Chapter 156 - Acknowledging Them As Family
Chapter 156: Acknowledging Them As Family
Nora frowned.
The nanny went to the door. She asked, “May I know who you are?”
A loud voice immediately came from outside. “I’m Nora’s father!”
The words made the few people in the room look at Nora.
Simon and Melissa were also taken aback, and they looked at Nora together.
Nora raised her pretty eyebrows. Just as she was about to say that it wasn’t necessary to open the door, Miranda nudged Rachel and said, “Oh, it’s a relative? Quick, go and open the door.”
Rachel frowned, but the next moment, she realized what Miranda was trying to do. There was clearly a doorbell at the door, yet the man had knocked so loudly as if he was afraid that they wouldn’t open the door.
This showed that the two families were definitely not on good terms.
She jumped up as if she was about to watch a show, and ran toward the door. As she did, she said, “Oh, I’m the youngest here. I’ll go and open the door, then.”
Nora, “?”
She had no choice but to follow Rachel at the back.
When she walked out of the living room, Rachel had already opened the door. Henry was cursing angrily, “Why did you wait so long to open the door? Is it because we’re not welcomed here?”
Rachel stepped aside and said, “Why wouldn’t you be? Please come in!”
Henry was a little surprised, but he nevertheless walked in with Wendy. The two were about to enter the living room when someone blocked their path.
Henry frowned. “What is the meaning of this, Nora? Are you stopping us from going in?”
Nora stood in their path at the living room entrance. Her voice was low and deep as she said, “If you have something to say, then let’s talk here.”
She didn’t want to cause the Andersons any trouble.
Henry sneered, “Is this what the Andersons’ manners are like? Are they actually stopping their family members from entering the house?”
Nora retorted, “Are you even family?”
Henry yelled into the living room, “I’m the Andersons’ son-in-law. I haven’t even met my in-laws ever since your mother and I married! I heard that Mom is still around, so I think I should pay her a visit!”
He tried to squeeze his way into the living room after saying that.
Unfortunately for him, Nora stood in his path like a bouncer. Henry wanted to push her aside and enter, but even though the girl was clearly very thin and shouldn’t weigh much, Henry simply couldn’t even make her budge even after he tried pushing her aside.
It was as if her feet had been nailed in place as she stood there.
Henry was furious. He narrowed his eyes. Suddenly, he shouted into the room, “Mom, your son-in-law is here to visit you!”
As soon as he said that, Mrs. Anderson, who could no longer sit still, walked out of her room.
Her daughter had given up the amazing and brilliant Ian Smith and ran away from home. Later, she had married Henry. Even though Mrs. Anderson had never asked anyone about it, she was ultimately still very curious about what he was like.
The old lady opened the door. “Nora, let them come in and talk.”
Only then did Nora step aside.
Melissa was talking to Miranda when they entered. She said, “Why don’t you go back with Rachel first, Miranda? We have guests.”
However, Miranda replied cheerfully, “I know, Nora’s father, right? Come to think of it, he can also be considered our relative. I should also meet him, lest we end up unacquainted in the future.”
As a result, the living room suddenly became rather crowded.
Mrs. Anderson, Simon, and Melissa sat on the main sofa while Miranda and Rachel sat on one of the sofas at the side. Both of them looked like they were watching an entertaining show.
Sitting on the sofa on the other side were Henry and Wendy.
Nora didn’t take a seat. Instead, she leaned lazily against the wall without much of an expression on her face.
At the sight of how distant and indifferent everyone was, Henry took the lead to stand. He bowed at Mrs. Anderson and said, “This is the first time we’ve met all these years, Mom. This is all Yvette’s fault. She never mentioned the Andersons, causing us all to be so distant from one another despite being family…”
Practically as soon as he said that, Melissa said neutrally, “You’re too polite, Mr. Smith. Not only is Yvette no longer around, but you’ve also remarried. We’re no longer family.”
Henry’s eyes flickered. Then, he heaved a sigh and said, “Speaking of remarrying… Sigh! This is all Yvette’s idea! She lost a lot of blood during childbirth, causing her health to deteriorate badly. She was in poor health ever since. Before she died, what she was the most worried about was that there wouldn’t be anyone to take care of Nora, so she forced me to remarry and find someone to take care of Nora. Had she not forced me to, I definitely wouldn’t have remarried. Yvette and I were so in love back then…”
He lowered his head and wiped the non-existent tears at his eyes. Then, he raised his head again and said, “Even if Yvette is gone, Mom is still my mother-in-law. That’s something that’ll never change.”
Wendy also hurriedly said, “Yes, that’s right. I’ve also met Yvette when she was still alive. We don’t have many members in our family, but if you’re alright with me, you can treat me as your daughter in the future, Mrs. Anderson! Breaking off ties after someone’s death isn’t a popular way of thinking in our family. See, didn’t Nora also move into the Andersons? We’re all very supportive of that!”
She looked at the elderly lady and said, “We also intend to be filial to you in the future!”
The elderly Mrs. Anderson, however, stared hard at Henry. Her eyes reddened again as she asked, “Are you saying that Yvette already arranged for you to remarry before she died? And she’s even met that woman?”
Mrs. Anderson felt her chest tighten the moment she thought of how her daughter had to find a wife for her own husband and a stepmother for her own daughter when she was clearly already on her deathbed.
Yvette had always been stubborn ever since she was a child. When she was with Ian back then, she had once even said something about how all rich men liked having mistresses. If Ian dared so much as to think like that, she would definitely break his goddamn legs.
At that time, she had persuaded Yvette to take it easy. After all, profit was the most important in the wealthy circle. How many of them were truly in love with each other?
However, Yvette had raised her chin and said proudly, “Mom, never in this lifetime will I, Yvette Anderson, ever make do when it comes to love. Even if I die, I won’t let Ian remarry. Be it in life or death, I will be vigorous and exciting.”
The young woman at that time had been full of energy and high-spirited, yet also incredibly bossy.
How many men’s hearts had Yvette Anderson, a single woman, stolen in the wealthy circle?
What exactly must such a proud woman like her have experienced for her to be willing to choose a second wife for her husband during the last leg of her journey in life…?
Wendy’s eyes flickered. She hastily smiled and said, “Yes, that’s right. That’s why I’m very grateful to her. Mrs. Anderson, we’re family…”
The tears in Mrs. Anderson’s eyes were close to falling. She moved the walking stick in her hands. Her eyelids drooped downward and she said, “We’re not related by blood, so we aren’t family.”
The sense of alienation from her was very obvious.
Simon also got onto his feet. He pointed at Henry and said angrily, “You already found your next wife when my sister wasn’t even dead yet? Are you still human? We don’t have a family like you here!”
Henry had originally thought that the Andersons would accept Wendy if he worded it like that, but unexpectedly, his plans had backfired.
Seeing how worked up they were, his eyes flickered and he smiled and said, “Mom, Simon. Whether you recognize me as family or not, I’m still Nora’s father. This relationship between the two of us will never be severed.”