NovelEnglish
Chapter 615 A Lot of Stuff
Leanna turned around, looking confused. "Why isn't it confirmed yet?"
"Because she went after a man a few days ago. Right in front of everyone. They're going to lambast
her after the ceremony today."
The Woodleys had a way with lectures. A little critique could take them hours. No matter how
mischievous the younger Woodleys were, they would not step out of line during the gathering for fear
that their elders would critique them. And they had no right to stop it midway, too. All they could do was
suffer. One wrong word or expression would earn them a few days of lecturing.
"I see." Leanna looked away.
Waylen was feeling delighted, but when he met Aidan's gaze, he quickly composed himself and stood
up straighter.
Charlotte turned around, having heard him. When she saw Aidan, her eyes lit up. Just when she was
about to approach Aidan, Charles held her back.
Charles hissed, "Did you forget where you are?"
Charlotte turned back reluctantly. Charles looked at Aidan and Leanna, and a frown formed on his face.
This wasn't the first time Leanna was met with a look of disapproval, but she could understand. No
father would be happy to see the man his daughter was attracted to.
Waylen whispered, "Everyone's here. Five minutes until the ancestor worship starts."
"What about Lachlan? He's not here yet," said Leanna.
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Just then, a prominent figure came in. It was none other than Lachlan. Then, the hall went silent.
A moment later, someone said, "You were very nearly late. And this is an important ceremony. Don't
you think that's a bit disrespectful?"
Leanna looked at the one who spoke. It was the man who lectured Waylen a while ago.
And a few hushed whispers arose, agreeing with what the man said. Yet, Lachlan ignored them. He
came into the hall and bowed at the elders.
Philip, Charlotte's grandfather, clutched his cane and stood up. "Everyone's present and accounted for.
Let us begin. We have a lot of things to do this year. Let us not tarry."
"A second, please. There is one more who shall join us," said Lachlan.
Philip adjusted his spectacles. "Is that so? Did they, in their frivolous fun, perhaps forget about the
ceremony?"
Everyone hastened to explain themselves.
"Not my son."
"Not my daughter, either."
"Not my child."
Charles looked around and asked, "Everyone's here. Whom are you talking about?"
Lachlan's mother was standing by Lachlan's side, looking solemn. Lachlan then turned around to look
at the entrance. Calmly, he said, "She's here."
Everyone looked at the entrance, wondering who it was. A figure slowly showed up, and Leanna froze
when she saw who it was. Noticing Aidan tensing up as well, she pursed her lips and held his hand.
Before everyone's startled and confused gaze, Naomi slowly entered the hall. She knelt before Philip
and the tablets of the Woodley ancestors behind him.
Slowly, she said, "Naomi Woodley, here to pay her respects."
Philip held on to his cane. He stared at Naomi for a long, long while. Eventually, he started to wobble,
and Charles helped him sit back down.
"Naomi? Is that you?" Philip narrowed his eyes.
Naomi was wearing plain, clean clothes, and she held herself up. "Yes, uncle."
The crowd burst into a discussion. Perhaps the younger ones did not know who Naomi was, but their
parents did. Ever since she left Jamesdon, the family forbade them from bringing Naomi up ever again.
Their ancestors had stated that the Woodleys were forbidden from leaving Jamesdon. Anyone who
broke this rule would be exiled forever.
Naomi fell in love with a man from Highside back then. In just a few months, their relationship became
the talk of the town. Eventually, the man had to leave, and she wanted to go with him. Even if she was
to be taken out of the family tree.
"A second, please. There is one more who shall join us," said Lachlan.
And then, she left. Naomi was no longer part of the family. Some of the chattier members tried to find
out how she was doing in Highside, yet their investigation yielded no result. Thirty years had gone by
since then, and now, Naomi came back.
The questions were coming like waves, and Philip's face fell.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmLachlan said, "I invited her. She's part of the family. This is her home."
A moment of silence later, Philip said, "Have you perhaps forgotten the family rule?"
"No," Lachlan said. "But before he died, Grandpa told me he wanted to see Aunt Naomi. He's gone
now. I'm just fulfilling his dying wish."
And the crowd went silent. Back when Kian was alive, he told no one about Naomi. Everyone thought
he didn't care anymore. Even if he was alive, he couldn't let Naomi back anyway.
Yet, now that he was dead, not even Philip could go against his wishes. So, Lachlan used it against
him.
A moment later, Philip said, "Very well. We shall set this conversation aside for now. Let us begin the
ceremony."
Naomi knelt on the ground for the whole ceremony. Even when Lachlan's mother tried to pull her up,
she refused to get up.
Someone among the crowd whispered, "Wonder why he took her back."
"Aidan, perhaps."
"That's one reason. His position is still shaky. Taking back Naomi, while it is Old Mr. Woodley's dying
wish, still is flouting the rule."
"What? So, we're just going to watch?"
"Ever since Lachlan took the position of the family head, he's been trying to abolish the family rules.
That's why the elders hate him. They think he's got a big head. Even if he does manage to take Naomi
back, it'll only make the elders angrier."
"Which makes things easier for us."
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