Chapter 91 Meet Her Mother-in-law

Chapter 91 Meet Her Mother-in-law

After 5 PM, Alexander called saying he was downstairs at Brightwell Pharmaceuticals Building.

Arabella quickly grabbed her bag and ran out. Seeing a car parked beside him, she asked curiously, "This car..."

Alexander smiled. "Just got a bonus, so I bought a car for transportation."

Not having a car was too inconvenient—sometimes he even had to take taxis to pick her up. He'd been thinking of finding an excuse to get himself a car for a while.

Though this was a budget car, it drove smoothly and had decent space—enough for now.

Arabella walked around the car twice in amazement, happy for him. "This car looks so high-end! I've seen Daisy's stepmother drive one—it must cost over a hundred thousand dollars, right?"

After Daisy's biological father drove her mother to death, he'd been constantly finding women outside. For those he'd been with longer, he'd buy cars.

Arabella still remembered Daisy cursing her father: "That bastard—who knows how many times he's been cheated on. I fucking hope he ends up begging on the streets when he's old. If I pass by, I'll definitely throw him a couple of coins!"

Thinking of Daisy, Arabella's eyes lit up with amusement as she said to Alexander, "This car is really nice—spacious and easy to drive. You have great taste."

No wonder it made Daisy so angry.

Alexander considered this—over a hundred thousand dollars was a luxury car to her?

Then... wasn't it unreasonable for a small salesperson like him to buy a car outright?

Thinking this, he said seemingly casually, "I got a loan for it. Put down over fifty thousand as a down payment, two-year loan, four thousand dollars monthly payments."

Arabella was stunned, not knowing why he was explaining in such detail.

Was he afraid she'd borrow the car?

That made sense—with gas prices so high, he'd worked hard to earn money for the down payment and still had to make monthly payments. It was normal not to want additional expenses.

Alex was a good person, and she didn't want any awkwardness between them. To put him at ease, she proactively said, "I don't have a driver's license."

Alexander paused, his brow furrowing slightly. No driver's license—what did that mean?

He tentatively said, "Why don't you get one sometime?"

That way she could drive whenever she wanted to use the car.

Arabella quickly said, "No need. I don't want to get one these next couple years."

Alexander nodded with a smile on the surface, but internally he was frantically calculating—she didn't want to get one for the next couple years. Did this have to do with Anthony?

Had she been hurt over cars at the Watson family?

Alexander immediately felt displeased and silently made a heavy mental note against the Watson family.

He'd definitely ruin the Watson family's automotive industry investments someday.

Since they were going to visit Chloe, Arabella insisted Alexander stop at a supermarket halfway there. Though Alexander repeatedly emphasized he'd already prepared things, Arabella still bought several boxes of nutritional supplements at the supermarket.

She solemnly said to Alexander, "Alex, what you bought represents your thoughtfulness. I really like your grandmother, and she genuinely cares about me. I can't just give her your things and call it my own."

Alexander touched his nose at her words. "I understand."

Actually, he just felt that as long as his grandmother could see her, she'd be very happy. As for gifts, it didn't matter much since his grandmother had been under the care of a dedicated nutritionist for everything she ate and drank since her serious illness years ago.

Only very occasionally would she eat other things—like when meeting Arabella, she'd chase the nutritionist away early, afraid her granddaughter-in-law would think she was being pretentious about her health.

Arabella didn't know any of this. Her upbringing made it impossible for her to visit an elderly person empty-handed.

They soon arrived at the old residential complex where Chloe lived. The two carried large and small bags upstairs and knocked on the door, but after waiting quite a while, no one came to open it.

Alexander's brow furrowed, sensing something was off. Given his grandmother's temperament, knowing Arabella was coming, she'd definitely be waiting by the door early, ready to open it immediately upon hearing the doorbell—she'd never let the doorbell ring this long without answering.

An ominous premonition flashed through his mind. Before he could react, the door suddenly opened from inside.

Chloe stood in the doorway, smiling. "Arabella's here! Come in quickly."

She took the opportunity while Arabella wasn't looking to give Alexander a meaningful glance.

Alexander paused, glancing into the house and seeing a figure inside. He immediately froze.

His mother was here.

Arabella was completely unaware. Chloe pulled her by the hand and warmly welcomed her inside, then she saw the woman by the coffee table and froze.

It was a woman who made it impossible to have any negative thoughts at first sight. Her skin was tender and delicate, her large eyes and small nose complemented by a cream-colored overall dress and light pink T-shirt made her look absolutely adorable.

Arabella was curious about this woman's identity. She glanced at Alexander—could this be his sister?

Vera Taylor put down her cup, stood up to look Arabella over, then spoke in a superior tone: "Alex, is this your wife?"

Arabella was stunned, hearing unfriendliness in the other's tone.

Alexander subtly positioned himself in front of Arabella. "Mom, her name is Arabella Bourbon."

Mom?

Arabella looked at the other woman in shock. She was Alexander's mother? Alexander was thirty, so she had to be at least in her forties... but she'd thought she was at most twenty-five or twenty-six!

Her maintenance routine must be incredible.

Seeing Alexander's protective stance, Vera felt displeased and snorted. "Sneakily marrying a wife outside without telling anyone about her family or background—you're quite bold. Marrying a wife and forgetting your mother describes you perfectly!"

Alexander apologized quickly. "Mom, it's my fault."

Vera snorted and pointed at Arabella with her delicate finger. "You, go make me some tea."

Arabella was stunned, then nodded. "Oh, okay."

Damn it—this woman clearly had no good attitude toward her, but she couldn't muster any dislike because of that beautiful face.

She even felt... beauties should be exactly like this.

She agreed readily, but Alexander wasn't having it. Just as she was about to turn and make tea, Alexander grabbed her wrist and said in a low voice, "I'll go."

Arabella wanted to say she could go herself—she'd been here so many times and knew where the tea and cups were—but before she could speak, Vera crossed her arms and spoke sarcastically.

"What, can't even make tea? You have hands and feet—how are you so useless? Arabella, you wouldn't really make my son make tea for you, would you? My son has never done housework since childhood!"

Alexander's brow furrowed tightly, his tone carrying a hint of warning. "Mom, don't make things difficult for her."

Vera's eyes widened, looking wounded. "What are you saying? Alex, are you still my precious baby? She's my daughter-in-law—asking her to make me tea is wronging her? Which eye saw me bullying her? This is an insult to my character—I'm telling your father!"

Alexander felt overwhelmed. His mother was spoiled and pampered by his father beyond reason. She ruled the entire household, clingy and unreasonably demanding. Even he preferred to stay far away from this mother—only his father treasured her like a precious gem.

He simply pulled Arabella along to make tea together.

Seeing him dare to defy her, Vera angrily slammed the table, intending to show her authority. But her soft, delicate hands that never did work hit the hard marble surface, immediately bringing tears to her eyes from the pain.

"It hurts so much..."

Those beautiful eyes filled with tears, looking like she might cry but holding back—absolutely heartbreaking.

Chloe beside her finally couldn't help but sigh and speak up: "Vera, Arabella is different from other girls. Take it easy—if you really drive her away, your son will definitely turn against you."

If not for Arabella's sake, she really wouldn't want to say such things to Vera. But for Vera, these words were already quite harsh, since her mother-in-law had always been most fond of her.

Now she was being so stern for the sake of an outsider—Vera's eyes immediately became even redder.

"Mom, have you been won over by her too? Is there no place for me in this family anymore? Does no one love me anymore?"

Chloe also got a headache.

She had indeed been most fond of Vera before—that sweet mouth alone made her feel comfortable. But Arabella was different from Vera! Arabella was young, and Alexander hadn't even won her over yet!

Chloe steeled herself and spoke sternly to Vera: "You're almost fifty years old and still jealous of a child—aren't you ashamed? It's not easy for Alex to meet a suitable girl. You won't be happy until you break them up?"

Vera felt extremely wronged. "He got married without even telling his mother. The FitzRoy family is so big, yet he kept it completely secret. Why should I be nice and coaxing to that woman? Who's coaxing me?"

"Won't your husband coax you?" Chloe glanced at her. "Think about how old your precious son is. Let me tell you, Arabella isn't the type to endure everything silently. If you really dare make such a scene with her, she'll turn around and leave in a few days—even being married won't matter!"

Vera's mouth fell open. "But we're the FitzRoy family!"

Chloe looked at her sideways. "So the FitzRoy family makes you capable? Makes you noble? Besides, let me tell you—their secret marriage was my idea. Alex's marriage doesn't need to answer to the family at all. You understand what I mean."

Vera's previously coquettish face slightly fell when she heard Chloe's last sentence. She stopped putting on airs and said somewhat dejectedly, "I understand, Mom."

Alexander brought over the freshly brewed tea and placed it in front of her.

Vera glanced at Arabella, who was well-protected behind him, and pouted. What was this—the son she'd worked so hard to raise had never protected her this much.

But she had her husband—her husband would protect her like this.

Thinking this way, Vera felt balanced, but still didn't want to give Arabella a good attitude.

In her eyes, Arabella was the bad woman who seduced her son. Not even daring to tell her mother-in-law about the marriage—what ordinary woman could do such a thing?

This Arabella probably had plenty of other schemes brewing.

Arabella didn't care at all about Vera's attitude toward her, because in her view, Vera's face was simply an invisible weapon of mass destruction—truly beautiful, so beautiful.

Even when Vera was being sarcastic, she was still so beautiful.

And... she really didn't need to care anyway. This was just a temporary fake mother-in-law, not a real one.

Chloe went to the kitchen to cook dinner. Vera stood at the kitchen doorway, peeking in for a while, then turned to look at Arabella with ill intent: "I say, are you juniors so impolite? Making your grandmother cook is one thing, but you have the nerve to just sit there waiting to eat?"

Chloe looked up at her and said bluntly, "I remember in your thirty years of marriage into our FitzRoy family, you've never entered the kitchen once? Once, when the chef had an emergency and left, you just stared at me all afternoon, then cried and said you were hungry, asking me to cook you a bowl of pasta—and it had to be beef sauce pasta or you wouldn't eat it."

Vera immediately felt guilty and didn't dare make things difficult for Arabella anymore, quietly running to sit on the sofa.

Arabella looked at Alexander with amusement and whispered, "Your mother is so cute."

Alexander sighed helplessly. "That's just how she is—like a child all day, with a particularly simple mind. My dad spoils her rotten, making her the biggest in the whole house. She's clingy and loves to make unreasonable demands. Even I prefer to stay far away from this mother—only my dad treats her like a treasure."

Arabella shook her head and smiled. "I really think she's especially cute. She reminds me of a little dog I used to have—sometimes like a little princess who loves to put on airs, sometimes incredibly clingy."

Alexander chuckled, then after a while said, "Don't worry, with me here, she won't dare really do anything to you."

Though Arabella wasn't afraid of Vera, hearing Alexander's promise still warmed her heart.

Actually, she felt Vera was so much better than Jennifer. And when she faced Jennifer at the Watson family before, no one was willing to speak up for her.

Now not only did Alexander stay by her side protecting her, but Chloe also warned Vera. She actually felt very satisfied.

It was just a pity that all these relationships were fake—she could only have this for such a short while.

After being chased out of the kitchen for the third time trying to help, Arabella finally gave up. She glanced at Vera, who was lying on the table looking bored, hesitated for a moment, but still suppressed her inner desire and sat down at a distance from her.

Though she really wanted to get closer to Vera, given Vera's hostility toward her, it was better to keep her distance.

She sat there minding her own business, but Vera came over, still with that impolite attitude: "Arabella, let me ask you—have you been in love before?"

The question seemed simple, but Arabella thought of an additional layer—she hadn't just been in love, she'd been married.

Though she didn't think there was anything shameful about it, facing Vera, she somehow found it difficult to speak about.

"I..." Just as she was preparing to tell all, Alexander beside her suddenly spoke, his voice steady: "She's been in love and married before. Mom, I worked so hard to win her over—do you have a problem with that?"

Arabella stared up at him blankly. He just stood there casually, one hand in his pocket, looking at his mother with a calm expression, but his attitude was extremely firm.