Chapter 722: Chapter 722: The Disguise Is Off
Capturing the confusion deep in her eyes, Ian Vaughn changed the question and asked her warmly, "Do you still love him?"
"Uncle, do people forget how to breathe?" Ann Vaughn’s lips tugged into a faint curve, "It’s an instinct people are born with. Loving him is also my instinct."
As a child, to fulfill her grandfather’s ambition of reviving traditional Chinese medicine, she gave up the carefree joys of childhood.
As a teenager, to gain the affection and approval of Jade Shepherd and Howard Vaughn, she abandoned her pride and cautiously lived by their gaze.
Later on, just to survive, she gave up a haunting memory.
Only the matter of loving Cyrus Hawthorne, despite having once been recklessly brave and crashing into heartbreak, Ann Vaughn never gave up.
A faint smile flickered in Ian Vaughn’s light brown eyes as he teasingly asked, "Then, between Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, and him, who do you love most?"
"...The coffee is finished, Uncle, I’ll go make you some!" With that, Ann Vaughn quickly fled the study.
Ian Vaughn shook his head with a soft laugh, then lowered his gaze to the pen he was holding and put it back in the pen box.
...
Using the excuse of making coffee, Ann Vaughn brewed it in the kitchen and asked a servant to bring it to Ian Vaughn.
The TV in the living room seemed still on, Ann Vaughn turned around curiously and walked over.
Have Grandpa and Grandma returned from their walk already?
"Gran—" Just as she entered the living room, Ann Vaughn instinctively opened her mouth to call the two elders, but upon seeing the figure sitting there, she abruptly changed her words, "It’s really cold outside—"
That figure turned his head and immediately stood up, startled, "What are you doing here?!"
"I... had an instant connection with the Vaughn elderlies, so I’m here visiting." Ann Vaughn’s eyes darted around as she desperately searched for a reason why she was there.
Wilder Sheridan eyed her suspiciously and discovered she was wearing pajamas!
Damn it, they even had cherry patterns!
"Visiting someone else’s house in pajamas?"
Ann Vaughn looked down and indeed, she was.
This was something Old Mrs. Vaughn bought for her, prioritizing comfort over trendy styles.
—But that’s not the point right now!
"The two elders found me a girl traveling alone unsafe, so they’ve kindly let me stay here for a few days." Ann Vaughn said earnestly.
"Staying for a few days?" Wilder Sheridan squinted, "Which room are you sleeping in now? Surely it’s not the room I used to sleep in?"
Oh!
This kid treats her like what kind of person??
"Rest assured, I’m sleeping in the middle bedroom over there, nowhere near taking yours." Ann Vaughn pointed to the exact location of her room, huffing.
Unexpectedly, Wilder Sheridan, who was bristling just moments ago, suddenly went silent.
In a place Ann Vaughn couldn’t see, those eyes, uncannily similar to hers, suddenly stirred with a storm.
After a while, he flashed a row of white teeth and asked Ann Vaughn, "Do you know what that room is used for?"
Without waiting for Ann Vaughn to answer, Wilder Sheridan continued slowly, "That room was prepared for my sister who went missing years ago and whom I’ve never met—even I can’t go in casually."
Ann Vaughn’s bright eyes slightly contracted, staring at Wilder Sheridan’s suddenly serious handsome face, in that moment of overlapping gaze, her heart trembled.
They really do look alike.
The only difference probably lies in the expression between their brows and eyes and their current demeanors.
Twin siblings truly are miraculous beings in this world.
Even though they don’t know much about each other, they can accurately guess each other’s thoughts, using the least guarded way to exploit her linguistic loopholes...
Only now did Ann Vaughn realize she’d been tricked by this troublesome kid.
"It’s like this, the two elders think I look somewhat similar to your sister, so they..."
Before she could finish, Old Mrs. Vaughn and Old Mr. Vaughn, having returned from their walk, happily entered the living room.
"If we could eat Sweetie’s hand-cooked dishes every day, life would be comfortable."
"Always thinking about those few bites no matter your age, shameless!"
"Hey, who just snatched the last piece of braised pork from my bowl? You unreasonable..." Old Mr. Vaughn shook his head and happened to see Ann Vaughn standing frozen there, his face immediately broke into a smile, "Sweetie, help Grandpa judge fairly."
Wilder Sheridan: "Ha."
Ann Vaughn: "..." She might as well die.
Ten minutes later, Ian Vaughn came down from upstairs, witnessing Ann Vaughn with her head hung low like a little quail sitting on the sofa.
While beside her, Wilder Sheridan wore a rather displeased expression.
Seeing Ian Vaughn approach, Ann Vaughn instantly looked as if she’d seen a savior, got up and wanted to go over: "Uncle..."
"You sit." Wilder Sheridan said with a chilling tone.
Ann Vaughn swiftly sat back down, continued hanging her head.
Rarely seeing his little niece being this tame and obedient, Ian Vaughn looked over twice more before sitting down, cleared his throat, "Wilder, have you found out everything?"
"Uncle means what?" Wilder Sheridan bared those gleaming white teeth, "Is it Uncle swapped my DNA test results?"
Ian Vaughn coughed lightly, "Circumstances required it then. Now that you’ve discovered it, we won’t continue hiding it from you."
A question mark appeared above Wilder Sheridan’s head.
So if he hadn’t found out today, they would keep it hidden?
"In terms of close relations, my sister and I were born from the same womb, relying on each other for a whole nine months! How dare you hide from me!" Wilder Sheridan, utterly furious, questioned loudly.
Old Mrs. Vaughn and Old Mr. Vaughn exchanged a glance, sheepishly looked towards Ian Vaughn.
This child... seems to have a point too.
Ian Vaughn appeared much calmer, "You’re at the center of attention in the entertainment circle, you can ensure after knowing this you wouldn’t leave any trace to be discovered by paparazzi?"
"In other words, given your watertight nature, would those paparazzi let go of such a golden opportunity to dig into your privacy?"
In S Country, the youngest Grand Slam Best Actor was only Wilder Sheridan.
Wilder Sheridan’s angry expression turned into silent discontent, he said begrudgingly, "Tomorrow I’ll announce my retirement!"
Ann Vaughn sipping on juice nearby almost spewed out, this kid was too willful.
"What does retiring have to do with this? Don’t act impulsively." Ann Vaughn patted Wilder Sheridan on the back of his head to calm him down, "If you retire, what happens to your fans?"