“Anger is reserved for people and things you care about.” Claire Grant stopped and turned her head to look at her, letting out a soft laugh.
“Don’t overthink it.
Why would I be angry with you?”
Her tone was so flat, it was as if she were speaking to someone completely insignificant.
Isabelle Everett stared at her without a word, her exquisitely made-up face instantly tensing.
She knew she had wronged her this morning, which was why she had specifically waited for her to return, wanting to apologize.
‘Who knew this damn girl would be so ungrateful.’
‘So, what she’s saying is that I’m not important to her?’
‘I’m her own mother!’
‘Then again, it would be a miracle if a girl raised by that dead old hag knew how to be appreciative.’
‘She’s just an ungrateful wretch.
My good intentions were completely wasted.’
Grace Grant, who had been watching from the side without a word, stood up and wrapped an arm around Isabelle Everett’s shoulders after hearing Claire Grant’s merciless sarcasm.
“Sister, how could you say that?” she said, looking at Claire Grant.
“Mom already took the initiative to make peace and apologize.
Isn’t it incredibly rude of you to talk to her like that?”
Grace said this hoping Felix Grant would see Claire as ill-mannered and give her a harsh lecture.
Claire shot her a cold glance.
“Whether or not I’m polite depends on the person, you know?
And with you people, I don’t need to be.”
After saying this, Claire glanced at Felix Grant, who looked like he wanted to speak but couldn’t, and then turned and went upstairs.
Grace was stunned speechless by the retort.
When she came to her senses, she was furious, hating that she was never good at verbal sparring and could never win an argument against Claire.
‘Just as I thought.
Someone who grew up in the countryside would naturally have a sharp tongue.’
‘But then again,’ she thought, ‘besides that sharp tongue, she doesn’t have any real skills.’ The thought instantly made her feel much better.
Isabelle Everett, however, was so incensed by Claire’s arrogant attitude that she was left gasping for breath.
Clutching her chest, she turned to Felix Grant on the sofa.
“Look at her!
Just look at what she’s become!
The things she says… What does she mean she doesn’t need to respect me?
I’m her mother!”
Felix Grant’s gaze fell to the floor, and he was silent for a long time.
When it came to Claire, he felt more guilt than affection.
Years ago, Felix Grant had wanted to bring Claire and her grandmother to Norbright, but the plan was shelved due to Isabelle Everett’s incessant complaints and refusal.
It wasn’t until now, after his own mother had passed away, that he had finally brought Claire back to live with them, all by herself.
As a father, he wanted to try and make up for all the missing years between them.
But people are emotional creatures, and he and Claire had lived apart for far too long.
Whenever they were alone together, there always seemed to be an insurmountable chasm between them.
Seeing how Claire spoke to Isabelle Everett, he didn’t think she was ill-mannered; he only felt that he had failed as a father.
“Felix Grant, have you gone mute?
Look at what your mother turned your daughter into!” Isabelle Everett continued to vent her dissatisfaction.
Felix Grant sighed deeply, looked up at her, and said earnestly, “You said it yourself—you’re her mother.
But have you ever actually spent a single day raising her?”
Isabelle Everett’s expression faltered.
“What are you trying to say?
Have you forgotten who’s been by your side all these years, from when you had nothing to the vast fortune we have today?
If I hadn’t been helping you build your career, would I have had no time to raise our daughter?
What, are you blaming me now?”
Felix Grant didn’t want to argue.
“Claire just got back from the countryside; it’s normal for her to be unfamiliar with things.
As her mother, you should guide her, not just blame her.
You say she has no manners, no upbringing, but don’t forget that we owe her more than twenty years of that.
If she had grown up with us, she wouldn’t have turned out this way.”
Grace was just about to tell Felix Grant about Claire’s past rudeness to her, and about how she had supposedly pushed their brother, Colton Grant, down the stairs.
But when she saw how deeply Felix Grant felt his guilt toward Claire, Grace had to swallow her words.
She glanced at Felix Grant’s pained, furrowed brow and then at Isabelle Everett’s pensive expression, her lips pressed together in thought.
In that moment, a feeling of being wronged overwhelmed her.
‘Why?’
‘Why is it that the moment Claire Grant comes back, all of Mom and Dad’s attention is on her and her alone?’
Along with this sense of injustice, Grace also felt a burgeoning sense of crisis.
‘Mom and Dad are only focused on Claire temporarily, but if this continues, will they end up loving only her?’
‘After all, with the way things are going, Claire is supposed to marry the eldest son of the Lowell Family.
When that happens, she’ll be Mrs.
Lowell, and Mom and Dad will undoubtedly favor her even more.’
At this thought, Grace’s teeth began to chatter uncontrollably.
‘No.
I absolutely will not allow that to happen.’
‘Mom and Dad can only love me.
Everyone in this family should only have eyes for me.’
“Dad, Mom, don’t get distracted by what happened with Sister.” Grace helped Isabelle Everett sit on the sofa and said with a smile, “Let me tell you some good news.”
Isabelle Everett had been wondering if she was being too harsh on Claire, but her younger daughter’s words immediately diverted her attention.
She asked, “What good news?”
Felix Grant also looked at her with curiosity.
Realizing she had recaptured her parents’ attention, Grace smiled sweetly.
“The other day, I ran into one of my professors from school while I was having dinner with friends.”
As if afraid they had forgotten, she added with a hint of pride, “You know, the one who’s very fond of me.”
Isabelle Everett generally remembered everything concerning her younger daughter.
She smiled.
“That would be Professor Edgar Freeman, right?”
Grace nodded.
“After I said hello, he let me in on something.”
She paused deliberately.
Only after seeing the curious expressions on her parents’ faces did she continue with a smile.
“This year, our university is going to invite the world-renowned doctor, Evelyn, to give a lecture at the medical school.
When Professor Freeman found out that he is my idol, he was worried I wouldn’t be able to get a ticket, so he specially reserved a spot just for me.”
Isabelle Everett exclaimed in surprise, “Really?
Didn’t you say that Evelyn was very mysterious?
Your university must have gone to great lengths to actually invite him.”
“But for your professor to save a spot just for you, it really shows how much he values you.” She pulled Grace into an embrace, praising her.
“Our Grace is so outstanding.”
Grace savored the feeling, smiling contentedly in Isabelle Everett’s embrace.
Felix Grant was naturally happy that his daughter was held in high regard by her professor.
But more than that, what truly captured his attention was the legendary medical titan, Evelyn.
Indeed, the unavoidable facts of life were birth, aging, sickness, and death.
No matter how wealthy or powerful a person was, they would never easily pass up the chance to build a connection with an exceptional doctor.
He had heard of Evelyn, but only in passing; he didn’t know the details.