Chapter 5 Disgraceful Daughter-in-law
The rest of the car ride was quiet, with Selena stewing at the wheel while Aria sat at the back seat of the car like the real owner that she was.
From time to time, Selena cast malicious looks at her through the rearview mirror but there was nothing she could do or say at this moment.
It was as though Aria had become a whole new person, and Selena was scared out of her wits of her, even though she refused to admit it.
Who would have thought the country hick would pick up some sharp tongue in the country side?
“I must let mother know of her bad manners,” Selena thought viciously, “Aria Beaumont, you will pay dearly for this humiliation.”
After Aria had thrown up earlier, she had taken a slow walk down to the park nearby, then sat for almost an hour staring and brooding.
Selena had almost gone mad waiting for her.
“Does she think I’m her chauffeur or what?”
Selena could not wait to go home to tell everything to her mom. Clara Beaumont would definitely make sure Aria paid for her insolence.
Selena had thought, taking Aria to the Graves Empire personally would be such a thrilling ride. She would get the chance to mock Elara all the more, and everyone would see how outstanding she was from this country hickey.
But right now, she just wanted to get away from Aria by all means.
“Stop staring,” Aria spoke up suddenly, the car suddenly becoming chilly, “Or I’ll gouge your eyes out.”
Selena jerked on her seat and immediately returned her gaze to the road, “Hmmph, who was even staring at you?” She muttered under her breath.
Soon, the car drove past a massive wrought iron gate, that guarded the Graves Empire estate.
It drove for some minutes down the flowered pathway inside the gates before pulling into an elaborate driveway.
“We are here,” Selena uttered, biting her lips in anger, “Get down.”
Aria did not pay her any heed as she pushed the car door and climbed out. She pulled her simple wool bag over her shoulder and calmly walked towards the massive double doors of the main house.
Selena could not resist parting without one last jab. She pushed open her car door and stepped out as well, “Aria Beaumont, don’t you dare disgrace our Beaumont family today!” She uttered loudly, “If you do and you’re thrown out, our family will throw you out as well. We don’t want you as well!”
With that, she got into her car quickly and drove out of the driveway in a flash.
Aria looked back at the settling cloud of dust at the car’s departure, and sighed tiredly, “A very crazy bitch,” she muttered to herself, “Thank goodness I was not involved with her when I was alive.” She paused, then turned towards the door again, a sad look in her eyes, “But still, the ones I was involved with dealt harshly with me. I, Elara Vaughn, will rewrite that fate.”
The Graves mansion was huge, and eerily quiet.
Aria stepped gingerly into the foyer, looking around her cautiously, “Hello,” she muttered but the word echoed around the silent foyer.
“Welcome Miss Beaumont.”
A voice said from behind her and Aria turned sharply in fright, her hands on her chest as if to prevent her heart from flying out.
She found herself looking at a maid who had materialized out of nowhere. The maid had a polite smile on her face and gestured towards an open door by the left, “Come with me please.”
Aria followed behind her, quickly gaining back her composure.
Before her was an opulently furnished sitting room, complete with the gold trimmings and work of arts.
As the maid led Aria into the room, she came face to face with a regal looking couple.
The maid gestured towards them, “Chairman. Ma’am. Miss Beaumont has arrived.”
The Chairman of Graves Empire and his wife looked at Aria from the top of her head, down her simple, cotton dress to the sole of her flat pumps.
Then they exchanged looks, their expressions uncertain.
Aria did not particularly know what they saw that made them immediately look regretful or uncertain.
She was plainly dressed because she had just been picked up from the country that morning and driven here.
She was not even told that she was going to her husband’s house until the drive.
“Even still, they could have tried to make her look presentable,” Elara thought, “Its like they are throwing her away or something. Whatever. Let’s just make do with this situation. I will make sure Aria stands out and the Graves family will never regret having her here.”
She had fully accepted her fate of living as Aria Beaumont. And since Aria’s got such an exquisite soul living in her, she would not be on the bottom rung of the ladder anymore.
Smiling brilliant, she clasped her hands before her and bowed gracefully in greeting, “Chairman Graves. Mrs Graves. I am Aria Beaumont, your daughter in law.”
The couple nodded politely in response, although there was still some reservations in their mannerisms.
“Welcome Aria, do have a seat,” Mrs Graves uttered, gesturing towards a seat adjacent to them.
“We do hope, the journey was not too stressful for you.” The Chairman said, his voice gruff but warm.
When the Beaumont family announced that they were changing the bride, the Graves family could not say anything even with all their influence.
They knew it was somewhat unfair for a young lady to be tied up with a comatose husband for the rest of her life, so they did not even think of rejecting an uneducated daughter in law who had grown up in the country side.
Although, there was still the obvious truth that was left unsaid.
If Lucian Graves had not met with that accident, Aria Beaumont would not even be found worthy to be in his presence.
Aria had barely taken her seat when a shrill voice resounded round the sitting room.
“Oh, look who it is. The bumpkin daughter in law. Really, mother? Are you so obsessed with keeping Lucian’s legacy alive that we have to have such a disgrace in our family?”