At this time, Stanford was usually at his study busying himself with his own stuff. Florence walked straight to his study room, but on her way, she accidentally met the people that were gathered in the hall.
Among them were her parents, Stanford, and a few elderly aunts and uncles.
At most Florence had only seen them once or twice, she wasn’t familiar with them, but she knew their identity, they were her relatives and had certain position and status in the Fraser family.
They usually wouldn’t come to the Fraser house together, unless something big had happened.
Florence frowned in confusion, the issue with Ernest was still urgent and had not been resolved yet, did something bad happen again?
This year really hadn’t been smooth.
Florence was both depressed and worried, she walked towards the hall, and stood next to Victoria obediently.
Just when she wanted to ask secretly what happened, she was surprised to see that everyone present had shut their mouths when they saw her arriving.
At that moment, there was no one speaking at all, and the atmosphere was so silent that it was slightly creepy.
Florence was stunned for a second, even if she was slow in her reactions, she would have known that what they were talking about was related to her.
Thinking back about the rumours that had been spreading these few days, Florence’s heart suddenly started beating anxiously.
She tried her best to remain calm, she held Victoria’s hand and asked smilingly,
“Mum, why are uncles and aunts here? Are you organizing a banquet today?”
Victoria’s expression flickered, looking at Florence with a difficult expression, not knowing how to explain to her at that moment.
At this moment, an old uncle with a head full of white hair took a step forward, in his dim and yellow eyes sparkled a smart and sharp light.
He looked at Florence, his voice wispy, “Flory, all us uncles are worried about you, we came for you today.”
For her?
Florence’s heart pounded, the restless feeling was so strong that it was almost at its peak.
They were indeed here for Ernest’s matter.
Things were already so serious that they had alarmed these uncles and aunts?
Florence’s face paled, she tried her best to maintain her smile, her attitude was slightly forced, as if not accepting their good intentions.
“Uncle you’re worrying too much, I’m perfectly alright, there’s nothing to worry about. You don’t have to worry, you guys should enjoy your life right now, don’t have to worry about me.”
Within her courteous words, carried an obvious rejection.
Florence didn’t want these uncles and aunts to meddle in her affairs, if Ernest’s matter really got thrown on the table, she wouldn’t know how to be kind to them anymore.
The old man didn’t expect Florence to be so against it, rejecting their kindness so abruptly.
At the end of the day, they were geniuses, seeing Florence with this kind of attitude, they hesitated on whether to continue speaking and interfering in her matters.
After all, good intentions that were forcefully imposed on people, would not be regarded as good intentions anymore.
Victoria’s brows moved slightly, and she looked at Florence in slight surprise. Under her impression, besides being slightly stubborn, Florence’s temper and attitude were usually gentle and easy-going, and she had always been respectful towards the elderly.
But what she said today was considered very impolite.
Thinking of it carefully, the rumours in recent days had caused quite a stir-up, and Florence had also hurriedly appeared here, could it be that she had already caught wind of the rumours?
Now that Florence was trying to conceal this matter so hurriedly, was it because of anger, or was she trying to cover it up?
Victoria’s sharp gaze was on Florence. Looking at her trying her best to be calm, she knew Florence must have already known about it. But at that moment she couldn’t differentiate whether she was under which attitude and situation.
But whatever the case, since Florence had already stood out and stopped this meeting, there’s no need anymore for this conversation to proceed.
Victoria raised her hand, and said firmly, “Alright, let’s end here today…”
“Flory, I heard someone said, Clarence is Ernest under disguise, do you know about this? Are these just rumours, they’re not true right?”
Benjamin’s agitated voice suddenly rang from outside the door.
Following that, Benjamin anxiously walked over from outside, his handsome face carried a worried and unbelieving expression, as if he had been hit hard by this news.
Finishing his words, it was as if he had just seen the people gathered in the hall, he was slightly surprised and immediately shut his mouth.
Apologetically, he said, “I didn’t know everyone was here…”
His pretentious act looked innocent, but had in fact thrown out the million dollar question.
Florence’s face was as pale as a sheet of paper.
Damn it Benjamin, he had definitely done it on purpose!
Angrily, Florence immediately scolded, “Mr. Turner, this is not the case, please stop spreading lies!”
“I don’t want to believe it’s true too, that’s why I came here hurriedly to ask you.”
Benjamin frowned, his expression solemn.
He gazed at Florence, his voice loud and clear, “Now everyone is saying that Clarence is Ernest disguised, and had cheated all of us of our feelings. Flory, you had a change of heart towards Clarence, and fell in love with him at first sight, this is definitely progressing way too fast, too swift.
Do you really not know the fact that Clarence is Ernest?”
This was the biggest secret in Florence’s heart, to have it exposed in public like this, her heart started pounding in her chest.
She retorted anxiously, “I don’t know!”
Benjamin narrowed his eyes, a dangerous gleeful smile flashed across his eyes.
He raised his voice, and exclaimed, “So you really don’t know Clarence is actually Ernest.”
There was an obvious underlying meaning in his words, firmly saying, Clarence was in fact Ernest!
Florence suddenly came to her senses, Benjamin was framing her.
The gaze of the uncles and aunts surrounding her started changing to one of sharpness and dissatisfaction, the air was accusatory.
Even Victoria couldn’t help frowning.
Florence’s heart was in her throat, she felt flustered and anxious, she felt so helpless that she didn’t know what to do.
Under so many pairs of eyes, if she continued denying the truth and saying that she didn’t know about it, Benjamin would continue proving that Clarence was Ernest; she also couldn’t say she knew, then she would be dead meat.
The more she explained, the worse things will get. But if she didn’t say anything, things would get worse.
“Flory, uncle initially didn’t want to say this, but this matter will affect the Fraser family’s reputation, as well as your future, we cannot sit around and ignore this.
Ernest entered the Fraser family through the status of Clarence to be together with you, cheating the feelings of your parents, brother, as well as all relatives of the Fraser family, he is too terrible!”
Uncle’s voice was getting more and heavy, sharp, it was as if it was turning accusatory and judgmental.
Florence stood frozen, her face turning paler and paler, her heart turning cold and anxious.
Of course she had thought of this problem since the beginning. Ernest had entered through the status of Clarence. At the end of the day, he was considered cheating, and if this got exposed in the future, it would cause a lot of issues.
But if she and Ernest had been frank, and explained it to her parents, showing their sincerity, the issue might have been understandable and forgivable.
But under the current situation, they were being exposed of their lie.
If his real identity is exposed, Ernest would become a heartless and immoral liar that had cheated the Fraser family of their feelings…