CHAPTER 24: CHAPTER 24: AVENGING CINDY’S MOM

Caden didn’t know what was happening with the adults. He played educational games for a while, and seeing that Joy was still in the small room alone, he went to knock on the door.

Joy opened the door, and after the brother and sister talked for a bit, Joy glanced at Tanya Sinclair, her little mouth pouted angrily.

"Joy," Vincent Hawthorne’s voice sounded, "come wash your hands, it’s time to eat."

Only then did Joy reluctantly come out.

At the dining table, Father Hawthorne sat at the head, Vincent and Mother Hawthorne sat to his right and left respectively, Yvonne sat beside Mother Hawthorne, and Caden sat next to Vincent.

Normally, Joy would stick to her brother Caden, but today she was also mad at her brother, so she climbed up to sit beside Yvonne.

"Aunt, today I want to sit next to you."

Only Tanya Sinclair sat at the other end of the table like an outsider.

She asked the maid next to her to help serve the peeled oranges to Caden and Joy.

"Your hands are dirty, I won’t eat the oranges peeled by dirty hands!" Joy said loudly.

Vincent Hawthorne frowned slightly, giving his daughter a slightly reproachful look: "Joy, how does Daddy usually teach you? Yelling like this, what does it look like? Be polite."

Joy was still a bit afraid of her father. She muttered softly, "I won’t be polite to a bad woman!"

Her voice was not loud, but Tanya Sinclair heard it clearly.

The daughter she risked her life to give birth to calls her a bad woman... This hurt her more than all the humiliation and coldness she received upon entering the house.

Tanya Sinclair just felt a lump in her chest, extremely uncomfortable.

She forced a smile and explained, "Joy, Mommy is not a bad woman, and Mommy’s hands are clean because they’ve been washed."

"Alright, what do kids know? Arguing with your own daughter, you’re so petty." Mother Hawthorne chided, turning to coax her granddaughter, "If Joy doesn’t like it, then don’t eat it. Grandma will peel shrimp for you, okay?"

Mother Hawthorne put the peeled shrimp into Joy’s bowl, and Joy ate it in one bite, giving her grandmother a bright smile: "It’s so delicious, I like Grandma the most."

Joy was very pretty, sweet, and good at pleasing people. The table remained lively with her chirping about funny things from kindergarten, and even the stern-faced Father Hawthorne showed a slight smile.

Caden was eating and occasionally glanced at Tanya Sinclair sitting alone in the corner, feeling uneasy.

She looked so sad... and a bit pitiful.

Caden looked at the plate of peeled oranges sitting there untouched.

After hesitating for a few seconds, he reached for one and finished it in two bites.

Thinking Tanya couldn’t see, Caden struggled internally for a moment, got off his chair, and excused himself to the bathroom.

As he passed by Tanya Sinclair, Caden deliberately said loud enough for her to hear, "The oranges are really sweet."

So she would know he ate the oranges she peeled, and hopefully, she wouldn’t feel too sad...

He quickly sneaked a glance at Tanya Sinclair, saw her smile, and Caden quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

After dinner, Father Hawthorne called Vincent into the study for a conversation.

In the past, clearing the table and washing dishes would have been Tanya Sinclair’s task, but now that she couldn’t see, the maids did it.

Tanya Sinclair was planning to check on the old lady.

The old lady had a chronic headache problem, and she had been treating it with acupuncture regularly, which had been well controlled. She wondered how things were now...

As she thought about it, a small figure suddenly popped up in front of her.

"Hey..." Joy stood before Tanya Sinclair, awkwardly tugging at her skirt and swaying, "Can you come to the bathroom with me?"

Tanya Sinclair was a bit surprised but also flattered.

"Of course, sweetheart."

Her daughter taking the initiative to be close to her for the first time, she naturally agreed immediately.

"I want to use the bathroom in Aunt’s room, it smells nice there," Joy requested.

Tanya Sinclair hesitated a bit, "Then, let’s ask Aunt first, okay?"

Judging from today’s interactions, Yvonne seemed to be very close to Joy, so she would have no problem entering and exiting. But if she entered without notifying Yvonne, Yvonne would definitely be displeased.

But Yvonne wasn’t in the living room now, no one knew where she went.

"Aunt’s not here... oh, I’m about to burst!" Joy furrowed her little face, looking like she was struggling to hold it in, "If you won’t go with me, then forget it."

Tanya Sinclair had no choice but to agree, "Okay, Mommy will go with you."

Only then did Joy break into a smile.

Her smile was so bright and sweet, that Tanya Sinclair saw her younger self in Joy.

Her daughter’s features looked very much like her own, like they were carved from the same mold.

Holding Joy’s soft, small hand gave her a sense of consolation, after all, they were connected by blood, mother and daughter at heart.

Perhaps Joy didn’t dislike her that much, she was just a little girl who depended more on her mother; in these years, she’d been brainwashed by Cindy too deeply, unable to control her emotions, always opposing her.

Tanya Sinclair followed Joy into Yvonne’s room.

This was Tanya Sinclair’s first time entering Yvonne’s room, which was filled with various game posters. She only knew that Yvonne had a gaming company.

But she hadn’t expected Yvonne to be a crazy game fan.

And there, at the center of her bed’s headboard, hung a massive poster—a silhouette of the champion team photo of Team X, which won the championship at the T-box Pro Alliance seven years ago...

Tanya Sinclair gazed at the poster, in a daze for a moment, then returned to normal.

She walked into Yvonne’s bathroom and helped Joy onto the toilet.

Joy said, "I can wipe myself later, just wait by the door. Don’t go."

Tanya Sinclair thought the little girl was shy and didn’t want her watching while she went to the bathroom. She smiled and said, "Okay, Mommy will wait by the door, don’t be scared."

As soon as Tanya Sinclair stepped out of the bathroom, Joy jumped off the toilet.

Yvonne’s dressing area and bath area were adjacent. Joy ran to Yvonne’s vanity, skillfully rummaged through her jewelry box. At the bottom level were Aunt’s most beloved pieces, all very expensive.

Joy picked out the most valuable diamond bracelet and tucked it into her pocket.

As she did this, Joy felt a bit scared and guilty.

But thinking about how Cindy’s hands were hurt by that bad woman, she resolved to avenge Cindy!

Cindy had taught her that when you’re not strong enough, you should learn to use someone else’s strength to achieve your goals!

Joy remembered Cindy’s words well!

Then Joy ran to flush and wash her hands before opening the door.

Tanya Sinclair was indeed waiting at the door.

"Joy, let’s go," Tanya Sinclair gently said, holding out her hand to her daughter.

Joy stared directly at Tanya Sinclair and suddenly said, "There’s something dirty in your hair, squat down, and I’ll take it off for you."

Seeing her daughter being so kind to her, Tanya Sinclair complied without question. She squatted down, but in the next moment, seeing Joy’s action, Tanya Sinclair’s smile froze on her face, and she felt like she had fallen into an ice cave!

Joy, taking this chance as Tanya squatted down, stealthily pulled out an expensive diamond bracelet and quietly slipped it into her handbag...

Tanya Sinclair couldn’t stop trembling all over.

Her five-year-old daughter was actually framing her!