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Chapter_144
At the Smith residence, tension hung thick in the air ever since Nellie and her two children returned the previous night. Nellie, in a rare moment of vulnerability or perhaps sheer frustration, had locked herself in her room and refused to see anyone. Even the maids who came to deliver her meals were sent away with harsh words, her temper as volatile as ever.
Zeke and Winona, realizing the gravity of their situation, understood that their only lifeline was the Smith family. They had no right to act out anymore. They stayed quietly in their rooms, biding their time until Jason, the ever-loyal servant, called for them to come down. Dennis had returned and wanted to see them.
Jason stood in front of Nellie’s door, staring at it for a long while, lost in thought. His mind was heavy with the implications of the situation, and he couldn’t help but feel a strange mixture of pity and duty toward Nellie. After a while, he raised his hand and knocked gently. But before he could speak, Nellie’s voice rang out from the other side, sharp and irate.
“Get lost, all of you!”
Jason sighed deeply, his voice soft and calm. “Ms. Smith, please come out. Mr. Smith is back. If you don’t come out, he’ll come up himself.”
The mention of Dennis made Nellie pause. She stopped cursing, and after a long moment, she opened the door, her face a mixture of disdain and reluctant obedience. She glanced at Jason, who had been infatuated with her for years, and her thoughts immediately turned to how he was nothing more than a lapdog to her. All these years, and he still looked at her with those adoring eyes. It made her stomach turn.
Jason, however, noticed the disgust on her face but had long since learned to suppress his feelings. He had been raised in a lower station than Nellie, the son of a driver, and had climbed his way up the social ladder. His feelings, for all their depth, had never meant anything to her. If it weren’t for his relentless ambition, he would have never been in her presence.
He bowed respectfully, his humility almost palpable. “Ms. Smith, Mr. Smith is downstairs. He wants to see you, Mr. Chambers, and Ms. Chambers. Please come down.”
Nellie, her expression cold and haughty, waved her hand dismissively. “Got it. I’ll tidy up and be right down.”
There was a slight shift in her tone as she added, almost in a whisper, “Jason, if my dad…”
Before she could finish, Jason immediately understood and quickly reassured her, “I understand, Ms. Smith. Don’t worry. I know exactly what to do.”
Nellie, satisfied with his response, gave him a rare smile. Jason, despite knowing the depths of her cruelty, couldn’t help but be entranced by it. Even now, though time had dulled her looks, she still held a strange, powerful beauty that captivated him.
Seeing Jason’s dumbfounded expression, Nellie scoffed inwardly. She knew she could manipulate him with a smile, and he would do whatever she asked. A man with no ambition, no drive, was nothing more than a tool—perfect for carrying her shoes.
In the living room, Dennis, now in his seventies, sat with a cane, looking frail but imposing. His face, adorned with a short, stiff mustache, and his sunken eyes gave him an air of severity. His gray hair, carefully groomed, was a stark contrast to his gaunt, almost skeletal frame.
Nellie, Zeke, and Winona descended the stairs, their footsteps quiet with anxiety. When they entered the living room, they found Dennis sitting calmly, sipping coffee, with Jason standing at attention by his side. Nellie immediately sensed the tension. Dennis’s face was impassive, but she knew better. The stillness in his demeanor was only a precursor to the storm brewing inside him. He was furious, and he wasn’t hiding it.
Zeke and Winona, ever perceptive, held their breath, fear creeping up their spines.
Nellie hesitated for a moment, then approached her father with caution. “Dad,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
Zeke and Winona echoed the greeting. “Grandpa.”
Dennis didn’t acknowledge them immediately. He simply lowered his gaze, continuing to sip his coffee as if they weren’t even there.
Minutes passed in uncomfortable silence, the tension in the room growing unbearable. Finally, Nellie couldn’t take it any longer and looked at Jason, silently pleading for help.
Jason, ever the intermediary, could sense that Dennis was deliberately ignoring them. This was typical behavior when Dennis was deeply displeased, and he knew that the time for action had come. He spoke gently but firmly, “Mr. Smith, Ms. Smith hasn’t eaten since last night. Perhaps it would be better to let her sit down and talk.”
Dennis set his coffee cup down with a slow, deliberate motion. His gaze, piercing and full of a lifetime of authority, shifted to Nellie. His voice was rough but cutting. “Do you realize the foolish thing you’ve done?”
Nellie, her heart racing, lowered her head. She knew exactly what her father meant. The realization hit her hard: all these years, she had been deceived by Zachary, believing he cared for her when it was all just a ruse. She had been living a lie, and now the truth was crashing down on her.
Her eyes reddened as her anger welled up. “I was wrong, Dad. I didn’t expect Zachary to have put on an act for all these years. He knew, he knew all along that Zeke and Winona weren’t his children. You were right about him. He’s not simple.”
Zeke and Winona exchanged shocked looks. The words hit them like a slap in the face. We’re not Zachary’s children? Zeke’s mind raced. Then whose children are we? His frustration boiled over. “What are you talking about, Mom? If we’re not Dad’s children, who is our father? Didn’t you marry into the Chambers family because you were pregnant with me and Winona?”
Nellie’s face hardened as she shot them a look of disdain. “You and Winona are the result of a one-night stand I had at a bar. I don’t even know who your father is. I was drunk. You don’t need to blame me. If it weren’t for my lies, do you think you’d have lived this luxurious life for so long? If I hadn’t married into the Chambers family, I would’ve gotten rid of you both.”
Zeke stood frozen, unable to process the words. Nellie had always been affectionate toward him, and this cruel revelation shook him to the core. For the first time, he saw her for what she truly was—a liar and a manipulator. In a fit of rage, he stormed out of the room.
Winona, on the other hand, seemed to accept the harsh reality more quickly. Without the protection of the Chambers family, her future was uncertain. If the Smith family didn’t support her, she would have nothing. Unlike Zeke, she could see the bigger picture. Her ambitions were still intact, and she wouldn’t risk alienating Dennis.
Dennis, watching Zeke’s departure with cold disappointment, muttered under his breath, “A bastard is indeed good-for-nothing. Look at him—he can’t even handle a little truth. He’s not destined for greatness.”
Turning his gaze to Winona, Dennis softened, though only slightly. “Winona, I’ll help you marry into the Carter family. But remember, the Smith family is your foundation now. After you marry into the Carters, you must know how to maintain your position. Don’t disappoint me.”
Winona nodded obediently, her voice calm and controlled. “Yes, Grandpa. I understand. I’ll make you proud.”
Dennis gave a small nod of approval. “Go now. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to meet the Carters. Make sure you’re presentable. If you still look like this, no one will have an appetite to deal with you.”
Winona’s face paled, but she nodded. “Yes, Grandpa. I understand.”
With that, she turned and left the room. Jason was dismissed by Dennis as well, and the house once again fell into an uncomfortable silence.
