After spending some intimate moments with Vincent, Jane left the Thomas residence. On her way back, she rehearsed the carefully prepared speech in her mind countless times. She pondered, if these words couldn’t persuade Gilbert, she would have to resort to other means. However, those methods were somewhat forceful and wouldn’t bring her much benefit, so she hoped to convince Gilbert through persuasion. After all, with Ariana absent, who else could Gilbert pass the position to if not her? At this thought, Jane couldn’t help but let out a smug.
Upon arriving at the White family villa, she parked her car and walked in with the items she had bought. As soon as she entered, Jane felt something was off, a sense of foreboding creeping into her heart. But she didn’t dwell on it, merely furrowing her brows slightly before brushing the feeling aside and quickly heading towards the living room. Coincidentally, Gilbert and his wife were sitting there, the atmosphere between them somewhat tense, though Jane didn’t notice.
She flashed her usual bright, cheerful smile and said playfully, “Uncle, Auntie, you’re still up? Perfect timing! I bought some desserts from the cake shop while I was out for dinner. I know Auntie loves them. And for Uncle, I got your favorite biscuits. I waited in line for ages and then rushed back, almost running a red light. I hope it’s still warm.” She added, “I know Uncle has been feeling troubled lately, but you shouldn’t neglect your health.”
This was Jane’s usual modus operandi. She played the sweet, obedient daughter to perfection. It was precisely because of this that Gilbert and his wife doted on her more, feeling their affection was reciprocated. Ariana, on the other hand, rarely behaved this way.
But what Gilbert and his wife never realized was that Ariana had also bought things for them before. However, because she wasn’t one to show off, she would simply leave them on the table or hand them to the butler. Such a method of giving paled in comparison to Jane’s grand gestures. Consequently, Gilbert had felt that Ariana wasn’t as good as Jane—not as thoughtful. As a daughter, Jane seemed far more qualified.
Now, however, Gilbert could only see her actions as blatant mockery.
Gilbert remained silent, and Georgia, contrary to her usual demeanor, didn’t accept the gesture with her usual warmth. Instead, she looked at Jane with a complex, sorrowful expression, eventually letting out a heavy sigh without uttering a word. This unusual reaction made Jane’s heart race with unease. She forced a strained smile, her lips twitching slightly, and asked softly, “Uncle, Auntie, what’s wrong? Are you still worried about the company?”
Seeing Jane’s feigned innocence, Gilbert felt a deeper wave of disappointment and coldness wash over him. His expression remained impassive as he asked, “Where have you been?”
Jane was momentarily stunned but quickly plastered on a weak smile. “I went out to buy something for you and Auntie… I even queued up. I already mentioned that earlier…”
At her words, the chill in Gilbert’s eyes intensified. The warmth and affection he once held for her were now absent. Without further ado, he flung a stack of photos onto the coffee table in front of her and said coldly, “I want you to explain this to me. What is this?”
Jane’s heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of her chest. She finally sensed something was terribly wrong, though she couldn’t quite grasp what it was. Struggling to steady her breathing, she tried to calm herself. With trembling hands, she slowly picked up the photos. Though her instincts screamed that they contained something she didn’t want to see, Gilbert’s icy stare left her no choice but to comply.
As soon as she saw the images, her face turned pale. The photos captured her stepping out of the car and entering the Thomas family’s villa earlier that evening.
Her mind was in chaos, and it seemed she finally understood what was happening. Panicked, she looked up at Gilbert, her face ashen, and tears instantly streamed down her cheeks. In a voice choked with sobs, she stammered, “Uncle… I’m sorry. I know you don’t want me to have any contact with Vincent, but… but I really care about him.”
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