I ought to be impressed by such adaptability, yet all I felt was displeasure and it showed on my face. A rather patronizing thank you was all that I could muster.
Summer had a perceptiveness that belied her age. She raised her head in pride as she knew Stella was praising her. “I like Ms. Collins, Mommy. Could she play with me next time?”
Stella got in ahead of me. “I could do that. As I’m your mother’s home care aide, we’ll be able to see each other quite often.”
“Oh yeah! There’s someone who can play with me!” While the girl bounced up and down like a little monkey, my own sentiments could only be described as one of ambivalence.
As I expected to be busy preparing for the bar examinations, I would not have as much time to spend with Summer. Despite that, I could not help but feel a little jealous allowing Stella to get close to my own daughter.
Any mother would understand how possessive they could be of their own children. No one would want to share them with other women.
Emery was not the type to hold back on anyone, so regardless of how Summer might have felt about it, she barked sternly at Stella. “A home care aide, huh. Since Anthony’s paying you so well, you ought to earn your paycheck. Now, go on and get Sienna and myself two glasses of warm milk, and head out to buy the latest materials for the bar examination. Make sure you’re back within the hour as we’ve other tasks for you.”
Though the villa was in the suburbs and not that far from the city center, a round trip would take close to forty minutes. Taking into account the time needed to make the purchases, an hour’s time was considerably tight.
Stella’s expression stiffened, but she dared not protest in the face of Emery’s overwhelming presence. The woman merely nodded timidly. “Understood. I’ll get right to it.”
With that, Stella made her way out in double quick time.
It was hard for me to see her in such harried form. “Hire a ride, and remember to get the receipt so that you may claim for your expenses when you get back.”
Stella stopped and turned around. She nodded in gratitude. “Thank you, Mrs. Featherstone.”
Then, she departed without looking back.
Emery rolled her eyes and snorted at the choices of a person like me who was too nice for her taste.
My eyes brows perked up and I pretended that I did not see that.
Once I had Summer settled in, I went on to the study with Emery. I bought a bunch of study material for the admission. In spite of the change in direction, there was still some amongst them that could prove useful.
Emery sat at the chair, drinking her milk. She observed as I categorized my books and started harping on it again.
“I’m curious as to how you manage to remain so calm when she’s that close to shitting all over you, Sienna?”
I did not like the way she put it. “It isn’t that serious. She just praised Summer a little. The kid probably won’t remember it after she wakes up.”
“Seems to me that you’re a real simpleton.” Emery sneered. “What’s her name, Stella? Have you seen how she looked at the two of you before? She wears a different face in front of Summer and yourself. This is the sort of people who are the worst. I would advise that you not let her into the main house and just leave her somewhere else.”
“There’s no need for you to treat her like this. No matter what, she’s Anthony’s.” There was not much I could do about Emery’s temperament. She could be quite harsh when it came to people she did not like.
Anthony was no fool. He would not have sent Stella to me if there was a possibility that she might do me harm.
On top of that, there could be many more women like Stella who would become besotted with Anthony’s charms. If I were to go pick on each and every one of them, I would only wind up with a reputation as a green-eyed monster and become worn out for my troubles.
Emery was sorely disappointed to hear that and glared at me in disbelief. “She’s Anthony’s? Who do you say is Anthony’s? Only you, Sienna Stanhope, the proper wife of Anthony Featherstone, is Anthony’s. The reverse is true that Anthony is yours. Since you are the one he married, you have earned the right to fix this little vixen on his behalf. What’s holding you back? Do you need me to remind you of what happened back then with Rachel Zimmer?”
I paused with book in hand, positively dumbstruck.
Stella was nothing compared to Rachel. If even someone as ravishing and capable as Rachel could not cause Anthony to waver, I was sure Stella would not be able to turn my world upside down.
I was about to state my case when Mrs. Eriksen knocked upon the door.
“We’ve a visitor for you, Mrs. Featherstone.” “Understood. Please attend to them first. We’ll be right there shortly.”
The arrival of this guest was timely, as Emery wisely refrained from pressing further. She gave me a hand in completing my sorting before we made our way downstairs together.
Even though it was past the festive season, we still had the occasional relative who we had not been in contact with in a while, a business associate, or friends both close or distant drop in on us. When I got to the stairs, I saw that the guest was in formal wear, seated with his back to me. The man with a head of fair hair was foreign, and he looked rather familiar from the rear. It was as though I had seen him somewhere before.
I made my way around to the front of the couch upon reaching the living room to find that we were indeed acquainted. “Mr. Blondell?”
It was just this morning that Anthony turned down GW Group’s offer at the office. There was obviously a motive behind his presence here.
We exchanged pleasantries before all of us sat ourselves down. Sean appeared to be as chatty as he was before, but the subject never seemed to deviate far from myself, my relationship with Anthony, and how I miscarried two of my children. To show up in such an untimely fashion and asking about such things had the observing Emery quietly seething by the sidelines.
“… It was not easy to come by, the relationship between Mr. Featherstone and yourself. It makes me kind of envious, really. But since it’s all in the past, Life still has to go on. Wouldn’t you agree, Mrs. Featherstone?” Sean’s tone switched gears and suddenly appeared to be very motivational, almost like that of a preacher’s.
I nodded in acknowledgement. “Thank you, Mr. Blondell, for your concern. We’ve already moved past that, and are no longer mired in grief.”
Sean nodded as though he absolutely concurred. He then seemed to remember something as he produced a name-card from the inside of his suit jacket and slid it across the coffee table and in front of me.
“Almost forgot about this, Mrs. Featherstone. The purpose of my visit this time is actually to make this recommendation. It’s a pregnancy care center based in M Country, one of many businesses under GW Group. Its security and the quality of its medical staff are guaranteed to offer conceiving women the finest care available.”
I took a look at the name-card before passing it along to Emery. “May I know what’s this for, Mr. Blondell?”
Nobody would give something for nothing. After getting blown off in the morning by Anthony, Sean was probably itching to reveal the true purpose of his visit this afternoon by now.
“Well…” The man shrugged before he crossed his right leg over his left and assumed a more comfortable seating posture on the couch. “Since your last two pregnancies did not go too well, I thought that entrusting your preparations for this upcoming one to one of our care centers might ensure that things would go smoothly this time.”
I wanted to ask why he was being so kind to us when Emery next to me interjected with a straight face.
She returned the name-card and stated flatly. “Get to the point, Mister… Blondell?”
Emery’s spoken Ustranasion was certified, and she was confident with it even in the presence of professional translators. It came in handy this time as she could very well hold herself against Sean, a man from the upper echelons of the corporate world.
Perhaps Emery’s assertiveness gave Sean cause for pause. It took some time before he reverted to his smiling demeanor. “I’ve learned just this morning that Ms. Moore of the famed Moore family in K City was articulate and keen of wit. I must say that it’s quite a privilege to be able to see you in action for myself.”
“You have flattered me.” Emery remained unperturbed. “I’ve nothing on GW Group in terms of reputation, so we could dispense with the pleasantries. Let me guess. You want Sienna to advise Anthony to reconsider the financing project in exchange for a stay at your company’s pregnancy care center. Isn’t that right, Mr. Blondell?”
The previously laid back atmosphere suddenly took a frosty turn.
I pursed my lips and did not interject. Emery was like a heroine who dared to do as she willed.
At this point, Sean stopped beating about the bush. He collected himself and regarded me intently. “Take it that what Ms. Moore said is what I have in mind. I wonder what your thoughts about that are, Mrs. Featherstone?”
“Me?” I pointed to myself before I laughed heartily. “What more could I say? Emery knows me best. I’m a little fussy and am not fond of life abroad. As such, I’m only likely to remain here. So there’s no need for us to discuss this.”
It would appear that Sean had no idea that I was the one who suggested for Anthony to cull the project.
Regardless, I was no fool. When I am overseas and out of Anthony’s line of sight, he would be surrounded by enemies from all sides. Under those circumstances, it might be possible that I might be turned into a bargaining chip for GW to hold hostage against him.
Sean was a smart man and immediately caught on. The smile froze upon his face, and he did not look any more pleased than he did back at Featherstone Corporation.
There were no permanent allies or enemies in business. Who knew when Anthony and Sean’s paths might cross again, so there was no need to go to the extremes. Thus, I accepted the name-card on the table. “It’s our pleasure and good fortune to be able to befriend someone like you, Mr. Blondell.
Chanaeans don’t have the habit of checking into care centers as we are more used to preparing for birth at home, but we would surely pay a visit to your facility if need be. We appreciate your thoughtfulness and will remember it well.”
With that said, I looked up at Mrs. Eriksen who was serving us and said to her, “Have the chef prepare a few western dishes. Mr. Blondell is about to return to his country soon so we should see him off properly.”
“Understood,” she replied with a smile and made her way into the kitchen.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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