However, the storm that everyone expected to happen did not occur. Instead, his thin lips curved into a small smile. However, it was a grin that made all the things in the world look dull.
The wind blew softly that day, and a beautiful seven-color sunset blazed in the sky. How fascinating was that? His smile was like a breath of life that painted the whole world with magnificent colors. The sky was blue, and the flowers were delightful. The storm did not arrive, and instead, it was still a clear blue sky above their heads.
Eldest Young Master Williams had smiled. It was not an unconvincing curve of lips that looked uglier than a crying expression. It was the most enchanting smile in the world, and Elena was equally captivated when she looked at him. Even though she would not admit it aloud, she thought that Michael had a mesmerizing smile.
“Are you happy now?” Michael tightened his arms around her as the smile on his lips gradually disappeared.
Elena had not come back to her senses. The old madam chuckled. “Elena, pay attention to your image. You should wipe your saliva.”
Elena was startled and hurriedly raised her hand to wipe at the corner of her mouth. However, it was dry, was it not? There was nothing on it! When had she drooled?
“Haha…” She heard the man’s deep laughter from above her head.
The old madam also laughed and the servants fell into a fit of giggles. The intimidating bodyguards chuckled, too, and even the old master had laughed out loud.
Ava was still at the gate, and she did not know why those people were laughing.
She could only stand outside the yard and desperately tried to peek at them. The yard was too big, so she could only hear laughter but not see anything at all.
Elena blushed with embarrassment, and she felt as if she should bury herself in a hole. Michael patted her shoulder gently. He did not want her to feel too bad, so he waved his hand discreetly.
Everyone suppressed their laughter so that the young madam would not feel more embarrassed.
The old madam said, “Both of you must not have eaten dinner yet. Butler Qin, have you prepared dinner? Old Master and I will also dine at the WongRiver Pavilion tonight.”
“I have made the preparations, Old Madam. Old Master, we can serve the meal now,” Butler Qin replied immediately.
The old master nodded and pushed the old madam’s wheelchair into the pavilion. It had been such a happy day.
Ava miserably stood alone in the wind. It seemed like all of them had gone in for dinner. She waited for a little while longer, but the old lady did not send someone to invite her to join them.
Finally, she could not wait any longer, so she returned to the old madam’s room in resentment. Around eight in the evening, the old madam returned to her room with Piper and two bodyguards.
While they were on their way, they chatted and laughed. It sounded like everyone was in a great mood. However, Ava sat in the hall as she sulked.
“Ava?” The old madam was surprised to see her there. She thought that Ava had gone home.
“Why? Are you surprised to see me here?”
Ava glared at the old madam and pouted. “Don’t you want to see me?”
“What’s wrong? I thought that you went home.” The old madam looked at her with a gentle smile.
“Go home? Do you want to chase me away too?” Ava was stunned and suddenly became enraged. “Do you want me to go now?”
“No, of course not.” The old lady could not understand why she had reacted so violently.
“I didn’t even know that you have been living at the WongRiver Pavilion. When you were not here, I just thought that you went home.”
No one told her that Ava had been living at the WongRiver Pavilion. After all, she was an unmarried girl. It was inappropriate and inconvenient for her to live in someone else’s place of residence. The old madam thought that Ava had traveled from her home when the young lady visited her for the past couple of days. Her sincerity even impressed her. However, after only two hours at the WongRiver Pavilion for dinner, she was shocked to find out that Ava had stayed there. The old madam dismissed Piper and the others before she looked at Ava and gently tried to talk some sense into her.
“Ava, the WongRiver Pavilion is Michael and Elena’s home. It is not appropriate for you to stay there.”
The most important thing to note was that Elena had spent most of her time at the hostel. It was unreasonable for a sister to spend so much time in the younger sister’s husband’s presence when the younger sister was not around.
“Ava, if you want to visit me, you can stay here with me. No one will say anything about that.”
“Did someone say something when I lived with Michael?”
Ava frowned; she was clearly unhappy. It was a burden to live with the old madam. Who would want to see the old lady daily? She was at the Williams mansion for Eldest Young Master Williams, and not for old madam’s old and ugly face!
The old madam pursed her lips as if she wanted to say something. She did not know how to persuade Ava and not to hurt her self-esteem at the same time. However, she knew that she could not let that continue.
After a few moments of hesitation, the old madam said, “In any case, Ava, WongRiver Pavilion is Elena and Michael’s home. Especially when Elena is often away at the university and hostel, if you continue to live with Michael as a single lady, it would invite gossip.”
“Who would dare to gossip about me? Eldest Young Master Williams would never let them off so easily!”
Ava balled her fist. She refused to believe that anyone would dare to talk behind her back in the Mu household!
“Even if people don’t say it out loud, they’d still think that it is inappropriate for you to remain at the WongRiver Pavilion. Michael may not be happy about that too.”
“Except for Eldest Young Master Williams, who else could decide if he was happy?”
Ava glared at the old lady. “Grandmother, what is going on with you? Do you want me to break up with Michael?”
“I…” The old madam was startled with that question, and she had no answer for Ava.
What did she mean? Were they in a relationship? How could one break up if they were not even together?
“Ava, have you… perhaps misunderstood something?”
“Grandmother, I know what you want to say. You want me to break up with Michael for Elena’s sake, right?”
Ava bit her lips and broke down in tears.
“Everyone had helped Elena to bully me ever since I was a kid. They beat me, scolded me, humiliated me, and even called me a wild illegitimate child.”
“”How are you wild and illegitimate?” It tugged a string in the old madam’s heart. She was… to be blamed for that.
If she had not lost Talia, then she would not have only reunited with her at such an old age.
If she had taken care of Talia when she was a child, then perhaps she would not end up with Henry. Even Ava, Talia’s daughter, was affected. The old madam could only blame herself. She felt sorry for Ava.
When Ava saw the old madam’s expression, she knew that her words had stung the deepest guilt in her heart! She might as well make her feel even guiltier!
“I’m already his.”
“What did you say?” The old madam was so startled that she almost fell out of the wheelchair.
“You… You… and Michael…”
“We were already together before all of this started. It was you! You! Why do you have to bring Michael and Elena together?”
Ava pointed at old madam furiously as her tears trickled.
“Why did you break us up? Everyone helped Elena to bully me, even you!”
“I… I did not…”
The old madam put her hand over her chest. She was not sure if she was anxious or uncomfortable, but her breathing labored. She never wanted to hurt Ava. How could that be? She was confused and lost. What had she done to Ava and Michael? Oh God, what had she done?