Ava was on the ground, and her brows knitted in pain. It looked as if she could not get on her feet. However, she had always been a great actress, and Elena never denied that. So she did not want to play Ava’s game.
Elena had wanted to leave when Ava whispered pitifully, “Elena, I shall keep Madam GarciaGarcia’s words from last night in mind.”
Madam Garcia? Which Madam Garcia? Elena looked at Ava. The only Madam Garcia that she knew was Ava’s mother, Grace. Was she not Madam Garcia? Why would Ava address her mother so formally?
Ava did not give her the time to ponder about it as she immediately continued, “I will try to stay away from Michael so that I won’t cause you anymore suffering.”
“You are avoiding Eldest Young Master Williams?” That was the biggest joke that she had ever heard. Elena sneered, “Do you think that I would believe you?”
“I… I will try my best… not to think about him.”
Ava lowered her head as if she was weeping. Elena would not have wanted to watch Ava’s show if she had not acted so weirdly that day. It was obvious that she had put up a show, and Elena was not her only targeted audience!
Elena was still trying to figure it out when an anxious voice echoed from behind her. “Ava, why are you sitting on the ground?”
The old madam felt a tug at her heart when she saw Ava on the ground.
“The ground must be freezing. Get up! Don’t catch a cold!”
Even though it was only October, and the weather was not too cold, it was still bad for one’s health if one were to sit on the chilly floor. Elena finally realized that Ava had put on a show for the old madam. However, how could the old master and old madam take the bait? Elena was also surprised when she realized the complicated emotions behind the old madam’s eyes.
The old madam glanced at her briefly, and when she turned her attention to Ava, she looked troubled. “Ava, do get up quickly.”
Ava braced herself as if she wanted to get up, but she fell back down immediately as soon as she tried to do that. She yelped in anguish.
“So… sorry, Old Madam Williams. I… my foot…”
“What about your foot? Does it hurt?” The old lady was anxious, and she wished that she could personally help Ava up from the floor. However, the old master’s palm rested on her shoulder to guide her back into her wheelchair. Then, he tilted his chin slightly. The maid behind him understood what he meant and went forward to help Ava to a nearby chair.
The maid checked Ava’s foot and then looked back at the old madam, before she said, “Old Madam, her ankle is injured, and it looks severely swollen.”
Elena also glanced at Ava’s ankle, and she was equally surprised to see it so red and swollen! Elena had been well just moments ago; did she inflict such bad injury on herself just to frame Elena?
“What? How could that be? Old Master, call for the doctor, quickly!”
The old lady was deadly worried about the girl, and her eyes were reddened with anxiety. Even though Old Master Williams did not know why she cared so much for the two Garcia sisters, he could not stay calm when his wife was so anxious.
The old master feared that the old madam would worry herself to sickness, so he ordered, “Hurry, call for the doctor!”
The maid hurried back to the main house. The old madam had stayed in a separate section just behind the main house. The unit included a medical room with several doctors and nurses who were usually stationed there. A few moments later, a doctor and a nurse arrived at the scene. They took extra care with their patient when they realized that the old madam cared about Ava’s well-being.
“The young lady’s ankle is sprained, probably because of her accidental fall.”
The doctor applied some ice packs onto Ava’s ankle to try to relieve the pressure. Ava frowned as her lower lip turned pale from her biting her lips. Tears welled in her eyes, but she would not let them fall. She looked as if she had tried to be strong to endure the pain. One would wonder if she had always been like that. Had her experiences in her youth helped her to build her tolerance through hardship and patience?
It was clear that she was in excruciating pain, and yet she had managed to stifle her discomfort. It was as if she tried her hardest to suppress any display of discomfort. When the old madam realized that, she felt an uncomfortable tug at a heart. She almost cried when she saw that pitiful child. Why was her Ava’s life so miserable?
Finally, the doctor had done all that he could for Ava’s ankle. The old madam then urged, “My room is just nearby, take her there so that she can rest.”
The old madam had a lot to say and a lot more to ask. She had looked forward to a heartfelt conversation with Ava. She had a lot of hesitation before that, but she had made up her mind. She even tried to contact the private investigator that she had hired, but had been unsuccessful. She wanted to look into the matter herself, but she was too weak to even go out of the house. Her husband would never allow that either. She was not sure what he would think of her granddaughter had he known the truth, so she decided to keep the matter to herself.
All the evidence had proved that Ava was her granddaughter and that Elena was an imposter. However, she was reluctant to admit it. After all, she had already accepted and acknowledged Elena. However, she had not been able to take her mind off Ava’s suffering, and she felt awful every time she thought about it. It even broke her heart when she saw Ava’s condition with her own eyes.
“How can you be so careless?” The old lady looked at Ava’s red and swollen ankle. The pain in the girl’s eyes gripped her heart.
Ava looked at Elena discreetly. She looked as though she had a lot to say but chose to hold her tongue instead.
So she shook her head at the old madam and said, “It was my fault. I… I was careless.”
Her reply made the old madam even more uncomfortable. Was it not Elena who shoved her? How could she be so foolish? She had chosen not to say anything about her grief just to resolve the matter. Did such situations frequently happen in the Garcia’s household? Had she grown up in such an environment? Her granddaughter was so pitiful!
The old madam immediately looked at Elena, and for the first time, she noticed her freckles. She was repulsed when she saw it. Why had she not noticed that before? Her Talia had been a beautiful woman, so how could her daughter be so ugly? Talia’s daughter should be just like Ava; clean, elegant, gentle, and good-natured. Also, most importantly, kind-hearted. She did not even complain when she was bullied!
On the other hand, Elena had looked at the scene with indifference when her sister was badly injured. How could that heartless girl be her granddaughter? She must have been blind to think that! At that moment, she hated Henry’s wife, Grace. However, that should be kept a secret. She could not do anything to Grace even though she was unhappy with her. Furthermore, she could not even venture outside of her home; how would she deal with her?
“Ava, go and rest in Grandmother’s room. Go on, support her as she walks. Don’t let her hurt her foot again. Be careful!”
“Yes, old madam, we will not hurt this lady’s foot.”
“From now on, call her Miss Ava.”
“Yes. Miss Ava, let’s go. Slowly.”
Elena looked at the group of people as they walked toward the back of the house where the old madam lived. When she saw the old master push the old madam in her wheelchair, her heart ached so much that she felt as if she could cry. However, she did not know why that was so. Why would she be sad?
She had never understood why the old madam treated her so well in her past life. It seemed like the old madam had favored another person, but why would she be unhappy about that? Perhaps… her eyes were only a little uncomfortable. Maybe there was sand in them. Elena lowered her head and wiped the trickle of tears from the corner of her eyes.
Before she could regain her composure and calm herself enough to think of an excuse to free herself from that sadness, a low voice mocked from behind her. “How does it feel to fall out of favor so soon?”