"Of course you’re invited," Theo said reassuringly. "By me," he added with a chuckle.

Mia crossed her arms and stared at him. From the beginning, when he said she was invited, she had assumed it was his parents who had invited her not him.

"What?" he asked.

Mia didn’t know what to say. It was her fault for believing his words so easily.

Theo had already stepped out, walked around the car, and opened the door for her, but Mia refused to get down.

She felt embarrassed and worried about what his parents might think. After all, they hadn’t invited her, and she had shown up suddenly.

"Look over there." Theo pointed toward the porch, where Monica was standing as she stretched her neck toward them.

"You’d better hop out now before my mother comes over," he added.

From the very beginning, Theo only needed to convince Mia to go with him to the Pierce estate. Once they arrived, there was no way for her to avoid it anymore.

Mia slowly glanced toward the porch where Theo had said his mother was waiting. From a distance, Monica stood with her hands on her hips and called out,

"Theo, who is that? Why are you taking so long to come inside?"

Mia gulped. His mother’s voice sounded distant, without warmth.