Nina and Emma returned home and found that the servants and guards who greeted them all had smiles on their faces. Nina felt curious and wanted to ask one of the servants but then saw Butler Todd come over and decided to ask him.
"Is there something going on today?", she asked curiously especially after seeing that he also had a faint smile on his face.
Butler Todd shook his head, obviously not willing to say anything.
"You should take a look yourself, Young Madam", He said as he gestured towards the living room.
Spurred by the unusual situation and also her curiosity, they walked cautiously into the living room and to their surprise found an unexpected person seating in the living room comfortably. Both of them froze in astonishment for a few seconds before Emma called out happily ran into the living room, "Granny!"
The abrupt call made the older woman turn around and a doting smile appeared on her face seeing them and she opened her arms wide, catching Emma who burrowed with familiarity into her arms.
Nina shook her head helplessly and said to herself, 'So that was why…'
She walked towards the woman who was her mother-in-law and called out respectfully, "Mom", before sitting down beside her.
"I was wondering why everyone had smiles on their faces, It turned out it was because you were back! This makes me wonder if I had not been treating them well as I don't see them smiling that much when they see me. Even Emma forgets me, her mother after seeing you, " She said in jest while pretending to be angry.
The older woman chuckled with amusement at her joke and looked indulgently at the little bundle of joy in her arms and said teasingly.
"Emma honey, your mommy says you forgot her after seeing me, is that true?"
Emma poked her little head out and looked towards her mother, saying in her cutesy voice.
"Of course not! Emma did not forget about mommy but mommy… Emma hasn't seen granny since long long ago so mommy doesn't need to be jealous, okay?".
Mr.s Walters laughed out loud happily at her darling granddaughter's words. And in an upbeat tone, she looked aside at her daughter-in-law, and with smugness and pride in her voice, she said to her.
" Do you hear that? I am now Emma's favorite. You don't mind, do you?
Nina almost rolled her eyes at her mother-in-law's childishness but why do her words sound so strange….
Yes! A light bulb went off in her head.
It sounded like two concubines vying for the emperor's favor and her mother-in-law was the concubine who got the emperor's favor and couldn't help but act pretentious to show off to her rival.
Nina almost laughed at loud at the description in her head. She couldn't help but wonder how her mother-in-law would feel if she told her.
Hehe...
"Mom, you informed neither me nor Justin that you were coming back today... if not we would have come to pick you up from the airport", She quickly changed the topic fearing she would be found out.
"Why would I inform you when it was supposed to be a surprise?", Mrs. Walters rolled her eyes inelegantly at her before answering her in a bewildered tone.
Nina almost choked, suddenly having no idea what to say in argument because she found that she was right. Since it was supposed to be a surprise, she really didn't need to inform them so she had to change the subject, again…
But at least it was into something that she was also interested in.
"So how is Sophia, Brian, and Little John?"
"Little John?", Emma who heard the name poked her head out and asked with curiosity. " Isn't that my younger brother?".
"Yes honey, that is your little brother, your nephew", Mrs. Walters answered Emma before replying afterward to Nina. Emma was also a polite little girl, even though she wanted to know more about her younger brother, she knew that the adults were currently talking and her curiosity could wait till they were done.
"They are all fine. I was worried that they wouldn't be able to take care of the child personally since they were both usually so busy but it seemed that I worried too much as they were doing quite a good job".
Mrs. Walters had traveled to City Y for the past three months because Sophia and Brian had their child, John last year.
Nina initially wanted to say that she had also told her before she went over there that they would be fine but then decided against it because she knew that the woman just missed and wanted to see her daughter.
After all, since they had a double wedding two years ago for both couples, Sophia and Brian whose businesses were both based in City Y barely came home except for during some holidays and festive periods.
The house fell silent after she said nothing after which she could hear Emma asking her grandma questions. Such as when she could see her nephew and the likes.
It was a harmonious scene in the Walters' Mansion but the same could not be said in a private coffee shop in the business district of Nova.
***
Ryan's eyes had no warmth as he stared at the man sitting across from him in the private room whose features looked about eight to nine points similar to him.
The man seemed oblivious to the death glare coming from him and instead added some sugar to his coffee and stirred it lightly before taking a sip.
Ryan's patience which was already wearing thinly lessened even more when he saw the unhurried appearance of the man who had invited him out but acted like he had all the time in the world. He had never been someone who had great patience in the first place so he didn't plan to sit around any longer after all he wasn't the one who should be anxious!
The man on seeing him planning to get up sighed and put down his cup. If anyone was here, they would be shocked at the uncanny resemblance between them though there seemed to be a shura field around them indicating their relationship was bad.
"What do you want?" The man asked seemingly exhausting his entire strength to say this as his back somewhat hunched but Ryan wasn't taken in at all by him. He knew that this man only looked like this because he felt humiliated!
Because he was the one to lower his head first … and for someone like him who was used to people fawning on him and listening obediently to him, it was probably a feeling worst than death!
He then sneered when he heard the man's question and with mockery on his face, he asked, "Don't you already know what I want?"
"I want to destroy your family!"