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Chapter_126
Richard’s grin widened as he listened to Nellie, pleased with her strategic suggestion. He was impressed, but still, he thought, Not harsh enough. Nellie knew him too well to be concerned about what he might say. She knew that once Yvette embarrassed herself at the event, no one would take her seriously again.
Yvette won’t stand a chance against Winona, Nellie thought smugly. By the time today is over, Yvette will be Seacrity’s laughing stock. It’ll be her downfall, and there will be no way she can recover from this.
Richard and Nellie exchanged a knowing smile, each already plotting their next move. They were both so sure of their success, it was as if they could already hear Yvette’s downfall echoing in their minds.
Winona entered the room just then, seeing Richard and Nellie share a smile. She acted as though she hadn’t noticed their exchange, greeting Richard first with respect, “Mr. Griffin,” followed by a polite nod to Nellie. This simple act of prioritizing Richard over Nellie was calculated, a subtle move to earn Richard’s favor.
Richard, pleased by Winona’s deference, smiled warmly at her. “Winona, how did you sleep last night?” he asked, his tone soft and approving.
Winona’s smile was radiant. “Mr. Griffin, please don’t laugh, but I’ve been so excited about officially becoming your apprentice today that I couldn’t sleep at all.” She laughed, pretending to be bashful.
Richard’s hearty laugh filled the room, his gaze softening as he looked at Winona with newfound admiration. The smile he gave her was that of a proud mentor.
Nellie watched the interaction closely, pleased with Winona’s ability to play the game so well. I’ve raised her well, Nellie thought with satisfaction. She’ll be Zeke’s strongest support one day. What could Yvette possibly offer that compares to Winona’s value?
Winona continued the conversation with Richard for a while, keeping her tone light and respectful. She then shifted her attention to Nellie, who was casually sipping her coffee. “Mom, I heard from Lora that you sent the makeup artist we hired to Yvie?” she asked, her voice sweet, careful not to show any displeasure. She deliberately used “Yvie” instead of Yvette, wanting to maintain a polite demeanor, especially in front of Richard.
Nellie met her gaze, and without missing a beat, exchanged a brief, almost imperceptible look with Richard. Winona raised an eyebrow, sensing something more than just the usual mother-daughter conversation, but she kept her suspicions to herself, waiting for an answer.
Richard, already understanding Nellie’s intentions, spoke up before Nellie could. “What’s the matter, Winona? Are you upset about the makeup artist being sent to Yvette? Are you unhappy with the arrangement?”
Winona immediately shook her head, her tone quick and earnest. “Mr. Griffin, why would I be? It’s an honor that Yvie chose my makeup artist. I’m just puzzled by the sudden change. Why can’t her stylist come, though? That’s all I was asking about.”
Nellie, acting casually, revealed the reason with a nonchalant shrug. “Oh, Yvette’s makeup artist had a car accident and can’t make it.”
Winona’s heart skipped a beat. She felt a sinking sensation in her stomach. A car accident? she thought, her suspicions rising. The chances of that happening are incredibly slim. It seems… orchestrated. Mom’s involvement, again?
She quickly turned her mind to the bigger question. Has Mom’s secret lover played a part in this? She had long suspected Nellie of having a secret lover, someone behind the scenes who often helped her with her schemes. Winona had tried to dig into this mystery before, but Nellie was always too careful, and Winona had no solid leads.
As she watched Nellie and Richard sip their coffee with such composure, Winona’s suspicions only deepened. There’s something going on here, she thought, her instincts telling her that she couldn’t let this go. But for now, she remained silent, unsure of how deep the web of manipulation truly ran.
Meanwhile, in the main mansion, Yvette had been up since five in the morning. She had gone for a run, avoiding everyone as she went out and returned. No one noticed she had been gone, and when she came back and took a brief nap, everyone assumed she had just woken up.
As the day wore on, Lucas rested for a while, changing into his uniform when it was time to prepare for the event. It was then that he encountered Yvette, who was descending the stairs.
She was dressed casually in an unbranded tracksuit and canvas shoes, which didn’t quite match her stunningly beautiful face. Despite the mismatch, Lucas greeted her with his usual professionalism, “Miss, shall I prepare breakfast for you?”
Yvette, her hands in her pockets, pulled out a piece of vanilla toffee and unwrapped it effortlessly. She popped it into her mouth while staring at Lucas with a quiet, almost intimidating intensity.
Lucas felt an unease settle in his chest. What’s with the look? he wondered, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Did I miss something on my face when I was rushing?
Yvette seemed to notice his discomfort and, without breaking eye contact, pulled another piece of candy from her pocket and tossed it to him.
Lucas, startled, caught the candy instinctively. His expression was one of surprise. At my age, I really shouldn’t be eating candy, especially with my teeth…
Yvette’s voice broke through his thoughts, her tone surprisingly serious. “Go ahead and eat it. Your heart isn’t getting enough blood flow. If you don’t take care, you won’t last more than a couple of years.”
Lucas, still unsure, chuckled awkwardly. She must be exaggerating, he thought. But seeing the concern in her eyes, he reluctantly unwrapped the candy and popped it into his mouth, trying to ignore the risk to his teeth.
To his surprise, the candy wasn’t hard. It dissolved immediately, releasing a sweet flavor at first, followed by a slightly medicinal taste. It wasn’t unpleasant, though—it was oddly refreshing. He finished it and even smacked his lips, savoring the aftertaste.
Yvette watched him for a moment before turning her attention back to the living room. As she walked past a painting hanging on the wall, her gaze lingered on it, her expression unreadable. Oh, Zachary… she thought briefly. Never mind. A simple reminder will suffice.
She glanced back at Lucas, still standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking perplexed. With a voice that was unexpectedly icy, she said, “I suggest you take that painting down.”
Lucas blinked, caught off guard. What did she say? Take it down?
He couldn’t understand why she would want the Cyanbird painting removed. It was prominently displayed in the most noticeable spot in the house, and both Mrs. Chambers and Mr. Griffin had insisted on it being there for the event.
He was hesitant but tried to explain calmly, “Ms. Zeller, I’m afraid we can’t take it down. Both Mrs. Chambers and Mr. Griffin insisted that it stay here. It was specially prepared for today’s banquet.”
Yvette’s gaze shifted to the painting once more, her tone softening but remaining pointed. “Oh, then suit yourselves.”
