Chapter 53 Tricks Up Their Sleeves
Chapter Fifty-Four
The next morning, Aria arrived at the Beaumont family home, along with Lucian.
Clara seemed overjoyed to see them.
She clapped her hands excitedly, and seemed like she even wanted to hug them.
“Welcome,” she uttered sweetly, her smile radiant but Aria could see the malicious glint in her eyes.
“Welcome, son in law.” George held out his hand to Lucian, grinning brightly as well.
Lucian nodded, shaking George’s hand stiffly.
“Well then, let’s go in, shall we?” Clara uttered, pointing them into the house.
The Beaumont family house was a grand, two-storey luxury residence designed in a refined neoclassical style.
It’s soft cream exterior, and clean architectural lines convey wealth and permanence. However, it was still smaller than the Graves mansion by four times.
The interior of the house was even more stately and luxurious, with its large glass windows and doors that filled the house with light.
This image shows a luxurious, grand interior living space designed with a refined, classical-meets-modern aesthetic.
Clara led them into a double height sitting room. The room screamed grandeur with its large ornate crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, which also emphasized the height of the space.
At the center of the room was a conversational seating area where a curved, cream-colored sofa arranged in a semi-circle sat. Before the sofa was a geometric black coffee table, on which was sitting four cups of coffee.
Selena sat primly on the sofa, along with another young woman. They both stood up as the other party walked into the sitting room.
Selena’s face was a little pale and her expression was hardened, but Aria could see that she had the same malicious glint in her eyes like Clara had.
She held her head high, sniffing haughtily. The young woman by her side, however, had a coquettish look. Her eyes were glued to Lucian as he walked into the room, and she had a shy smile stretching her lips.
This was Tori, Selena’s cousin from her mother’s side. Tori was pretty with long black hair that framed her face in a cute manner and still fell to her waist in silky strands. She had a small face, large doe eyes and cute cherry lips, that looked very sensual when she smiled.
She was giving that smile to Lucian now as she curtsied elegantly, “Welcome, Mr Graves.”
Aria scoffed at the greeting.
She noticed that Tori had not greeted her, and had only acknowledged the presence of Lucian.
She smirked and deliberately slid her hand into the curve of Lucian’s arm, in a possessive manner.
At the sight of that, the smile on Tori’s face faded away and she frowned darkly, biting her lips in anger.
Clara quickly directed them all to seat, “Let’s all have a seat, my dears,” she cooed happily, “It’s such a lovely day, isn’t it?”
There was no answer except from George, who grunted and nodded happily. Clara directed them towards the cups of coffee before them and they sipped in silence for a few minutes.
As soon as they had sat down, Tori spoke up once more, “Mr Graves, it’s really nice to see you alive and well once again.” She said, her voice soft and silky.
Lucian looked at her, a brow arched questioningly.
It was clear he did not know who she was or what she was talking about.
“Oh, Tori is a big fan of your,” Selena volunteered, patting her cousin’s lap, “She hopes to go into business like you do, and is following your footsteps in your almer mata, Crestmont School Of Business And Law.”
“Oh.” Lucian said simply, his tone dry.
Tori was smiling shyly with her head bowed, while she elegantly tucked strands of hair behind her ears.
Aria could not see what was happening that she was smiling about.
And, was she…blushing?
Aria chuckled slightly as Clara spoke up then, “Tori has always been an exceptional child. Pretty and so well educated. It’s a pity she is not married though. She would make a perfect daughter in law for a prestigious family.”
Selena nodded, “Yes, Tori is too exceptional. With her beauty and brains, she has to be with someone from a powerful family,” As she spoke, she smiled mischievously at Aria, “Maybe a family as powerful as the Graves family.”
Aria’s eyes narrowed at that statement, but her calm smile still remained on her face.
Was that what they were planning?
Tori, glancing shyly at Lucian, jabbed Selena in the arm lightly, “Stop it, cousin.” She muttered shyly, her face flaming red.
Aria continued sipping her coffee calmly, almost swooning in disbelief at what these idiots before her were doing.
Suddenly, Clara clapped her hands as though in remembrance of something, “Ah ha! Honey, didn’t you say that you had something to discuss with Aria earlier?”
George looked confused, “I did?” He asked, looking from Aria to Clara.
“Of course, you do. There must be something you have to tell her, since you never got to see her before she left for her matrimonial home,” Clara continued, smiling so fakely that Aria wondered if her jaw was not slack.
She rolled her eyes, shaking her head slightly in disbelief.
Judging by the strange character which Clara and Selena displayed as soon as they had entered, Aria knew that they were up to something.
She took a deep breath, flipping her hair behind her shoulders, “Well, I do have a few tricks up my sleeve as well.” She thought, “Why don’t I give my dear stepmother a hand?”
“Ah!” She said suddenly, as she leaned forward to drop her coffee mug on the table, “As a matter of fact, I just remembered I had something to discuss with you, Father. If we could have a bit of privacy please?”
Clara’s eyes gleamed with excitement which she immediately curbed as she heard those words, “Why, is that so?” She asked in wonder, “Well then, you two had better go to the study. I think you’d have enough privacy there.”