Chapter 56
When she returned to the Smith Manor, it was actually still early.
Elizabeth had already composed herself in the car, her face showing no trace of the emotional turmoil from the hospital.
In fact, because of that unpleasant meeting earlier, her mood seemed even darker than before.
She walked into the living room. Jacob was still sitting there, having switched to a different set of documents, with a full glass of beverage beside him.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up, his gaze lingering on her face a second or two longer than usual.
"You're back," he said, his voice flat.
Elizabeth nodded and planned to go straight upstairs to change for tonight's family dinner.
However, just as she passed by him, Jacob suddenly spoke again. His tone still showed no emotion, yet carried an undeniable certainty, "You've been crying?"
Elizabeth's steps halted abruptly, her spine instantly tensing.
She could even feel the subtle stiffness in her facial muscles.
She thought she had controlled her emotions perfectly and had checked carefully before returning—the redness around her eyes should have faded by now.
How did he see through it?
Jacob was terrifyingly perceptive!
She slowly turned around, meeting Jacob's eyes that seemed able to see through everything. Neither denying nor admitting, she asked back, "Why do you say that?"
Jacob put down the document in his hand, leaning back into the sofa in a relaxed posture, though his eyes casually settled on her face.
"Your eyes," he said concisely. "Even after tears have dried, eyes that have cried will focus on things slightly differently, with reactions half a beat slower. Especially..."He paused, "after holding back tears."
Elizabeth's heart trembled slightly.
He observed so meticulously!
To be able to catch even such subtle physiological changes—wouldn't Jacob always have the upper hand in dealing with people?
Before she could digest this shock, she heard Jacob add another sentence in a flat tone, with undisguised contempt, "How useless."
This disdainful tone instantly stirred ripples in Elizabeth's heart and a trace of defiance.
She pressed her lips together, looking at Jacob.
Jacob's face still wore that cold, distant expression, as if stating the simplest of facts.
In his worldview of survival of the fittest and absolute rationality, tears were indeed synonymous with weakness and incompetence, a burden that only hindered judgment and action.
Elizabeth took a deep breath, suppressing the defiance in her heart and her annoyance at being seen through. Her voice was clear and calm as she countered, "Crying doesn't mean uselessness, Mr. Smith. Pain, anger, sadness—these are all emotions inherent to humans. They may make you lose control momentarily, but they can also temper your will, make you more clear-headed, help you know what you want and what you should do."
She paused, looking up at him directly, "Abandoning all emotions and keeping only absolute rationality—such a person may be strong, but is also pitiful."
Jacob looked at her silently.
The living room was so quiet they could almost hear each other's breathing.
He thought of his father, the previous Godfather, Gray.
He was powerful, ruthless, and always seemed to maintain absolute rationality and control.
Yet his death was full of suspicious circumstances and doubts that remained unresolved to this day.
He worked hard to learn Gray's ways, but no matter how well he pretended, he would never forget the hidden pain of losing Gray.
"Your mouth never loses," Jacob finally replied with just this sentence, his tone revealing neither mockery nor anything else. He looked away and took a sip from the water beside him.
"I hope you can maintain this confidence tonight when you meet those old folks," he said meaningfully.
At the mention of tonight's family dinner, Elizabeth restrained the sharpness she had shown moments ago.
That was the real test.
She walked over and sat on the sofa across from Jacob, her posture proper, her tone carrying a hint of seeking advice, "Mr. Smith, how should I conduct myself at tonight's family dinner?"
Jacob's hand paused while swirling his glass.
He looked at her, realizing that the person before him seemed to be seriously taking on the role of Mrs. Smith. When he lowered his eyes again, he felt less confrontational toward her.
"Those people," he began, his voice carrying a trace of disgust, as if discussing something annoying, "have lived long and think they see through everything. They always like to put on the airs of elders, saying vague things to test your limits and measure your worth."
He thought about his wording, "Remember, accept all compliments, whether sincere or not. Don't be modest—that makes you look insecure. As for those who mock or provoke you, pretend you didn't hear them. Your reaction is what they really want to see."
Elizabeth listened carefully. This was largely consistent with her anticipated strategy.
In such situations, exposing emotions or cards too early would be foolish.
She just hadn't expected Jacob to point it out so bluntly.
"Also," Jacob added, his tone carrying a ruler's arrogance, "don't care about those old men's opinions, and don't bother trying to please them. You're the person I've chosen, and that's enough. Whether they approve or like you can't change any facts."
Rather than guidance, this was more of a declaration.
He was telling her, or perhaps telling himself, that his will was above everything, including the deeply entrenched old forces within the Smith Family.
Elizabeth understood. She nodded slightly, "I understand. Thank you, Mr. Smith."
Understanding was one thing, but actually being there, facing those calculating Smith Family elders, would be another matter.
She couldn't possibly have the same confidence as Jacob.
However, with Jacob's backing and guidance, she at least had some foundation.
She stood up, "Then I'll go upstairs to prepare."
Jacob nodded and stopped looking at her.
Elizabeth turned and went upstairs, her steps steady.
Tonight was her first official appearance within the Smith Family.
As night fell, the old mansion of the Smith Family was brightly lit.
Unlike the modern manor where Jacob lived, the old mansion retained the heaviness and sternness of a large family from the last century, with traces of time and a sense of hierarchy everywhere.
Tonight's family dinner was set in the back hall. The long walnut dining table could seat over twenty people and was now almost full.
When Elizabeth entered the banquet hall with Jacob, she attracted nearly half the eyes in the room.
She had followed Tina's advice, choosing an extremely simple pearl-white satin gown that outlined her slender, graceful figure. Her long hair was styled in a low bun, revealing her long, delicate neck, and she wore only a pair of small pearl earrings.
Her makeup tonight was light, but perfectly highlighted her cool eyes and brows.
Many of the younger generation from the Smith Family's collateral branches showed amazement in their eyes, whispering among themselves.