Chapter 512: Chapter 512: Source of Calamity
Back in the day when Shuhua Vaughn and the infant Ann Vaughn had an accident, Old Mrs. Vaughn was greatly impacted, her health deteriorating. Her close friend Mrs. Ryan, under the pretext of concern, persistently wanted to send Brooke Ryan to care for her.
In reality, what could a five or six-year-old girl do? Old Mr. Vaughn was no fool and naturally guessed the Ryan Family’s intentions, rejecting them several times.
But Brooke Ryan misunderstood Old Mrs. Vaughn as her long-deceased grandmother, affectionately calling her "grandma" while holding her hand.
Although Old Mrs. Vaughn liked Brooke Ryan, she hadn’t reached the point of transferring her feelings for her beloved daughter and granddaughter to another child.
Until Mrs. Ryan was diagnosed with a terminal illness and, on her deathbed, knelt before Old Mrs. Vaughn, begging her to take in Brooke Ryan. Otherwise, leaving Brooke alone in the Ryan Family would prevent her from resting in peace.
After Mrs. Ryan’s body grew cold, her husband brought his mistress into the home, along with a son the same age as Brooke Ryan...
Old Mrs. Vaughn eventually softened, bringing Brooke Ryan into the Vaughn Family and caring for her with tender attention. Though initially to fulfill a friend’s dying wish, over the years, genuine affection developed, making separation akin to tearing off flesh.
This is why Ian Vaughn did not confront Brooke Ryan about the previous incident with Ann Vaughn, considering Old Mrs. Vaughn’s feelings and current health, avoiding further upset.
"Then just tell her I’ve gone to rest." Old Mrs. Vaughn said to Ian Vaughn, gently patting Ann Vaughn’s hand, smiling contentedly, "Annie, later on, Grandma will introduce you to the family."
Ann Vaughn was perplexed about why Ian Vaughn’s "daughter" seemed older than her, while Ian Vaughn himself appeared only in his early twenties...
Upon hearing Old Mrs. Vaughn’s words, Ann Vaughn suddenly returned to reality and gave her a gentle smile, "Alright."
She didn’t mention the previous conflict with Brooke Ryan, nor showed any dissatisfaction toward her, letting Ian Vaughn, who worried she might feel uncomfortable, breathe a sigh of relief.
"I understand, Mom." Ian Vaughn agreed, turning to walk towards the door.
Outside the door, Brooke Ryan was anxiously waiting, almost ready to push the door open when it suddenly opened, and Ian Vaughn came out.
"Xavier..." Brooke Ryan’s cheeks flushed red, but thinking of the recent moment when Ian Vaughn reprimanded her, she immediately paled.
She still didn’t understand what Ian Vaughn’s words really meant.
Could it be that Ian Vaughn really planned to marry that woman?
Ian Vaughn closed the door, blocking Brooke Ryan’s attempts to peek inside, speaking lightly, "My mom has gone to sleep, you can come back later."
Asleep?!
Brooke Ryan bit her lip looking toward the door, how could it be? She clearly heard laughter coming from inside just now, and that troublemaker was there!
"Xavier, I know I shouldn’t have splashed water on her and caused trouble with her," Brooke Ryan felt discontent, her face flushed with indignation, "But I just quarreled with her a bit, and she spoke ill of me in front of grandma, isn’t that too petty?"
If it weren’t for that troublemaker complaining to grandma, how could grandma, who usually doted on her, refuse to let her in?
She barely arrived at Viridian Palace, and now she’s already managed to wrap Ian Vaughn and grandma around her finger. How could it be allowed for her to stay here?
Ian Vaughn’s expression cooled, "You believe Ann had complained to my mom?"
"Isn’t that the case?"
This assertive statement momentarily rendered Ian Vaughn speechless, especially when compared to Ann Vaughn, who hadn’t even mentioned the incident, making the comparison evident.
"Do not assume and make wild guesses." Leaving this cold remark, Ian Vaughn returned inside.
Left standing outside, Brooke Ryan stomped her foot angrily, what did he mean by assuming! Clearly, Ian Vaughn has been deceived by that troublemaker!
She absolutely wouldn’t let her off!
...
Night descended, everything was silent.
Dinner was personally prepared by Old Mr. Vaughn, allowing Ann Vaughn to once again taste a flavor reminiscent of that bowl of vegetable noodles, leaving her with mixed feelings.
Her grandfather had always been inseparable with her grandmother, and her grandmother’s health wasn’t suitable for overseas travel; this implied it was unlikely her grandfather had given her that bowl of noodles.
Moreover, the shopkeeper back then said it was a very young woman, further ruling out her grandparents.
Could the similar taste simply be coincidence?
The Vaughn Family hadn’t announced regaining Ann Vaughn; only the butler knew about it. Brooke Ryan, claiming to be unwell, stayed upstairs and naturally missed it.
The atmosphere during dinner was warm and gentle, with Old Mrs. Vaughn, Old Mr. Vaughn, and Ian Vaughn going out of their way to ensure Ann Vaughn felt comfortable and at ease, overwhelming her with their care.
Yet, after dinner, she ate an extra bowl of rice than usual.
After the meal, Ann Vaughn followed Ian Vaughn outside to walk off the food, strolling down a path lined with two rows of maple trees, under the warm glow of streetlights filtering through the leaves, creating a quiet and beautiful ambiance.
But Ann Vaughn sensed that Ian Vaughn seemed to have something to say to her, so she remained silent, waiting for him to speak.
After some time, Ian Vaughn finally spoke to her, "Uncle took the liberty to investigate your past experiences, I apologize in advance."
Ann Vaughn paused her gaze, then shook her head, "It’s okay, there’s nothing shameful."
At most, she was used as a vessel for Cynthia Sheridan’s heart, almost dying on the operating table.
Ever since she understood the truth about the past, she hadn’t had related nightmares for a long time.
"You are very different from your mom," Ian Vaughn said, "Your mom is gentle and quiet, speaking softly. Sometimes I would play around with her, worried about hurting her. But you’re lively, playful, mischievous, and your inherent brightness infects those around you... However, upon first meeting you, I started suspecting your identity."
Listening to Ian Vaughn’s description of Shuhua Vaughn, Ann Vaughn felt a pang in her heart, an indescribable feeling.
She deeply desired it.
A mother’s gentle and warm embrace, a father’s strong and comforting arms.
To say she didn’t care was merely a way to reduce disappointment and not feel too hurt by her father’s lack of attention.
As Ann Vaughn was lost in thought, suddenly she felt a hand gently resting on her head, the pressure just right.
Startled, she looked up at Ian Vaughn, seeing his eyes, similar to hers, filled with a gentle glow.
The next moment, Ian Vaughn opened his arms and embraced her, speaking softly, "Welcome home, our little Princess."