Chapter 723: Chapter 723: They Are Truly Twin Siblings
"It’s not like I can’t live without you."
"..." The fans of this stinker are so pitiful.
Luckily, Wilder Sheridan is always easy to coax. Ann Vaughn reasoned with him with emotion and rationality, finally pulling him back from the edge of leaving the circle.
Taking advantage of Ann Vaughn’s inattention, Wilder Sheridan gave her a bear hug, nuzzling into her neck. "I knew you must be my sister! We look so alike, we were born to be siblings!"
Ann’s heart softened, and she reached out to hug him back, speaking with some guilt, "I’m sorry for hiding it from you for so long."
"But I brought you a New Year’s gift, just wait a moment..."
Just as she said this, a gentle voice with a smile chimed in, "Is there something for me too?"
A tall man wearing a green bamboo Tang suit walked into the living room, twirling a string of sandalwood Buddha beads in his hand. His aura was cool and serene, like an immortal walking out of a painting.
Ann looked at him with some surprise, a little delight in her eyes, "Of course."
"Bro, how come you’re here too?" Wilder, childishly clinging to Ann’s arm, happily boasted to Elliot Sheridan, "Bro, let me tell you, you’d never guess—"
"Never guess that she’s actually my sister, huh?" Elliot Sheridan tapped Wilder’s forehead lightly, "Stop messing around."
Wilder clutched his head, staring wide-eyed at him, "Bro, you knew all along, why didn’t you tell me?!"
Ann had already suspected that Elliot knew, but hearing him admit it in person still felt somewhat surreal.
But it was certain that the reason Elliot and Ian Vaughn hid her origins from her was related to the strange events their great-grandfather encountered many years ago.
Ignoring Wilder’s dissatisfied grunts, Elliot opened his arms and hugged Ann. In that instant, the stone in his heart finally fell.
"Bro." Ann smiled, genuinely calling out to him.
"Good girl." Elliot gently patted her back twice, the coldness on him completely turning into warmth.
Realizing this, Wilder finally understood and threw himself onto the two, complaining, "So that’s it! You both knew and kept it from just me!"
"Alright, we have a gift for you to apologize, so please forgive us."
"Humph. If the gift isn’t good, I won’t forgive you!"
Old Mrs. Vaughn watched the three of them playfully together, the corners of her eyes slightly moist, but more than that was worry.
"Don’t worry." Ian Vaughn comforted her, "If Elliot wasn’t already fully confident, he wouldn’t have come. This result is well worth his thorough investigation these past days."
"Sweetie is closer to us; going back to the Sheridan family like this isn’t great." Old Mr. Vaughn said grudgingly, "And Stanley Sheridan humiliated her before, I can’t swallow that."
Old Mrs. Vaughn chuckled, exposing him, "I think you just can’t bear to part with Sweetie. Admit it."
"... Hum."
...
On the way to Sherwood Manor, Ann couldn’t help but feel nervous, asking Wilder repeatedly, "Is that Longevity Token really repaired?"
"It is, would I lie to you?" Wilder explained patiently once more, "Grandma wanted to apologize in person for the past misunderstanding."
"It’s really unnecessary, I can understand Grandma’s feelings at the time."
Driving, Elliot glanced at the rearview mirror, his brows slightly furrowing.
Noticing his uneasy expression, Ann asked, "What’s wrong?"
"Nothing." Elliot withdrew his gaze from the mirror, looking ahead. Once he turned into the sycamore avenue and increased speed, he softly assured her, "Don’t worry, Grandma is very kind and won’t blame you for a small thing like this."
Wilder lazily chuckled, propping his chin, "Besides, even if Grandma was mad, seeing your face would dispel it all."
At home, except for the old man, who hadn’t doubted Cynthia Vaughn’s true identity?
But each time they started suspecting Cynthia, various "evidence" would surface, proving her identity.
First, there was the DNA test report, then the Dragon Marrow Jade Longevity Token, and then to the fabric from the blanket of her infancy years—
With so much compelling evidence, all doubts were quickly dispelled.
Wilder’s reason for suspecting Cynthia was fake was due to the eerily coincidental timing of this evidence, as if intentionally created.
As facts confirmed, he hadn’t misjudged.
Yet being reminded of this, Ann became even more anxious.
Though she had come to Sherwood Manor several times, none made her more nervous than now.
...
Uncle Vance learned that Old Mrs. Sheridan had visitors today; expecting her to personally entertain them, he guessed the visitor’s status must be significant. So he dismissed the servants in the attic ahead of time to avoid any disturbances.
However, the tea and snacks that Old Mrs. Sheridan personally prepared were Ceylonian red tea and a three-tiered cake tower, seemingly more fitting to entertain a young girl...
"Uncle Vance, can you check if my guests have arrived?" Seated at the elaborate small table, Old Mrs. Sheridan urged.
Just as Uncle Vance was about to respond, Wilder’s voice barged into the room, "Grandma! We’re here!"
Old Mrs. Sheridan stood, preparing to welcome her guests, but at the sight of the girl being ushered in by Wilder, her gentle smile froze on her face.
As the girl walked closer, her delicate porcelain visage became clearer in Old Mrs. Sheridan’s eyes.
She and Wilder together were like twin siblings...
No, they are indeed twin siblings!
Old Mrs. Sheridan covered her slightly trembling mouth, her eyes brimming with tears about to fall.
"Grandma only needs." Ann stood charmingly before Old Mrs. Sheridan, her crescent smile akin to a new moon, captivating and bright like the bright sun on the horizon.
As imagined by Old Mrs. Sheridan, crafting her granddaughter’s image through Wilder’s features.
Yet if this girl is her granddaughter, then who is Cynthia?
Old Mrs. Sheridan harbored too many doubts, wondering if Elliot and Wilder invited this girl resembling her granddaughter to deceive and please her.
Uncle Vance, oblivious to Old Mrs. Sheridan’s troubled expression, cheerfully greeted Ann.
"Dr. Vaughn, so the esteemed guest Old Mrs. Sheridan was waiting for is you. The remedy you prescribed for my backache worked wonders. My chronic back pain is completely healed."
Hearing how Uncle Vance addressed Ann, Old Mrs. Sheridan lowered her hand from covering her mouth, surprised to ask, "The Dr. Vaughn who treated my eye condition was..."
"Old Mrs. Sheridan, it is this young lady." Uncle Vance explained, "You hadn’t seen Dr. Vaughn before because you couldn’t see at the time."