Candace was quite angry when Cristelle took her out of her bedroom. She was sleeping soundly, and her Mom just went into her room and woke her up. Candace didn’t like it at all.
She stretched out her arms toward Linford and let her dad hold her, refusing to let Cristelle hold her again.
She suddenly doesn’t like her Mommy now.
“Alright, sweetie. You can’t be mad at Mom. She doesn’t want you to miss dinner. Aren’t you hungry after dancing all afternoon in the studio?” Linford cooed at the little girl.
Candace wanted to say something to argue for herself, but her tummy suddenly rumbled before she could speak.
Cody threw away the remote control and walked into the kitchen, “Lily said she’s gonna make chicken wings tonight. But Candace only wants to sleep. I’ll tell Lily to cancel the plan of making chicken wings.”
Candace jumped off the sofa as soon as she heard that, “No! I want to eat chicken wings. Let me eat chicken wings.”
Cristelle smiled, “Only Cody knows how to handle Candace.”
Linford was a bit jealous, “Yeah.”
****
Three days later, a lot of posts analyzing the past of “Mrs. Bradley” just emerged on the internet. Some people even insisted that Cristelle’s father was an important political figure. Cristelle was a bit worried as she saw those posts.
Franco was mad, “Are those people trying to challenge the Bradley House? Do they want a war?”
Linford didn’t even seem to care, “Calm down, Pop. They will be handled soon.”
Franco glared at his grandson, “How soon?”
Linford gently smiled, “Just give me a couple of days.”
“Eliminate them,” Franco growled angrily.
“Yes, sir!” Linford clicked his legs and saluted.
Franco shook his head and went upstairs.
Linford didn’t worry about Cristelle’s past at all. Many people raised their doubts on the internet, but none of them got any proof. Some of those posts were deleted quite soon. Linford didn’t send anyone to do it.
He knew it was the White House who did it.
Mrs. White didn’t want Cristelle’s past to be exposed because this was her last card to use against Linford. Besides, she genuinely didn’t want to piss Linford off. This was also a gesture of showing how friendly she was.
Linford didn’t care about that gesture. He just stayed silent as if he didn’t notice anything.
Soon, it was the weekend again. Cristelle and Lily sent Candace to her dance studio, but she met a lot of paparazzi on their way. Those cameras were all snapping at Cristelle and Candace when they got out of the car.
Cristelle suddenly got cornered. She could only carry Candace and walked fast into the studio.
Linford had something to deal with in the company. Cody was taken away by Mr. Weston to go fishing. Cristelle and Lily were the only people left in the house.
Lily said it was boring to stay at the house alone. Cristelle thus brought her as well.
They were a bit late because of those paparazzi. Candace went to get changed right after they walked through the door. After getting dressed, the little girl ran into the practice room immediately.
Rebecca knew what they’d been going through. She put off the class for 10 minutes deliberately to wait for Candace. Candace was too little to get Rebecca’s kindness. But Cristelle had borne it in mind.
Candace loved dancing more than anything. She was standing in the back row because she was late. Cristelle watched her all the time, feeling secretly proud as she noticed how focused Candace was during the class.
When Cristelle first took Candace to the studio, Linford had also been with them. Some people had wanted to walk forth and get familiar with Cristelle, but Linford had been too intimidating.
Now that Cristelle and Lily were the only ones who came today, some people couldn’t wait to make friends with her. Making friends with the Bradley House was extremely beneficial. Everyone in this city knew that fact.
A beautiful woman standing at the corner was the first one who approached Cristelle, “Mrs. Bradley, how long has Candace learned dancing before this? She’s so talented.”
Mrs. Bradley?
Cristelle didn’t feel comfortable being called that way. She hadn’t even married Linford yet.
“On-only a couple of months,” Cristelle stuttered.
“Miss Steele, did you come here with your husband today?” Lily suddenly walked forth, blocking Cristelle away from that woman.
Miss Steele’s face changed. She glared at Lily for a second and walked away.
“That woman used to be a third wheel. She had ruined other people’s marriages and gave birth to a daughter. Then, a couple of years ago, her husband went bankrupt. She immediately abandoned her husband and found another rich man who was also married. She manipulated that man and made him disown his son. Women like that are not very likable in the upper class,” Lily explained to Cristelle after that “Miss Steele” had left.
“Oh…” Cristelle nodded, “How did you know so much about this, Lily?”
Lily winked at her, “All those rich people are trying to hide their filthy pasts, but not many of them managed to succeed. I just spent too many years in this circle. Those dramas just reached me naturally.”
Cristelle nodded.
The way Lily talked to her right now was weird. But she couldn’t figure out why.
****
When Jasper learned that Cristelle had brought her daughter to the dance studio today, a cold smirk emerged on his handsome face. This was his opportunity.
Meanwhile, Rebecca just dismissed the class. Cristelle took Candace to the bathroom to pee. When Cristelle got in the stall, Candace was waiting for her outside.
However, when Cristelle came out of the bathroom, Candace was nowhere to be found. Cristelle’s heart thumped louder. She looked around in the empty corridor and called Candace’s name, but no one answered her call.
“Candace? Candace?! Are you still here?” Cristelle felt her mouth dry as she ran down the corridor, “Candace, are you playing hide and seek with Mommy? It’s not funny! Come out, sweetie!”
Cristelle went to the changing room. Lily was folding Candace’s little dress by the time she reached the locker room.
“Lily! Did you see Candace?” Cristelle was so anxious.
Lily shook her head confusingly, “No. I thought Candace was with you.”
Cristelle’s knees almost buckled, “My daughter is missing.”
Lily went pale, “What? Where did she go?”