Chapter 146
"Oh? Mrs. Windsor, you're here too. It's been a while." Someone greeted.
Tiffany gave a slight nod, leading Layla and Logan into the ballroom.
She'd taken special care with her makeup today, but even the thick foundation couldn't hide the exhaustion in her eyes. Her responses to greetings seemed perfunctory at best.
She was attending this party with a mission.
Layla and Logan needed someone's companionship right now, and these past few days of childcare had left her completely drained. Even tens of thousands of dollars worth of beauty injections couldn't mask her fatigue.
She'd considered bringing Caroline back, only to learn from Arthur's assistant that Caroline was dead.
To this day, she hadn't dared tell Isaac this fact. The entire family was keeping it secret.
Heidi would have made a decent daughter-in-law, but there was evidence she'd mistreated the children. Isaac had forbidden her from entering their home, and Tiffany certainly wasn't going to argue.
But Isaac already knew about Caroline's divorce, and the two children couldn't be without a mother.
Isaac had given her strict orders to scout for suitable young ladies from their social circle—someone who would get along with the children. If she found someone appropriate, Arthur would be instructed to make contact.
Caroline would always be the children's mother, but the children needed someone to care for them.
The more Tiffany thought about it, the heavier her heart felt. She swore she could feel new wrinkles forming.
It wasn't that she feared finding no candidates for a daughter-in-law; she was worried about Isaac's reaction when he discovered Caroline's death.
Lost in these thoughts, she didn't notice Logan had run off. Layla, concerned for her brother and seeing Tiffany's lack of response, chased after him.
Logan, who had previously visited the Powell Manor with Caroline, made his way to Becky's room with familiar ease.
"Ms. Powell, do you know where Mommy is? I haven't seen her for days."
Becky's recently calmed emotions fractured again.
Where could Caroline be?
She was dead. That's why they couldn't see her.
Becky had cried for days after returning home, feeling increasingly bitter about the situation.
But what angered her more was the innocence of these two children standing before her.
In her eyes, they shared responsibility for Caroline's death.
She gave a cold laugh. "Didn't you both adore Heidi before? Didn't you reject your own mother? Now your Ms. White spends every day with you—shouldn't you be happier? Who knows, in a few days, your Ms. White might become your new mom!"
"I don't want her!" Layla suddenly burst out, her words fierce.
"I only want my mommy, not Ms. White!"
She threw herself at Becky, sobbing. "I'm sorry, Ms. Powell. We were foolish before, thinking Ms. White cared about us most, but she's bad—she secretly hurts me!"
This was something Layla had only recently realized.
Not telling her great-grandfather about Heidi's mistreatment was useless. Only if everyone knew Heidi was a bad person would she stop bullying her.
Because of this, she hadn't seen Heidi for days.
Becky's expression changed instantly. "What did you say? Heidi dared to hurt you?"
Layla cautiously revealed the injuries on her body. "I don't like Ms. White."
Becky's eyes reddened with sympathy.
She had disliked how the children once sided with Heidi against Caroline, but they were Caroline's children, carrying her blood.
Thankfully, they had finally seen through Heidi's facade.
She silently resolved to make Heidi pay for this.
Logan, however, stared at his sister in confusion. "Layla, why are you saying these things about Ms. White? She's been so good to us, even taking care of us when she was sick. How can you slander her like this?"
Becky thought to herself: she'd celebrated too soon.
"If you love your Ms. White so much, why are you looking for your mother? Go find your precious Ms. White!"
Logan, equally stubborn, retorted, "Fine, I will! I'm not afraid!"
He had only been thinking about how long it had been since he'd tasted his mother's BBQ Glazed Ribs and mini breakfast sandwiches, which is why he'd wanted Becky to call his mother back.
But with Becky badmouthing Heidi, and even Layla changing sides, he refused to join their conspiracy.
Logan ran off on his short little legs, moving surprisingly fast.
Layla, worried, tried to follow, but Becky stopped her.
"Don't worry, there are plenty of servants in the manor. He won't get lost."
She took Layla's small hand, gently comforting her. "Now, tell me more about what Heidi did."
---
Garden Walkway.
Logan ran quickly, somehow making his way out of the room and into the garden.
As he walked, he grumbled, "Saying Ms. White is a bad person? That's impossible! Layla is so ungrateful. I don't like her anymore either!"
At the end of the walkway, Connor, dressed in servant's attire, carefully surveyed his surroundings.
He and Heidi had arranged to meet half an hour before the party, but the time was approaching, and she was nowhere to be seen.
Growing irritated with waiting, Connor suddenly noticed a small figure in the walkway.
The moment he spotted Logan, a plan instantly formed in his mind.
---
In the ballroom.
Tiffany had noticed the children going upstairs but didn't worry further. The Powell Manor had enough staff to keep an eye on two children.
She was focused on something else now.
This time, she was determined to choose a well-educated, obedient daughter-in-law.
"Look, Dr. Q has arrived," an excited voice called out.
Tiffany followed everyone's gaze to see Caroline in a teal evening gown, making her entrance with an air of cool elegance and allure.
The silver mask she wore added an air of mystery that drew attention rather than deflecting it.
For a moment, Tiffany felt a chill run through her.
In that instant, she thought she was seeing Caroline.
If she hadn't been certain Caroline was dead, she would have suspected this Dr. Q was actually her. But that certainty only made the feeling more unsettling.
It must be her imagination. It had to be.
"Why is she wearing a mask?" Tiffany casually asked someone nearby.
"I heard she's quite disfigured and wears it to avoid frightening people."
"Is she married?" Tiffany continued.
A society matron standing nearby couldn't contain herself. "Mrs. Windsor, why are you so interested in her marital status? Are you looking for a wife for Mr. Windsor? I doubt Ms. White would approve of that."
Heidi and Arthur's relationship wasn't a secret in high society circles, though few knew about Caroline and Arthur. Many even believed the twins were Heidi's children.
Tiffany felt momentarily awkward but quickly regained her composure.
With a smile, she said, "Heidi saved Arthur's life. The Windsor family loves her like a daughter, but when it comes to Arthur's marriage, she doesn't have the final say."