Chapter 101: Did He Really Know Her Mother?

The car had been driving for half an hour when Ethan explained the situation to Eliana—his grandfather Gregory had high blood pressure, so he couldn't be angered.

"When we get there, no matter what the old man says, you just agree and accept it. He's promised me he'll return to his hometown after this meal, and I'll handle the rest," Ethan said.

"Okay," Eliana nodded.

Chase glanced at her, "You don't seem nervous at all?"

Eliana wasn't meeting elders for the first time; she always won their affection, "Gregory seems to like me a lot. I can just get along with him like a friend. There's nothing to worry about."

As they talked, the car pulled into a villa, with hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of decor outside the courtyard, and the entrance was decorated with an antique charm.

"The courtyard is decorated with a very southern flair," Eliana commented.

Ethan got out of the car and opened the door for her, "My grandfather started his fortune here in his early years, then later returned to his hometown. The decorations here were all designed by a famous local designer. He said when he comes back, it should feel like home."

The two entered the house to see Gregory beaming as he walked out, "My granddaughter-in-law has come to see me. Come in and sit."

Eliana helped Gregory into the living room, and after they sat down, he couldn't help but reminisce upon seeing her.

"Back in the day, I knew your grandfather. He helped me a lot. He was a good man. If your mother hadn't married so early, we would have definitely been married."

Eliana was somewhat confused; she had never heard her grandfather mention these things. Gregory must have remembered it wrong or mistaken someone else.

She just went along with it, "Grandpa, your memory is really good."

Not complimenting him would have been better, because as soon as she did, Gregory became enthusiastic and continued, "Your mother was so virtuous and beautiful back then. You've inherited her beauty and that gentle temperament."

Eliana was stunned. Indeed, many people had said she resembled her mother, but could Gregory really have known her mother?

Or was it just a coincidence?

Ethan, noticing Eliana's expression, worried that his grandfather might say something off, quickly had the maids arrange for dinner.

"Grandpa, if you keep talking like this, it will take days and nights to finish."

Gregory chuckled, "I'm happy to talk. If you don't want to listen, just sit aside and don't disturb my chat with Eliana."

Eliana helped him up to go to the dining room for dinner.

The table was filled with top-tier dishes, showing Gregory had put a lot of thought into entertaining Eliana.

During the meal, they chatted happily. Eliana, considering the multi-million-dollar deal, earnestly repaid Ethan's favor.

After dinner, as Eliana accompanied Gregory for tea, somehow the topic was about Eliana's mother again.

"I remember we even had a photo together. You were just a little baby then. It was taken before I moved away. Let me have the maids bring it out for you to see. You were so cute back then."

Eliana thought Gregory wouldn't just randomly pull out a photo and claim it was her mother.

"Grandpa, those are old photos. The faces are unclear. Why bother bringing them out?"

Gregory insisted, "If you don't want to see it, don't. I want to show them to Eliana."

After saying that, he turned and instructed the maid to bring the photo.

Eliana was initially skeptical, but when she saw the old photo, she became curious.

Thinking back on how Ethan had always unconditionally helped her, she felt an inexplicable sense of closeness. Were they really related somehow?

"Eliana, look at this!"

Gregory handed over the photo, and Eliana took it, her hands trembling slightly.

The photo had become blurred over time, not having been laminated, and the figures were indistinguishable, even their clothes unclear.

Even with Eliana's sharp eyes, she couldn't tell who was who.

"Grandpa, this photo doesn't seem clear, does it?"

Gregory just noticed and immediately felt distressed, "What a pity, this is the only photo I left with your grandfather."

Seeing him upset, Eliana also felt reluctant, "I know someone who can restore photos. Maybe I can have a technician see if they can restore it?"

"Really?" Gregory's eyes immediately brightened.

Ethan reached over, took the photo, and put it in his pocket, "I'll handle this."

It was a close call.

Only God knows how nervous he had been just now.

"It's getting late. We should head back. You should rest early and pack up to go back tomorrow."

Gregory grumbled, "Humph, you ungrateful, leaving me alone in that remote place. Can you bear it?"

Someone was trying to renege again.

Gregory held Eliana's hand, "Eliana, promise me you'll come back to accompany me during the New Year, okay? Otherwise, I'll feel lonely and pitiful."

Ethan frowned slightly, thinking that Gregory had a villa of thousands of square feet, with a house full of people serving, what's there to be pitiful about?

On the other side, Eliana promised to comfort the old man, anyway, Ethan said he would handle things in the future, so she just needed to deal with the present.

After hearing her promise, Gregory went back to rest in the house.

On the way back, Eliana thought of the photo. She had no memory of the old photo, but there was an unblurred corner on the photo showing a household cabinet.

She remembered seeing something similar in her grandfather's old house when she was little, but the furniture of that era was almost the same, maybe it was just a coincidence.

"Thank you very much today," Ethan said, his voice very low, almost devoid of any emotion, as if he were talking to the air.

Eliana was used to his indifferent attitude, "You're welcome, Mr. Wilkinson, our two companies' contracts are all ready, and we can sign them after you review them."

Ethan hardly hesitated, "Okay, I'll come to your company to check tomorrow."

She was satisfied with this answer. With this order, the operation of Griffith Enterprise was almost stabilized.

Even if she wouldn't work in the future, she had nothing to worry about.

Mr. Wilkinson was like her big moneybag, so helping him deal with the old man was nothing.

Back at the bottom of Griffith Enterprise, Eliana declined the invitation for a late-night snack because she had more important things to do. Before getting out of the car, she set the time for the contract signing with Ethan, and then she walked into the company.

Her car was still in the parking lot, and now she just wanted to go find Chase.

He should still be working overtime, and she was going to pack some late-night snacks to find him.

Perhaps thinking about meeting Chase, the smile on her face was more obvious than usual.

But as soon as she walked to the side of the car, she felt a figure rush out from behind her. The man's hand was very strong, covering her mouth and nose.

Then a dangerous warning came, "Don't move!"