CHAPTER 23: CHAPTER 23: TANYA SINCLAIR SEEMS DIFFERENT SOMEHOW

In the living room, the Hawthorne family was chatting warmly, with laughter echoing now and then, the atmosphere surprisingly harmonious.

In such a wealthy family, they are adept at playing the harmony card, but when core interests are at stake, they can turn their backs ruthlessly.

Tanya Sinclair sat in the far corner of the sofa, slowly peeling a small tangerine, completely ignored like a backdrop.

If this was before, she would have been disappointed. She would have eagerly served tea and tried to join in conversations, desperate to fit in, because they were Vincent Hawthorne’s family, and she hoped they would accept her.

But now, Tanya couldn’t care less about these people.

She came today just to spend more time with her two children and to see the old lady.

Lying in a hospital bed those years, Vincent Hawthorne would occasionally bring Caden and Joy to see her. She remembered Vincent mentioning that Caden loved these little tangerines...

Thinking of her son defending her earlier, Tanya lowered her head and smiled quietly.

Sitting diagonally across from her was Vincent’s cousin, Silas Hawthorne, one year younger than Vincent. Back when the general manager position at Zenith Group was up for grabs, Silas was an obvious choice, until Tanya Sinclair came out of nowhere...

Honestly, at first, Silas felt both hostility and curiosity and admiration towards his sister-in-law, Tanya.

But after seeing Tanya trying to please the Hawthorne family and her humble attitude in front of Vincent, he only found her exceedingly dull.

Thus from the moment Tanya entered, Silas barely looked at her properly.

Just then, a game on his phone ended, and Silas casually glanced up, seeing Tanya dressed in a sea-green cheongsam. It was like an unexpectedly vivid painting.

She was slightly lowering her head, smiling at some thought, making her delicate, painted eyebrows and eyes come alive, like a vibrant portrait.

Silas paused, showing a look of amazement.

Whether it was an illusion or not, he suddenly thought that Tanya looked more beautiful than she was five years ago, with an unexplainable vitality...

Father Hawthorne checked the time for the third time, clearly growing anxious.

The butler, Uncle Langdon, came over to ask, "Sir, everything in the kitchen is ready, the dining room is set. When shall we start?"

Before Father Hawthorne could speak, Titus Hawthorne interrupted with a sarcastic tone, "Big brother, maybe the intermediary deceived you. Second Young Master Pierce hasn’t shown up publicly since returning to the country. They say he hasn’t even visited the Pierce family’s castle. A person like him isn’t easy to summon! Why would he accept an invitation to dine at our Hawthorne home?"

Second Young Master Pierce?

Tanya placed the peeled tangerine on a small platter brought by a servant, keeping a calm exterior but her mind raced.

Her memories of the outside world were stuck five years ago, and she knew there were several Pierce families in Aris, but the name of the Pierce family castle was legendary.

Not just in Aris, but across Borcia, the prominence of the Pierce family was unparalleled.

But she remembered, the Pierce family had only one heir, Zeke Pierce.

Where did this Second Young Master Pierce come from?

Tanya’s brow furrowed subtly.

Perhaps it was because of the Pierce surname, Declan Pierce’s devilish face suddenly flashed in her mind... Her peeling paused momentarily, and she couldn’t help but chuckle at her vivid imagination.

During those four years at Northwood University, Declan always opposed her. This unfortunate bond started because she accidentally overheard Professor Truman urging Declan to apply for a poverty grant.

She had seen Declan’s family information form.

Under parents, he had filled ’orphan’...

Thus he became such a contradictory mix of arrogance and inferiority.

Eighteen-year-old Declan once blocked her at a dimly lit stairway, his black hair making his deep, still eyes seem colder than the night sky through the skylight.

’Tanya Sinclair, who do you think you are? My savior?’

He tore the application form she filled out for him for a study exchange at a top international medical institute before her, bit by bit.

’Declan, no one else knows I paid your application fee. You can repay me later. Professor Truman recommended you; missing this opportunity would be a pity...’

She didn’t finish, suddenly sensing his tall, cold figure approaching. She smelled a woody fragrance laced with cheap laundry detergent.

And a crushing sense of oppression.

She backed up, her lashes trembling, not daring to look at Declan’s face, her heart pounding violently.

Declan’s attractiveness was such that his beauty was like a weapon, causing anyone’s heart to race irregularly.

Declan was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed derisively, his cold voice echoed above her head.

’Tanya Sinclair, before meddling in my affairs, fix your own eyes. Even with someone like Vincent Hawthorne, you can...’

’Smack—’ Before Tanya knew it, she saw her hand suspended in mid-air, and Declan’s face turned to one side from the slap.

His complexion paler than most women, with five distinct fingerprint marks quickly appearing on his face.

At that moment, Tanya thought Declan would hit back, and she prepared to take a hit, but Declan only let out an inexplicable cold laugh and turned to leave...

Tanya extracted herself from her memories.

The eighteen-year-old Tanya fiercely defended her image of Vincent Hawthorne, allowing no one to slander him, but the Tanya of today completely agreed with Declan’s assessment of Vincent.

Tanya quietly peeled another tangerine, remembering the time she unexpectedly bumped into Declan at a restaurant, people around him called him President Pierce.

He must be doing well now...

Meanwhile, Father Hawthorne went to the balcony with a dark face to make a call, followed by Vincent Hawthorne.

Tanya was indifferent, focusing solely on peeling her tangerine.

Caden and Joy likely had similar tastes, she might as well peel a couple more.

Within two minutes, Vincent and Father Hawthorne returned from the balcony, both with displeased expressions.

Father Hawthorne sternly announced, "Second Young Master Pierce has an emergency, he won’t be coming today."

Titus couldn’t hide his glee, he came today hoping to meet Second Young Master Pierce, but even if he didn’t, it wasn’t his embarrassment.

His wife, Shelay Dillon, put on a concerned look, "Big brother, you really should verify this clearly, don’t let that intermediary deceive you and give benefits away for nothing."

"..." Father Hawthorne’s face turned slightly green, but he couldn’t lash out.

Titus’s family didn’t actually come to dine either, without Second Young Master Pierce, they naturally left.

Titus rose, "I just remembered I have matters at home, big brother, sister-in-law, we’ll head off first. Silas, go bid farewell to the old lady, tell her we’ll visit another day."

Tanya just put down the tangerine and reached for her cane, preparing to see them off, but was a tad slow, and Mother Hawthorne nudged her shin with her shoe.

Tanya winced slightly in pain.

Mother Hawthorne whispered disapprovingly; "You’re blind, not deaf! The elders are leaving, why are you still sitting? Truly no manners!"

"..." Tanya silently clenched her hands.

Yvonne Hawthorne came over, hugging Mother Hawthorne’s arm lazily, "Mom, did you forget again? Sister-in-law lost her mom early, and her dad is as good as non-existent, who would teach her manners?"

"..."

Tanya’s face turned cold, gripping her cane too hard, her knuckles showing restrained paleness.

Mother Hawthorne snorted coldly, "Even without parents, after entering our Hawthorne family so long and still like this, I say you shouldn’t go to the company for the time being. Stay home and learn these basic manners! Or else you’ll shame The Hawthorne Family if taken out."

And her ’good husband’ Vincent Hawthorne just stood listening, without defending her once.

When Mother Hawthorne finished her harsh words, Vincent approached, his voice soft and helpless.

"Tanya, mom says this for your own good. You have time recently anyway, so why not come back often and let mom teach you."

Tanya understood Vincent’s intent clearly, he didn’t want her to go to the company and compete with Cindy Lynn for the manager’s position.

She gently shook off Vincent’s hand, saying only, "I’ll return to the company in a few days."

This wasn’t seeking his consent, but notifying him.

Vincent paused, frowning, obviously displeased with her answer.

But with family present, he said no more.

"We’ll discuss this tonight."

Tanya didn’t respond.

Her stance was clear, this topic wasn’t up for discussion!