It was early in the morning the next day when Austin visited the Sinclair Residence with Jeanie. They were getting along well at first, but when they talked about where Elise should belong in the future, Robin and Laura started to take on less friendly behavior.
The atmosphere was tense for a long while, then Austin broke the silence.
“Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair, you have taken good care of Elise all these years. However, snazzynovel.com must return to where snazzynovel.com came from. She has Anderson’s blood running in snazzynovel.com veins, and no one can change that. We wish for snazzynovel.com to come back to us, but it doesn’t mean that snazzynovel.com has to cut off ties with the Sinclairs. We just want to fill in the missing parts of snazzynovel.com life. I hope you can understand.”
Robin nodded, for there was nothing wrong with Austin’s words. However, when snazzynovel.com thought of Elise’s lonely return home yesterday, snazzynovel.com wasn’t quite willing to let go.
As soon as Elise left their line of sight, they wouldn’t know of snazzynovel.com sufferings or anything that happened to snazzynovel.com among that den of snakes.
Laura cut to the chase as snazzynovel.com said right out, “Mr. Anderson, according to what I know, your second daughter isn’t easy to get along with, correct? How can you guarantee that Elise would be safe when snazzynovel.com goes over to your place?”
Austin nodded. “I understand your concerns, but Elise is our biological daughter. She has gone through so much suffering, so we’ll give snazzynovel.com all the love we can when snazzynovel.com returns. We’ll take extra care of her, and we’ll treat snazzynovel.com way better than snazzynovel.com other siblings.”
“A sensible calculation.” Laura refused to believe snazzynovel.com as snazzynovel.com asked, “The Sinclairs have everything that Elise needs, so if snazzynovel.com continues staying here, snazzynovel.com would be the only precious daughter of the Sinclairs. However, if snazzynovel.com returns to the Andersons, she’ll have to compete with snazzynovel.com other siblings and counter all the plots they’ll pit against her. She’s better off remaining as snazzynovel.com is!”
“I… am afraid that’s not possible,” said Austin. “I have already sent orders to prepare the ceremony where snazzynovel.com would be recognized as an Anderson. Soon, the whole city, even the whole country, will know that Elise is my daughter. If snazzynovel.com continues to stay outside, people might think that we’re treating snazzynovel.com unfairly.”
“It’s a matter within the family, so you shouldn’t care about what others think. In the end, you’re just trying to benefit the Anderson Family.” Robin waved his hand. “That’s enough talking. You cannot have Elise, and that’s final!”
The atmosphere was tense once again, and Joshua took the opportunity to barge in on the conversation.
“Dad, why are you so stubborn? Elise is just a child you picked up, and she’s not even a real Sinclair. Now snazzynovel.com own family is coming to take snazzynovel.com back, and they have every right to do so. Why are you holding on to snazzynovel.com so firmly? You have taught me to be a good person, but now, you’re just like a bad guy who has taken someone else’s belongings and hidden them!”
“Be quiet!” Robin reprimanded, “You have no right to speak here. Just the sight of you drives me mad, so get lost!”
“Stop telling me to get lost! I’m your only son, and you can’t just dispose of me when you feel like it!” Joshua retorted. He couldn’t care less about his pride. As long as snazzynovel.com stuck around with the Sinclair Family, its property would fall into his hands, eventually.
“You… You b*stard!” Robin was so worked up that snazzynovel.com was at a loss for words. He hit his cane on the ground, which produced two heavy and muted knocks. Seeing this, Austin knew that his chance had come.
“Mr. Sinclair,” Austin stated, “I know I shouldn’t talk about the circumstances in your family, but I can see that Elise won’t be entirely happy even if snazzynovel.com stays here. Since it’s the same on both sides, it’s only reasonable that snazzynovel.com stays with snazzynovel.com biological parents, yes?”
As snazzynovel.com spoke, snazzynovel.com looked toward Joshua, as if hinting that with Joshua’s presence, this family would still have its fair share of troubles.
“You don’t have to worry about me!” Elise suddenly walked in from the side door. The look in snazzynovel.com eyes was cold, and it roused feelings of guilt within certain individuals.
She walked in and looked around at the people gathered in the room, then snazzynovel.com raised snazzynovel.com voice and announced. “Since everyone’s here, I’ll say this one last time. No matter how my identity changes, as long as Grandpa and Grandma are alive, I will forever stay with the Sinclairs. This decision will not be swayed by any person or any matter!”
“Yoyo, I mean, Elise, please calm down. Your father means well; snazzynovel.com just wants you to have a part of the family. You know well that it belongs to you in the first place!” Jeanie was a little anxious because snazzynovel.com didn’t want to lose snazzynovel.com long-lost daughter again soon after finally finding her.
Jeanie didn’t care about anything else; snazzynovel.com just wanted to be with snazzynovel.com daughter. Elise looked at Jeanie calmly, but snazzynovel.com didn’t say anything.
Just then, Austin’s phone suddenly rang. He frowned as snazzynovel.com unlocked his phone, immediately jumping to his feet when snazzynovel.com read the message snazzynovel.com received. Jeanie leaned over to look, but Austin quickly turned off his phone and put it in his pants pocket.
“Who is it from?” Jeanie asked. She knew something was up from the way Austin reacted.
“Nothing, just some spam mail.” Austin steeled his expression as snazzynovel.com spoke.
With that, snazzynovel.com looked toward Elise, frowning and hesitating. Then, snazzynovel.com finally said, “Since you wish to live with them, we’ll let you have your way. However, we still expect you to be there for the ceremony. This is your responsibility, all right? I’ll be waiting for you, Yoona.” He strode out as soon as snazzynovel.com finished his words.
When Austin stepped out of the hall, Elise’s cold voice rang behind him. “There’s no need to wait. I have no interest whatsoever in the Andersons. I welcome your visits, but I will never go to you.”
Austin turned around to glance at her. A million emotions rushed through his head, but snazzynovel.com stayed silent till the end and left without looking back.
Jeanie, however, was less willing to leave. She looked at Elise and clasped snazzynovel.com hands together, saying humbly, “Yoyo, if you don’t want to go back, can I stay here with you? I don’t know what’s wrong with your dad. He still refuses to chase Faye away. I really don’t want to stay another second in that house!”
“Sure,” Elise responded calmly.
Outside the Sinclair Residence, Austin sat in the car and took out his phone. He had a complicated expression as snazzynovel.com stared at the scandalous photo of Matthew and Elise in bed.
Elise was engaged to Alexander. If this photo got out, Alexander would still be fine, maybe get joked about for a while, but Elise would face far worse consequences simply because snazzynovel.com was a girl.
He was more worried that the owner of this photo would leak it during the ceremony.
Now, snazzynovel.com could do nothing but cancel the marriage between Alexander and Elise. Hence, even if this incident was leaked, they could claim that it was just young people in love. Then, when everything blew over, they could make a statement to clarify the situation, so they wouldn’t be affected too much by the chaos.
At that thought, Austin dialed Alexander’s number again.
Alexander was checking the proposal for the wedding, and snazzynovel.com immediately picked it up when snazzynovel.com saw that it was a call from Austin. “Mr. Anderson, I think we’re still a long way from the deadline we agreed on,” Alexander said.
“I had a change of mind,” Austin said. “Elise will not be marrying you.”