Michael and Violet were natural siblings. By the looks of things, their relationship was close.
Had they talked with each other as they walked, they would not have looked that suspicious. However, the way they behaved was akin to two thieves sneaking into someone else’s house. That rang a few alarm bells.
Summer pressed her lips together and secretly tailed them.
Since it was New Year’s Eve, there were few maids in the house. The maids were only having their New Year’s Eve dinner as the family members finished theirs. So, Summer did not see any maids roaming around the house when she followed Michael and Violet.
She saw Michael bring Violet into his room. He even poked his head out around the door to check if anyone was looking before he closed the door.
Summer hid in a corner until Michael shut the door. She then quietly went up to his room and pressed her ear against the door as she tried to listen in on their conversation inside. Her gut feeling told her that the two were hiding something.
Violet was Adams’s mother, and Adams had seemingly changed into another person as he set himself against Leonardo. Besides, Leonardo was clearly keeping a distance from Violet at the same time.
Leonardo had a good relationship with Adams and Douglas before this. Naturally, his relationship with Violet was not bad either. He would have not have alienated Violet for no reason, not if Adams was the only person whom he was suspicious of.
However, by the looks of things, Leonardo had not alienated Douglas even though Adams and he had deep grudges against each other. So the conclusion was that Violet was equally suspicious.
Summer started to feel that wealthy families were full of wheel and deal. There were too many dark secrets within.
The sound insulation of the room was so good that Summer could hear nothing out of it. So she turned around and left. After going just a few paces, she suddenly heard the door opening behind her. She panicked and ran, before turning into a corner and waiting there, gasping for air. She then poked her head out to check. Michael and Violet were leaving in the other direction.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she went back to her room and used the bathroom before returning to the dining hall. Coming to the dining hall entrance, she saw Leonardo coming in her direction in a hurry.
He stopped when seeing her, brows knitted together. “What took you so long?”
She pursed her lips. What she saw just now could only show that Michael and Violet had some secret between them. Other than that, it meant nothing. After all, who does not have secrets?
So Summer did not intend to tell Leonardo the truth. She found herself a random excuse. “I had constipation,” she said.
He quirked an eyebrow and patted her on the head before holding her hand and walking her back in. When she returned to the dining hall, Michael was already there. As if he had sensed her stare, Michael glanced back and smiled at Summer. Perhaps because of what happened earlier, she found his smile strange. She kept the thought to herself and returned the same.
Not long after, Violet was back, too. Summer and Leonardo were sitting beside Grandpa Emerson when Violet came up and sat down on the other side of him.
“Summer, how long has it been? Your belly still does not show.”
“Oh, it has just been two months.” Summer reached to stroke her tummy, and Leonardo looked over at Summer, his eyes full of gentleness.
Violet looked at them and started to smile, looking gentle and kind.
There was one more thing that Summer could not understand: how a docile woman like Violet could have two children with so different personalities from hers? No. Not really. Only Douglas differed from her. On the other hand, Adams, who looked gentle all this while, could carry out such despicable acts. Was it because of his family background that Adams became so deceptive? If so, was Violet’s gentle appearance fake, too?
“Summer, are you all right?”
She was jolted out of her thought and saw that Violet was staring at her.
Letting out a smile, Summer said, “Aunt, what is it?”
“I am asking if you want to check the gender of the baby in the hospital later.” Violet’s voice was soft and kind.
“I don’t think so.” Summer looked at Leonardo as she spoke.
Leonardo raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Violet. “I am okay whether it is a boy or a girl.” His voice sounded cold.
The atmosphere felt a little awkward. A family like the Emersons would prefer a boy, of course. Violet’s expression changed. She squeezed a smile and said nothing.
Summer secretly pinched Leonardo’s hand, telling him to mind his temper. After all, it was the New Year’s Even today. But Leonardo shot the same bitter look at her.
…
Right at 12. 00 a. m., everything cheered and said happy new year to one another.
Grandpa Emerson gave Leonardo and Summer a red envelope each. “You two be nice to each other.”
“Thank you, Grandpa.” Summer was all smiles.
The other grandsons and granddaughters got their red envelopes, too.
Back in the room, Summer observed Leonardo’s expression as she opened up the red envelope. He had that sour face since Violet asked that question.
“Leonardo!” She called out at him.
“What?” He glanced at her, face impassive.
“Aunt was just asking if I wanted to know the gender of the baby. Why did you overreact?”
He decided not to say a word.
Summer got out of bed and came in front of him. “She didn’t mean anything. You—”
“Who cared what she meant?” Leonardo turned to look at her. “Summer, I come back with you to spend the New Year here not to have you unfairly treated or look at their despicable faces.”
Summer was stunned. So this was how he looked when he was angry?
“I didn’t feel I was unfairly treated at all. I mean it.”
She found it amusing. Leonardo had been very protective of her for the past two days. She almost thought that she was a princess. What unfair treatment was he talking about?
Leonardo looked at her for a few seconds, as if studying her to see whether she was lying. He then sighed and said, “Let’s sleep now.”
…
The next morning, when Summer woke up, Leonardo was not beside her. She then heard the voice of a maid outside the door.
“Mrs. Emerson, are you awake? Grandpa Emerson is asking for you. The young master is there waiting, too.”
Summer quickly got up. “Yeah, I’m awake now. I will go over right away.”
She checked the time. It was 11 a. m. She flew out of bed, cleaned herself up, and put on a new set of clothes before heading out to meet Grandpa Emerson. When she got there, she found the door was open, but there was no one inside. She came back out and then heard a sound in the stairway.
“Grandpa?”
She called out but got no reply. So she went to check it out. The sound of something heavy falling down the stairs came all of a sudden. Summer’s heart missed a beat. She ran toward the stairway and was shocked to see Grandpa Emerson on the ground floor landing, blood oozing out onto the sparkling clean floor.
Summer was wide-eyed. It was only after a few seconds that she came out of her shock and screamed in her quivering voice. “Grandpa!”
A maid walking past saw the situation and screamed.
“Help! Someone, please! Grandpa has fallen!”
“What is happening? Grandpa Emerson!”
“Call the doctor, quick!”