bChapter /bb61 /b

“I’m hungry,” Eleanor said.

As Andrew walked out, he said, “If you were hungry, why didn’t you just ask the staff to cook for you?”

Eleanor said, “I want to go to a buffet.”

Andrew said, “Mom, at your age, you really won’t get your money’s worth at a buffet anyway. Let’s just skip it, okay?”

Eleanor insisted stubbornly, “I don’t careb, /bI just want buffet.”

Andrew bwas /bstill trying to coax Eleanor, but the moment he saw her standing right before him, he froze in shock.

Eleanor hung up the phone, her face icy. “Andrew, Ste, and I haven’t eaten either. Come over here and pay the bill.”

Andrew hung up the phone and quietly led Eleanor and Ste a bit farther away from the cashier. “Mom, Ste, what brings you here?”

Eleanor’s face hardened with anger. “Why? Ste was discharged from the hospital today. Why didn’t any of you go pick her up? Why wasn’t I even informed? And now you’re all here enjoying a buffet together?”

Andrew shot Ste a reproachful look and said, “You really are something, Ste. Why didn’t you tell me or your mom when you were discharged? Are you trying to drive a wedge between us and your grandmab?/b”

Without a second thought, Eleanor smacked Andrew, “You heartless thing. Ste was hospitalized, and none of you even bothered to ask the doctor when she’d be discharged. Now you’re ming her? She doesn’t even have a phone, so how was she supposed to contact you?”

Andrew felt utterly humiliated as people turned to stare. Dodging frantically, he pleaded, “Mom, Mom, please stop. So many people are watching”

Eleanor snapped, “So? Now you’re worried about looking bad? I haven’t even mentioned where you got the money for this buffet today. If we expose your true colors to the media, forget about buffets, you won’t even be able to put food on the table.”

Andrew interjected, “Mom, please, don’t be like this. If you and Ste eat too much, it could cause health issues andnd you back in the hospital. Just tell me what you want, and I’ll have it delivered home right away”

Eleanor scoffed, “Fine. One of each of the priciest dishes from the finest restaurant in town.” Eleanor’s face remained set.

Andrew asked, “Mom, what are you doing?”

Eleanor strode decisively up to the cashier and said sternly, “Two separate checks. He’s paying.”

As the cashier prepared the bill, Eleanor red at Andrew band /bsnapped, “Get over here and bpay /bbup/b.”

Andrew had no choice but to walk over and pay for them.

Rather than joining the rest of the family, Eleanor and Ste chose to sit at their own table.

Fiona exchanged puzzled nces with Max and Anna. As soon as they saw Andrew approaching, she leaned in and whispered. “What’s going on?

Andrew grumbled, “I have no idea how they found bout /bwe were having a buffet hereb. /bThey just had to barge in and ruin everything

b1/3 /b

Our household staff clearly can’t keep their mouths shut. If this keeps happening, we’ll have to rece them all.”

Fiona gave a confident nod and said, “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll take care of it when we get bback/bb./bb” /b

They had truly been riding high. With their newfound wealth, all they wanted was to live it up.

Anna had heard about a bnewly /bopened, top–notch buffet and suggested they all go together. The four of them quickly agreed that

they wouldn’t tell Eleanor or Ste a thing. And just like that, the four of them sneaked out together.

They were thoroughly enjoying their meal when they spotted Eleanor and Ste, whichpletely ruined the mood.

Andrew shot them a look and muttered, “Go on, go say hi to them.”

Grudgingly, Max, Fiona, and Anna came over to say hello. Eleanor and Ste hadn’t piled their tes high. The two of them settled into their seats at their own table, intending to slowly savor their meal.

Just then, they heard Fiona greeting them, her words dripping with thinly veiled disdain. “Mom, it’s not that we didn’t tell you. We just thought that, at your age, a buffet might be too much for your health.

“Look, it’s not about money. That’s really nothing to us. But honestly, you really wouldn’t eat enough to make it worthwhile.”

Eleanor’s face was icy as she snapped, “You’re just being stingy and don’t want us to eat, aren’t you? Since you im it is nothing. then what does it matter how much or how little we eat?

“So you’ve squandered so much of Ste’s money, bbut /bcan’t even spare a buffet for byour /bown mother and daughter? Is that it?” Eleanor’s voice was loud enough to draw the attention of those nearby.

Fiona’s face twisted in embarrassment. “Mom, what are you saying? Could you keep your bvoice /bbdown/b? Do you really want everyone

to bhear /bthisb?/bb” /b

Eleanor retorted sharply, “What? Now you’re embarrassed? Afraid your perfect family image will crumble in public? If you’d simply bothered to greet us, I wouldn’t have said a word. But now that you’re acting this way, why shouldn’t I speak up?”

Max snarled, “It was you, wasn’t it?” Max, always quick to me Ste, jabbed a finger right at her nose, his face twisted in anger.

Ste shoved his hand away and snapped, “You know exactly what you’ve done, yet you still me me? What goes aroundes around. This is your instant karma. You’d better watch yourselves.”

Max snapped, “Ste, ever since you came back to this family, this house has been nothing but chaos. What on earth do you want? I’m asking you, what exactly are you after?”

Anna quickly tugged at Max’s sleeve and whispered, “Max, let’s just drop it. Not in front of all these people. We can talk about it at

home.b” /b

Max snapped, “I’m going to show everyone what she’s really like.”

Ste mmed her hand on the table and shot to her feet, eyes zing. “Oh, you want to see my true colors? Fine. Grandma and i were willing to let this go. But since you’re pushing me, then let’s do this your way. Right here-

Before Ste could finish, Anna dramatically dropped to her knees. “Ste, it’s all my fault. Please, can we talk about this at home? Even if you don’t care about embarrassing Max and our parents, at least spare Grandma’s dignity.”

“Don’t worry about my dignity,” Eleanor snapped. “I’m not afraid to show everyone your true colors.”

19.34 Thu 31 Jul – G

Thu, 31 ?

bKS /b5186.

It wasn’t long before someone in the crowd recognized them and quietly whispered, “Isn’t that the Hayes family that’s been trending everywheretely?”

“I heard that Ste, the daughter they didn’t rescue, came back and started getting back at her family, doing all sorts of heartless things. But they say her family never gave up on her. Why does it look so different now?”

“Things are never what they seem. Maybe that family is just bleeding her dry.”

“My goodness, this is some juicy gossip. Let’s just keep eating and watch the show. Who knows, maybe her parents are real pieces of work”

Andrew rubbed his temples in frustration, immediately yanking Anna up from her knees and shoving Max back.

Max still wanted to argue, but Andrew kept shooting him warning looks before turning to Ste and Eleanor and saying, “Mom, Ste, please, just take your time and eat.”

“Stop right there!” Eleanor barked.

Andrew and the others froze and then turned to face her.

Eleanor shot to her feet. “Don’t mistake our patience for weakness. I was willing to overlook you sneaking off to this buffet behind our backs. After all, we’re here now. But what exactly did Fiona and Max mean by those wordsb? /b

“Are they looking down on me, this old woman who can hardly move? Or is it Ste you despise just because she came back from some backwater town and doesn’t even know how to walk properly?

“So, using out to eat embarrasses you, huh? You get to feast outside while we’re stuck eating at home? Let everyone here be the judge. Is this how family should act?”