When everyone saw Sylvia, they were stunned.
The woman in front of them had long, jet-black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her eyes sparkled like black gems. She wore a sleek tracksuit and white sneakers. In her pale hand, she held the discharge papers.
Thinking back to her previous look with hair down to her waist, everyone found it hard to adjust to her new appearance. However, they had to admit that Sylvia’s features were flawless. Her delicate eyebrows and eyes looked good with any hairstyle, making her the most dazzling presence anywhere.
“Sylvia…” Queena couldn’t help but walk towards her, trembling hands holding Sylvia’s. “You’ve suffered these past two months.”
“Grandma, what are you talking about?” Sylvia’s delicate brows carried a faint smile. “Taking care of my sister is my responsibility. I feel more at ease doing it myself.”
She glanced at everyone and greeted them one by one before asking, “Why are you all here?”
“Such a big event as your discharge, of course we had to come!” Mollie said playfully. She was now three months pregnant, her slightly rounded belly showing its contour.
“Honey.” At that moment, a deep, magnetic voice sounded from behind the crowd.
Sylvia turned around eagerly and saw a tall, slender man striding towards her. Franklin’s chest seemed to stop for a moment as he ran uncontrollably towards her, pulling her tightly into his arms.
“You’ve lost weight…”
As soon as she was in his embrace, he couldn’t help but sigh softly. “Haven’t you been eating well?”
Sylvia struggled a bit, pushing against his chest. “Grandma and everyone else are here!”
Especially in the crowded first-floor lobby…
Franklin couldn’t resist planting a light kiss on her forehead before reluctantly letting her go. “Alright.”
Finally, she was out!
Two months felt like two centuries. The torment was unbearable.
“Alright, everyone is here. Let’s go home. We’ve prepared a luncheon,” Queena said with a smile, inviting everyone. “We need to celebrate properly.”
“Let’s go.”
“Let’s head back.”
Outside, the weather was cold. Brayden had prepared a large down jacket to wrap Jenna tightly, fearing she might catch a cold from the wind. She was now as fragile as a porcelain doll; she couldn’t afford to catch a cold or fever.
Brayden was extremely cautious, holding her carefully all the way.
“This is the underground garage; you don’t have to be so careful. I can walk by myself,” Jenna said shyly, nestled in his broad chest.
“Walk? It’s better if I hold you; I can shield you from the wind,” Brayden said, looking down at her pale face. “You can’t catch a chill.”
Once in the car, the interior was warm, and Jenna unzipped her down jacket. Having not seen the outside world for two months, everything seemed new and exciting to her. Her big eyes kept glancing out the window.
“The snow outside is so heavy! It never snowed this much in Larro.”
Larro had spring-like weather all year round, making snow very unlikely. Later in Urgford, winters were dry and cold, making it uncomfortable. So Jenna rarely saw such heavy snow.
“Aettosa’s winters are very cold; there’s not only a lot of snow but also heavy snowfall,” Brayden said, holding her small hand. “So you need to keep warm.”
“Yes.” Jenna nodded earnestly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.
In another car, Sylvia sat next to Franklin. As soon as they got in, he domineeringly pulled her into his arms. She struggled but couldn’t break free and eventually gave up. This man was as domineering as ever. But she was used to it by now.
“Did you miss me?” His lips brushed against her delicate earlobe, his breath hot against her ear.
Her ears were sensitive and instantly warmed up.
She glared at him with her beautiful eyes. “No.”
His large hand pinched her slender waist, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. “Really didn’t miss me?”
It was clear that if she continued to provoke him, he would take action right then and there.
Sylvia’s face turned red as she whispered in his ear, “I did.”
Only then did Franklin nod in satisfaction, holding her tightly again. This sense of fulfillment was something nothing else could replace.
The Hipps Family had many members; just the relatives living in various courtyards numbered twenty or thirty people. Maritza Hipps and Annika Hipps also came over.
Soon, four tables were filled with family members. All were from the Hipps Family along with Brayden and his mother, Sylvia and her sister, Franklin, and Jasper.
It was a lively gathering with everyone eating together.
Maritza Hipps carefully observed Jenna sitting next to Sylvia for a while before whispering to Annika Hipps, “What’s going on? This sister looks nothing like Sylvia.”
“I heard they’re fraternal twins,” Annika Hipps replied in a low voice, having witnessed Sylvia’s capabilities before.
They weren’t sitting at the main table and were quite far away.
Jaelynn Hipps also glanced at the main table and whispered, “But honestly, now that the Hipps Family has another legitimate daughter, our status seems to have dropped again.”
“Who cares about status? As long as I get my monthly allowance,” Annika Hipps laughed. “If we behave ourselves and don’t cause trouble, will Grandma really kick us out?”
“It’s enviable! Being a legitimate daughter must be great,” Maritza Hipps said sourly. “I heard she’s already married but didn’t have a wedding. Married so young… Look at us sisters… It’s infuriating.”
“So what? If you want to get married, just find someone,” Jaelynn Hipps said, taking a bite of lotus root. “This lotus root soup is good.”
At the main table, Queena was in high spirits and kept adding food to Jenna’s plate. “You still have dietary restrictions, so I didn’t give you anything greasy. Look at how thin you are; you need to gain some weight.”
“And you too, Mollie. You’re pregnant; you need to eat more,” Queena said, adding a chicken leg to Mollie’s plate. When she was about to add food to Sylvia’s plate, Sylvia quickly shook her head. “Grandma, look at my bowl…”
Her bowl was piled high with food that Franklin had given her.
Queena couldn’t help but laugh. “Franklin really dotes on you.”
The family enjoyed their meal together harmoniously. Knowing that Jenna had just recovered from a serious illness, no one suggested any drinking games or toasts.
As the meal was nearing its end, some elders from the Hipps Family approached Franklin to get closer to him. After all, he was the son of the President; getting close to him could only be beneficial.
Franklin graciously entertained them since they were Sylvia’s family members. Maintaining good relations with his wife’s family was part of being a good son-in-law.
While they were talking with Franklin, suddenly there was a commotion at the farthest table from the main one.
“Finnegan, don’t go too far!” A young woman glared angrily at a young man.
Finnegan was one of Maritza Hipps’ cousins in his twenties. He was slightly overweight with large eyes and wore glasses on his nose. He wasn’t ugly but not particularly handsome either-quite ordinary compared to the other attractive younger members of the Hipps Family.
The woman yelling at him was his wife, Mariam.
“Mariam, if you’re going to lose your temper, at least consider the occasion,” Finnegan said, pushing up his glasses and looking helplessly towards his mother Alina for help.
Alina shivered in fear and quickly addressed Mariam in a low posture. “Mariam, let’s discuss this back at our place. Don’t lose your temper here; everyone is watching!”
Mariam sneered disdainfully. “I told you I’m pregnant; all my expenses must be covered by you. And my sister-in-law is also pregnant; you need to pay for her too. Are you going to pay or not?”
Her expression was haughty as if she were a queen looking down on her subjects-Finnegan and his mother.
Her obnoxious behavior made Queena frown in displeasure. “Take your family matters back home; don’t you see where we are?”
Finnegan was honest and meek; he had recently married a girl from the countryside named Mariam who wasn’t particularly attractive-a village school teacher.
Finnegan had always been inconspicuous among the younger members of the Hipps Family and had difficulty finding a wife until he finally married someone with very average conditions-she wasn’t even from the city.
Anyone would think Mariam wasn’t up to Finnegan’s family’s standards despite them being a branch of the Hipps Family with some money.
Now that they were finally married and expecting a child, it should have been a joyous occasion. But Mariam’s attitude was off-putting.
Alina feared Queena’s wrath towards their family and quickly stood up to address Queena. “Madam, don’t worry; we’ll leave soon.”
“Leave? I want everyone to judge this! I’m pregnant and only received a $4, 000 red envelope? Such a big event as pregnancy deserves more than $4, 000! Are you treating me like a beggar?” Mariam had been holding back her anger and chose this crowded day to expose it so everyone could see how stingy Finnegan was.
She stood with hands on hips. “Who doesn’t get at least $100, 000 when they’re pregnant? You don’t have $100, 000? How about $10, 000?”
Finnegan’s face turned red and white with anger as his facial muscles twitched. “Have you said enough?”
“You dare do such shameful things but are afraid of me speaking out?” Mariam sneered with her chin held high.