Chapter 7
The peaceful teahouse, with a row of lush bamboo in the courtyard, was Harvey Eden’s favorite place to spend time after retiring as the company’s CEO.
Leaning back in his rattan chair, he gazed lovingly at the little figure bent over the desk, completely absorbed in his work.
Tea brewing was popular during the Three Kingdoms and Jin dynasties. A teapot with a long handle was used to boil the tea over the stove. It took three boils for the tea and water to blend together properly.
Lynn Newman performed each movement with fluid grace. Tea ceremony was one of the compulsory courses she learned as a child. Today, this elegance and composure have become second nature to her.
Soon, the small courtyard was filled with the fragrance of Mingqian Biluochun tea.
The old man took a sip of tea, filled with mixed feelings. In his heart, Lynn Newman was the perfect candidate to be Eden’s heir.
What a pity.
“Bessie, don’t you really want to consider Grandfather’s opinion?” Old Mr. Eden wasn’t willing to give up. Over generations, the Eden Corporation had shown signs of decline. Bert Eden was too conservative in his approach to business, and his chosen successor, Payne Eden, had no business acumen whatsoever. He simply couldn’t bear to see the family business destroyed like this.
A mocking smile appeared on Lynn Newman’s lips. She stared into the distance, her clear voice ringing out firmly: “Grandfather, do you know how I’ve spent these seven years? I was driven out of the Eden family, all my cards were canceled, and I lost every source of support… At that time, I was just a 19-year-old girl.”
Old Mr. Eden felt a surge of guilt and sorrow in his heart.
Lynn Newman turned her gaze away, looking down at her hands. It was as though she had opened a box of memories. All those painful past events replayed in her mind. “To avoid dropping out of school, I worked part-time at two jobs per day. I carried dishes in cafes and ate leftover steamed buns. Even when I entered the entertainment industry, I started as a minor role, working my way up to where I am today. All I ever wanted was to simply keep living.”
Every word, every phrase is devastatingly sharp!
Old Mr. Eden could hardly believe that his granddaughter had already experienced every aspect of life. “I thought…”
“You think Father wouldn’t be that heartless, do you?” Lynn Newman cut him off, her eyes cold. “I’m afraid in his mind, I’ve always been nothing more than a pawn to gain the most advantage at the negotiating table. For such a family as the Eden family, does Grandfather really expect me to go back?”
Mr. Eden felt a lump in his throat. “But after all, he’s your father.”
Lynn Newman lowered her gaze, her expression full of disdain. She said decisively, “His daughter was Bessie Eden, not Lynn Newman. Unfortunately, Bessie Eden died seven years ago, killed by him with his own hands.”
As if thinking of something, Lynn Newman’s lips curled slightly. “Grandpa, strangely, I don’t hate him at all now.”
Old Mr. Eden felt a bitter taste in his mouth. Bert Eden had mistaken a fish eye for a dragon pearl. One day, he would regret it. But enough of that, thought Old Mr. Eden. There was no point in arguing with Bessie now. Suppressing his disappointment, he changed the subject and said seriously, “Bessie, remember to send Grandpa an invitation on your wedding day. After all, you’ll always be my granddaughter.”
His slightly pleading tone felt like a heavy weight pressing on her chest, almost preventing Lynn Newman from breathing. She lowered her gaze and nodded slowly.
“Bessie, you’re always welcome to come back here!”
Grandpa opened his arms, wanting to hug his beloved granddaughter. It was uncertain when they would meet again.
Time really doesn’t wait for anyone. My granddaughter’s about to get married!
Mr. Eden looked at Lynn Newman with affectionate eyes. The usually serious old man actually managed to muster a rather awkward smile.
Bang! It was like a collapse! The walls that Lynn Newman had built in her mind were shattered by her grandfather’s one action.
She stood there, frozen, not knowing how to react. After all, this was the only grandfather in the family who truly cared for her!
“Grandpa.”
A soft voice came from Lynn Newman’s mouth, with a slight nasal tone. “Ah!” Mr. Eden replied crisply, his wrinkled hands gently patting Lynn Newman’s back.
His granddaughter has suffered so much! She’s so thin! She must have gone through a lot of hardships outside. Alas, his granddaughter is just like him—stubborn and unwilling to give up. Over the years, his worthless son and his scheming wife have put so many obstacles in her path, both openly and secretly. He knows all of this all too well.
“Grandpa, if there’s nothing else, I’ll go get my household registration book now.”
Lifting her arms from the embrace, Lynn Newman was no longer the soft-hearted person she once was. She understood that only by becoming strong could she prevent others from hurting her. One must be ruthless when dealing with bad people. But the pain and suffering involved in this, perhaps, only she knew about.
“Okay, okay.”
Mr. Eden quickly agreed to her request, gave orders, and had her taken to the room where she had grown up.
“Here, it’s still just as it was before.”
It’s just that she’s no longer the same person she used to be.
Hearing Lynn Newman speak, the servant quickly said in a flattering tone, “My lord really adores you, miss. Ever since you left, he’s had your room cleaned every day. He thought you might return, so the room has been kept just as it was!”
She had heard countless such flattery words before. But, indeed, her grandfather really loved her. Lynn Newman turned around and gave her a slight smile.
With just one glance, the servant was completely captivated by her smile. At first, he thought Lynn Newman was cold and unfriendly. But now, with that smile, she had won his heart completely!
Lynn Newman’s fingers swept across her bookshelf, finding the very back shelf. After all these years, she had almost forgotten that she had left her thoughts and feelings there.
“I need to find something. Please go out for now.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the doorway was now empty.
She counted the rows of books and found a key in one of them. She opened a hidden compartment at the bottom, and inside was an old diary.
Judging from the degree of wear on it, it’s clear that the author must have repeatedly flipped through this diary many times. What was contained within was her heart, which was on the verge of breaking at that moment.
Perfect, let’s take it all with us. She glanced around the room, as if suddenly seeing her former self again: countless sleepless nights spent writing and drawing in her diary under the covers; countless rainy nights spent gazing out the window at the lightning and thunder while holding her diary; countless days of despair when she could only fall asleep with the help of sleeping pills.
……
Lynn Newman put the items back into her bag, expressionless. Perhaps some things were wrong from the very beginning.
“Hello?”
It was a strange number. Lynn Newman found it odd. She took great care to keep her phone number private. How could anyone else know it?
“Bessie Eden! If anything happens to Payne, you’ll definitely pay for it!”
The furious shouts on the other end of the line left her momentarily stunned. But with that harsh voice, who else could it be but her “nice auntie”?
She forgot that Payne Eden’s tactics were exactly the same as hers.
“What? Do you want me to help with the body disposal?”
As soon as those cold words were spoken, it was, as usual, full of sarcasm. She wasn’t that stupid. If nothing happened, then it was just good luck for her. But if anything did go wrong, she would definitely help her out!
"You! You!"
She was too angry to say a word, but Lynn Newman had no intention of listening to her nonsense!
She hung up the phone and blocked their number as well. She certainly didn’t want to have anything to do with that family anymore!
Since she’s about to die, as her older sister, shouldn’t she go and see her one last time? A sarcastic smile curled on her lips. “Let’s go to the hospital!”
She really wanted to see what kind of tricks her pitiful little sister was up to!
Just as I arrived at the nurses’ station, before I could even ask where Payne Eden lived, I heard the nurses complaining non-stop.
“Isn’t that right? Everyone in that family is exceptional. They said they had to wait for her sister to come over, and that her sister was Lynn Newman? Ridiculous. How could a famous movie star possibly be her sister? Their last names are even different.”
“And to keep slandering her behind her back like that… Although I’m not her fan, that behavior is really excessive. What a horrible family.”
“…”
Lynn Newman stopped in silence, let out a cold snort, pulled her black mask and sunglasses down over her face, pushed the hair around her ears aside, then turned and left.
Moreover, it seems like Payne Eden doesn’t have any serious problems either. With no worries, he’s naturally full of energy and lively.
The driver was surprised to see that Lynn Newman had gotten out so quickly. He was surprised for a few seconds, but didn’t ask any questions. He simply opened the door and drove her back home.
After arriving at Jinjia Garden, Lynn Newman realized that there were several missed calls on her phone, all from Channing Snow. Lynn Newman no longer felt anything for him, only disgust.
Looking at the chandelier on the ceiling, Lynn Newman didn’t know why, but Julie Berkeley’s face suddenly came to mind. Her features were sharp and defined, especially from the side. She exuded an air of elegance and composure, yet there was also a sense of oppression about her. When she narrowed her eyes, it seemed as though cold light emanated from them.
Taking the cup, she went to get a cup of hot water. Lynn Newman returned to the sofa, ready to check tomorrow’s schedule. Unexpectedly, Channing Snow called again.
She carelessly tossed her phone onto the table, ignoring it completely. The phone lay there silently, with those three words still displayed on the screen. Her gaze was cold and emotionless.
—–Evening
Lynn Newman had just finished eating when the doorbell rang. She didn’t go to answer the door but called out instead.
“I haven’t bought anything recently. It probably isn’t my package. Could it be that it was delivered to the wrong address?”
Deliveries to the apartment are often misdelivered. The delivery guys aren’t very familiar with the building yet. But since the delivery guys are generally good-looking, no one has ever complained. They’re also very eager to learn and approach their work with sincerity. So, overall, everything goes smoothly.
However, the doorbell kept ringing. Lynn Newman couldn’t help but go to the door. Through the peephole, she saw the man standing outside. That face was all too familiar.
It’s Channing Snow.
Outside, the lights have just been turned on. The night is enticing, while darkness lurks, seemingly ready to strike at any moment.
“Bessie Eden, if you don’t open the door today, you might end up on the entertainment headlines tomorrow. A strange man knocked on the door of a famous actress in the middle of the night, only to be rejected coldly. Who knows what kind of stories people will make up…”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Lynn Newman opened the door. Her expression was grim as she stared coldly at the man before her.
“I know what you’re here for. You’re here to settle scores with me, aren’t you? Is there something wrong with your child? If not, then leave now. Payne Eden knows very well what happened.”
She paused for a moment, meeting Channing Snow’s gaze without any fear. “Also, Betsy Eden, who was with you back then, is long dead. The person standing before you now is actress Lynn Newman, who has nothing to do with the Eden family at all.”
The door was closed. Channing Snow’s fingers turned white from gripping so tightly. He could only watch helplessly as the door remained impassive. He felt extremely frustrated. With a roar of anger, he punched the wall hard. Gritting his teeth, his voice was filled with hatred.
“Really thinks she’s so great? She’s nothing but a worthless woman! She’s not even half as good as your sister!”
At the end of the hallway, the paparazzo who had been lurking there for days watched this scene. He immediately pressed the shutter on his camera. Looking at the dozen or so photos he’d taken, he smiled in satisfaction.
It wasn’t in vain that he waited here for so long. Finally, he’s managed to get his hands on this actress’s scandalous secrets. This will probably rock the entire entertainment industry.
Who would have thought that the movie queen, who had never been involved in any scandals, actually had such a past?
The glow of the stars gradually dimmed. The night grew darker. As the neon lights in the city faded away, the entire city slowly became silent and dark.
—The next day
When Lynn Newman woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. Sunlight streamed through the window and onto the bed.
She reached out to feel the warm sunlight, then yawned comfortably, getting ready to get up and wash up. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her phone, which hadn’t turned on all along. No matter how long she tried to activate it, nothing happened. With no choice, she picked up the charger and started charging the phone.
It seems I forgot to charge my phone again last night.
It was really the first time she’d seen that the phone count could reach 99+ at all. And those who made calls were just a few people: Julie Berkeley made several calls, Grandpa made one, and everyone else who called was her agent.
There’s quite a lot of information here. The first thing that catches the eye is this: “Missy, go check out today’s entertainment headlines! I never thought you’d end up on the headlines because of this.”
Lynn Newman frowned. As soon as she stepped outside, she saw a Weibo update pop up on her phone. A few key words in the message made her heart skip a beat.
