Chapter 5
Uncle Guang opened the car door. The moment he saw Lynn Newman, his face lit up with joy. “Miss, the master has spoken of you countless times. You’re finally back.”
Thinking of the kind and gentle old man from her memories, Lynn Newman’s tense nerves immediately relaxed. Worryingly, she asked, “How is Grandpa doing? It’s raining today, so his rheumatism must be acting up again.”
“Over the years, Master has practiced Tai Chi regularly. His body is much stronger now than before.”
Lynn Newman smiled slightly. Turning to the side, she introduced, “This is my fiancé, Julie Berkeley.”
Julie Berkeley nodded at Uncle Guang.
As soon as the news came out, Uncle Guang began to look up information about this handsome young man. Now, seeing his refined demeanor, which was no less impressive than that of any nobleman, he couldn’t help but feel both respect and curiosity.
The banquet was in full swing when a handsome man and a beautiful woman entered together, but it didn’t cause much of a stir.
Just as Bert Eden had finished chatting with his friend, he heard a clear voice call out, “Father.” There was only one person in the world who would address him in that way.
Bert Eden turned around and saw his daughter, whom he hadn’t seen in years, walking toward him, arm in arm with a strange man.
Bert Eden’s expression immediately darkened.
The reason he brought Lynn Newman back was to find her a wealthy suitor at this banquet. He never expected her to be so bold as to bring along some random man from outside.
Although Julie Berkeley was also a talented individual from the Qingcheng family, her family background was far inferior to theirs.
In today’s society, money isn’t the sole criterion for measuring status. Even if you’re wealthy, you might not be able to enter certain circles just because of your wealth.
“Nonsense,” Bert Eden snapped, staring at Julie Berkeley with displeasure in his eyes. Besides being pretty, what did she have to deserve being his “precious jewel”?
If Lynn Newman heard what was really on his mind, she would surely mock him in return.
Of course, she was Bert Eden’s pet. But all that was before his stepmother brought her daughter into the family.
That woman was Bert Eden’s beloved, irreplaceable love.
That woman’s daughter was like a precious gem lost among the common people during Bert Eden’s younger years.
In that silent battle of power and wealth in the past, Lynn Newman lost everything. All that’s left now is her blood relationship with this family.
Lynn Newman truly lived up to her title as a movie queen. Despite the mocking smirk in her heart, she managed to maintain a gentle expression on her face. “I thought it was just a family gathering. I never expected you to make such a big deal out of it. It’s the first time I’ve seen anything like this.”
Bert Eden’s face turned red from her aggressive words. He scolded, “What nonsense! When did you arrive? Have you met your grandfather?”
He didn’t even look at Julie Berkeley, deliberately ignoring her. Bert Eden hoped that this young man would back down when faced with difficulties. Otherwise, he might do something extreme.
But Lynn Newman wouldn’t let him have his way. She introduced them cheerfully, “Father, this is my fiancé, Julie Berkeley. Julie, this is my father.”
Many people have been distracted by her. Bert Eden even felt like choking Lynn Newman. She was so cute and well-behaved as a child. How did she turn into such a nuisance as an adult?
“What fiancé? Stop talking nonsense,” Bert Eden warned coldly. This statement was undoubtedly a direct denial of Julie Berkeley’s identity.
“Father, please don’t misunderstand me.” Lynn Newman maintained her graceful demeanor. She released Julie Berkeley’s arm and walked calmly over to Bert Eden. Lowering her voice, she said, “I never intended to seek your permission. To be honest, Julie and I came here today to see Grandfather.”
Bert Eden gritted his teeth and said, “Bessie Eden, is this the way you speak to your father?”
Hearing that name from the past, Lynn Newman’s heart clenched tightly. “If by ‘father’ you mean the man who expelled me from the Eden family seven years ago. If by ‘father’ you mean the man who allowed his illegitimate daughter to take away my fiancé and my position as the Eden family’s eldest daughter… I’m sorry, but I really don’t have such a father.”
“Slap!” A loud slap rang out across Lynn Newman’s face. The once-noisy hall fell silent instantly, with only the gentle accompaniment of the violin remaining.
Lynn Newman thought her heart couldn’t hurt anymore, but the burning pain in her cheeks made her heart suffer as well. It turned out she still cared, and she still had a tiny bit of hope left.
No, how dare she even hope for such a thing?
“Bessie.” An old voice suddenly rang out in the distance. Lynn Newman stared blankly at the old figure on the stairs, stubbornly lifting her head.
For some reason, Julie Berkeley always felt that the once flamboyant and bright woman seemed lonely and fragile. She stepped forward.
Suddenly, her hand was wrapped in a warm, large hand. Lynn Newman turned her head, only to meet Julie Berkeley’s eyes, which were like stars.
Julie Berkeley put her arms around her shoulders and said to Bert Eden in a cold tone, “Uncle, if you hit Lynn, I’ll be heartbroken.”
In that moment, Lynn Newman felt as though her heart had been smoothed out, yet it also felt sour and bitter. All the resentment and pain in her heart seemed ready to burst out at that very moment.
Since her parents divorced and that woman moved in, the thing she heard most often was, “Bessie Eden, how can you be so vicious?”
No one ever felt sorry for that teenage girl who went through her parents’ divorce and then saw both of them remarry. Even later, when she found her fiancé and his so-called “sister” in bed together, it was still someone from her own family who told her, “The Eden family needs a lady to marry into the Gao family, thereby creating a powerful alliance between the two families.”
She was originally far away from them. It was they who kept reappearing in her life over and over again.
Bert Eden was furious. In front of everyone, he embarrassed Julie Berkeley: “Uncle Guang, how do you do things? How could you allow such a worthless person to attend the Eden family’s banquet?”
“Enough.” Lynn Newman took a deep breath, forcing the tears back from her eyes. “Mr. Eden is right. How could a woman like me, with no status at all, simply enter the Eden family’s party?”
She looked at Julie Berkeley and forced a helpless smile. “Julie, let’s go.” She took his hand in hers. Only by doing so could she find the strength to leave this place once again.
“Bessie Eden, stop right there!”
“Bessie!”
Two voices rang out at the same time.
Lynn Newman glanced at the white-haired old man once again, her eyes filled with exhaustion. Even her grandfather, who loved her the most, chose to abandon her when it came to business interests.
“Bessie Eden, if you dare step out of this door, you’ll never be able to come back.”
Behind him, Bert Eden’s furious threats could be heard once again.
Lynn Newman stopped in her tracks, radiating confidence. With a beaming smile, she said, “Mr. Eden, have you forgotten? Seven years ago, it was you who drove me away. And my last name is Newman—Lynn Newman.”
Everyone, except Julie Berkeley, was well aware of the various grudges and conflicts within the Eden family.
The mistress takes over, the illegitimate daughter drives the real daughter away. The antics of the Eden family are actually way more dramatic than what happens in TV dramas.
