Savannah’s mind began to race through all the possibilities. She didn’t know Eleanor. She had never met her before. Even in her last life, she couldn’t remember seeing her even once.
"Why is she inviting me? Is it because I slapped Ansel? Or because the Locke family’s reputation was affected by my viral video?"
She kept thinking about the reason throughout the morning but still couldn’t come up with anything except for a pounding heart.
"Anyway...if I’m going to meet her...I need to make a good impression. Ansel is really close to her. If I could impress her...she can be useful," she told herself.
With that thought, she ran to her room. She dug through her suitcase and picked out a blue cotton dress. It was simple but it looked good on her. Besides, she didn’t have much choice. All her nice clothes were still at the Quinn mansion. Whoever had packed her suitcase had deliberately left them out.
After deciding the dress, she thought about the gift. Then she remembered her almost empty wallet. In her last life, she had applied for a junior associate position at a law firm and had received the job offer. But that had happened a week later.
She counted her money again and realized there was nothing she could buy for Eleanor Locke that wouldn’t embarrass them both.
Better to arrive with nothing than to arrive with something cheap and get humiliated.
The Locke estate gates opened the moment Savannah got out of the taxi.
"Miss Quinn," Leo stood inside the gate and greeted her politely. "Madame Locke is in the garden. Please follow me."
The garden was glowing under the soft afternoon light. A wide lawn stretched across the estate with roses along the walls. In the center was a small pond full of beautiful orange and white fish.
A tea table had been set up at one side. Eleanor Locke was already sitting there, her cane resting on her knees. She looked at Savannah for a long moment before she spoke.
"Sit," she said.
Savannah gave her a polite smile and was about to sit when a car drove up the gravel path. Celeste stepped out, looking like a perfect heiress as always, carrying a beautifully wrapped box in her hands.
Sienna followed her like a shadow. No one questioned why she was here. Ever since the news of Celeste getting engaged to Ansel was published by the media, Sienna followed Celeste everywhere.
"Good afternoon, grandma," Sienna said politely. "I hope you don’t mind me being here. I was shopping with Celeste and asked her to bring me here."
Eleanor smiled.
"It’s fine," she said. "Come, sit."
Sienna immediately took the seat beside Eleanor.
"Madame Locke," Celeste said, lowering her eyes as she set the box on the table. "Thank you for having me. I got you a little something."
She carefully opened the box and showed her the gift.
"I embroidered the peonies myself. I stayed up all night to finish it. I wanted to give you something I made myself instead of buying you something."
Eleanor accepted the handkerchief and smiled.
"How thoughtful of you."
Celeste smiled back and took her seat.
Why is Celeste here? What does Madame Eleanor want from both of us?
"You didn’t bring anything?" Eleanor asked suddenly, turning to Savannah.
"I couldn’t afford anything worthy of you," Savannah replied politely. "And I didn’t want to insult you by bringing something cheap."
Eleanor’s mouth twitched as she stirred her tea.
"Is it true that you slapped my grandson in his own study?"
Savannah set down her cup awkwardly.
So...I was right. She called me because of the slap. Looks like she already hates me.
"Yes," Savannah answered.
"May I know what my grandson did?"
Savannah glanced around, a little embarrassed. Both Sienna and Celeste were watching her with amusement.
"Because he put a price on me," Savannah replied.
Celeste frowned.
"Excuse me?"
Savannah ignored her and kept her eyes on Eleanor.
"He tried to buy me for a year," Savannah explained. "So... I returned his contract with my hand."
The maid pouring the tea froze mid-pour. Savannah expected anger. Instead, Eleanor laughed. The maid stared at her in shock. Celeste’s smile slipped for a second but she quickly recovered.
"I haven’t laughed like that since spring," Eleanor said, wiping the corner of her eye. "Every girl in this city would have said yes to his proposal, no matter how insulting it was."
"Then...I guess I’m different from them."
"Yes...you are," Eleanor said and set down her cup. "You look exactly like Rosalind Quinn."
Savannah looked at her in surprise.
"You knew my grandmother?"
"She saved my husband’s life years ago and my husband spent the rest of his life trying to repay her," Eleanor’s eyes sharpened again. "That’s why I invited you."
"Grandmother was very kind," Celeste immediately joined the conversation. "I still wear her jade pendant every day. She would be so touched to know that you still think of her with such gratitude."
Eleanor only smiled in response.
Meanwhile, Ansel had just stepped onto the estate when he heard unfamiliar laughter. He stopped so abruptly that Leo nearly walked into his back. Ansel’s already cold face turned to ice the moment he saw Savannah sitting with his grandmother in the garden, laughing.
"What is she doing here?" he asked, walking towards Eleanor.
"Drinking tea," Eleanor replied. "Sit down, Ansel."
"I can see that. But I’m asking why?"
"Because I invited her."
Celeste immediately stood up from her chair, looking at him shyly.
"Ansel..."she murmured.
But Ansel’s eyes were fixed on Savannah who was glaring back at him.
"Madame Locke, I’m so sorry," Celeste said, turning to Eleanor with tears already welling in her eyes. "I hope Savannah hasn’t spoiled your afternoon. She hasn’t been herself since dad kicked her out. She doesn’t mean the things she does. I know she hurt your family. But I’m grateful you still opened your door to us."
Impressive!
"Celeste, you’re too forgiving," Sienna said. "If someone had slapped my fiancé..."
"Hospitality in this house has never lasted long with your family, Miss Quinn," Ansel said coldly. "Enjoy it while it lasts."
Then he walked away before anyone could say something else.
Good riddance! I couldn’t stand looking at him anyway.
Savannah rolled her eyes and took a sip of her tea.
After a while, Eleanor finally rose, leaning on her cane.
"I’m eighty. I can’t match the energy of you young people," she smiled and looked at Savannah. "Come again sometime...hopefully by then my grandson would have stopped sulking."
With that she left, leaving Savannah, Celeste and Sienna alone. Savannah had absolutely no interest in sitting with them, so she excused herself to go to the bathroom.
She was looking for one inside the estate when someone called her from the shadows near a window.
"Using my grandmother now?"
Ansel was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, glaring at her.
"She invited me," Savannah replied firmly.
"After I threatened you with the police," he pushed off the wall and walked towards her. "I’m telling you again..."
"You have less than sixty days," Savannah cut him off.
She could barely see Ansel and now that she had a chance to talk to him she wasn’t going to waste it on silly arguments.
"Listen...I’m not here to beg," she continued. "You need me as your wife for your inheritance. And I can..."
Ansel had already started walking away from her, ignoring her words.
"Save it," he said without turning around. "I don’t need you to secure my inheritance."
Soon he was out of sight. Leo, who had been busy arranging a flower vase at the end of the hall, gave Savannah an apologetic bow and rushed after his boss.
Bastard!! Can’t want you to regret this one day!
When she came back out to the garden to leave, the tea table was being cleared. Celeste was standing near the roses pretending to admire them.
"Let me walk you to the gate," Celeste said. "It’s been so long since we really talked."
"I’ll come too!" Sienna said, joining them.
The gravel path curved past the pond. Celeste kept talking about vague things until they reached the pond. Then suddenly she stepped backward, gripping Savannah’s hand.
Savannah’s eyes widened.
"What are you...?"
Before she could finish, Celeste released her hand and threw herself backward.
SPLASH!!!
Celeste fell into the pond.
"Celeste!" Sienna shrieked! "Oh my god...Savannah pushed her!"
Celeste was floating in the water, her makeup ruined. The pond wasn’t deep enough to drown in. Still, her screams made it sound like she was fighting for her life.
"Savannah...why...help me..." Celeste’s voice grew louder with each word. "Ansel...."
Ansel, who was still near the garden, came out running and looked at Celeste floating in the pond.
"Get her out of the water," he ordered a servant.
A servant immediately stepped into the pond. Celeste grabbed him as he pulled her out. The second she stepped out, she collapsed on the ground, shivering and crying.
"Ansel... I thought...thought I was going to..." Celeste muttered, raising her wet arms towards Ansel.
Ansel immediately took a step back, clearly not wanting Celeste to touch him.
For a brief moment, anger flashed through Celeste’s tear filled eyes. Then she started crying again.
"Savannah pushed me!" Celeste sobbed. "I only wanted to talk to her and she grabbed my wrist and..."
"Yes! She pushed her! I watched her do it," Sienna said, pointing at Savannah. "Are you just going to stand there and do nothing?"
"Did you push her?" Ansel asked, turning towards Savannah.
Savannah knew telling him the truth would change nothing. To him, she had been guilty since the day she was first labelled as gold digger. And she had also learned that defending herself would only make her look guiltier.
"She grabbed my hand when she fell," Savannah answered, stating the fact. "I didn’t push her."
"LIAR!" Sienna screamed.
Celeste cried even harder now.
"Enough," Ansel said coldly, making everyone quiet. "Get out of my house," he told Savannah. "And don’t show me your face again."