Chapter 554: Chapter 554: Their Wedding
The Hawthorne Family Residence.
After asking where Old Master Hawthorne was, Ann Vaughn headed to the living room.
"Dad, from what I see, this might not be a simple accident." Just as she reached the living room door, Ann Vaughn heard Harold Hawthorne’s voice coming from inside: "Cian has been gone for less than a week, and this happened. It feels quite bizarre no matter how you think about it."
"Five warehouses burned down in a row... This is a slap to our face by the Yan Family!"
"The slap is one thing... I’m thinking, the location of the secret warehouse has always been in the hands of the Family Head. How could such a major oversight happen this time?"
"That’s hard to say..."
Hearing this, Ann Vaughn frowned deeply and then walked into the living room.
Seeing her appear, the group of elders sitting on the sofa fell silent, not continuing their discussion.
"Grandpa." Ann Vaughn greeted Old Master Hawthorne as she approached him.
"Annie, you’re here. I was just about to have someone notify you to come over." Old Master Hawthorne’s previously stern expression softened slightly, motioning for Ann Vaughn to sit next to him.
Once Ann Vaughn was seated, Old Master Hawthorne said, "Uncle Dexter has informed you, right?"
Ann Vaughn nodded gently, "Yes, I heard about everything." After speaking, her bright eyes turned towards the elders, "I accidentally, coincidentally overheard my uncles’ discussion just now, which has left me with some questions."
"What questions?"
"The incident with the secret warehouse, one reason could be the location being exposed, the other being inadequate security..." Ann Vaughn spoke calmly, "Shouldn’t the first ones to be held accountable be the warehouse manager and the security personnel?"
The elders sitting on the sofa exchanged glances and then nodded, "That seems correct."
"Then it’s strange." Ann Vaughn’s eyelids lifted slightly, a smile on her red lips: "A moment ago, listening to what my uncles said, it sounded as if they were implying that the location was leaked by Quinn, who is now far away abroad, and that he let the Yan Family people in..."
"This..." The elders, having their intentions exposed by her in public, felt a bit embarrassed, "We were just speaking casually, not meaning that at all."
Really?
In truth, they were just trying to shirk responsibility and avoid bearing the consequences of their own mistakes.
Ann Vaughn’s eyes turned cold, "Even speaking casually requires responsibility. I just want to ask my uncles one thing, since Quinn became the head of the Hawthorne Family, has he ever done anything to betray the family, for them to maliciously speculate like this?"
She was almost furious!
Is it because Cyrus Hawthorne is not in the country, and they think they can gossip recklessly as Hawthorne Family elders?
They even want to push all the blame onto Cyrus Hawthorne, who gave these old bald heads the nerve?!
Beside her, Old Master Hawthorne calmly sipped his tea, showing no intention of stopping Ann Vaughn, not even offering a path for the elders.
These elders had once been Old Master Hawthorne’s trusted aides, and Old Master Hawthorne was someone who valued old friendships.
Therefore, there were many things Old Master Hawthorne couldn’t say freely, for fear of tearing the relationship apart.
But at such a tense time, when these people still make wild guesses, trying to destabilize the internal morale... Old Master Hawthorne saw no need to give them face.
A few elders realized Old Master Hawthorne’s attitude from his silence, and they felt some regret in their hearts.
They dared to wag their tongues when the family head wasn’t around, but what if he returned...
"Annie does have a point," Harold Hawthorne, who hadn’t spoken since Ann Vaughn entered, suddenly said, "This kind of baseless speculation should be minimized; otherwise, it will chill people’s hearts."
The elders, realizing their mistake, promptly stood up to apologize to Old Master Hawthorne and Ann Vaughn.
After such an incident, they didn’t have the face to continue staying to "accompany" Old Master Hawthorne for tea, so they all said their goodbyes.
"Dad, little Kenny is still sick and waiting for me at home, I’ll come to keep you company next time." Harold Hawthorne also stood up, smiling as he spoke, and with Old Master Hawthorne’s consent, he left.
What a good father indeed...
Ann Vaughn’s clear eyes flashed with mockery before her forehead was poked by Old Master Hawthorne, "You, girl, you didn’t leave any face for your uncles, but your courage is commendable."
Ann Vaughn’s head tilted back slightly, seeing that although Old Master Hawthorne said that, he wasn’t angry at all, she wrapped her arms around his, laughing, "Grandpa didn’t stop me either, did you?"
If Grandpa Hawthorne really thought she was wrong, he would have told her to stop long ago.
Since he didn’t, it meant what she said was exactly what Grandpa wanted to say.
Old Master Hawthorne helplessly patted the back of her hand and sighed: "Those elders... in front of Cian, which one of them wasn’t like a quail, but this time they finally caught a mistake and made a big deal out of it."
"Was the location of the warehouse really leaked?" Ann Vaughn frowned and asked.
"Harold Hawthorne said it’s very likely Cian told you the location of the warehouse, and he wants me to investigate starting with you."
Ann Vaughn: ???
So, that’s why Harold was so kind, speaking up for her?
Turns out he was trying to confuse her?
"But," Grandpa Hawthorne patted Ann Vaughn’s head, looking at her with loving eyes, "Grandpa knows that anyone might betray Cian, but definitely not you, Annie. Grandpa tells you this to remind you to be more cautious, even with family, don’t trust too easily."
Ann Vaughn’s eyes quivered, and she couldn’t help but sniff, "Thank you, Grandpa, I won’t let your efforts go in vain."
If Harold wants to smear her, she must be well-prepared as well.
"That’s good, Grandpa is looking forward to the day you and Cian have your wedding, and the day Kenny recognizes his ancestry."
Their wedding?
Hearing those words, Ann Vaughn’s eyes welled up with a bit of bitterness, and her throat tightened.
So Grandpa sees things the clearest.
The wedding four years ago, to her, belonged to Cynthia Sheridan, not her, the substitute bride.
Ann Vaughn pressed her lips tightly, forcing back the bitterness in her eyes, and softly said: "Thank you, Grandpa, that day will come soon."
On her way to the Vaughn Clinic, Ann Vaughn had already composed herself.
The clinic was still so crowded that turning around was difficult, so Ann Vaughn had to enter through the back door, only to be pulled into the adjacent lab by Sherry with a serious expression.
"What’s wrong?" Ann Vaughn asked in confusion.
"A customer just now wanted to buy an inhibitor. I explained to him many times, but he wouldn’t listen. He even knelt down, begging us, saying his wife doesn’t have much time left..." Sherry didn’t beat around the bush and spoke directly, "So, I agreed."