Chapter 215 Elbert could feel his blood pressure spike just thinking about his wayward granddaughter.
That girl-barely a teenager and already running wild. Instead of studying, she insisted on hanging around with those no-good troublemakers outside of school, pretending to be skind of gangster queen.
Recently, she'd even dyed her hair a flaming red. If today weren't his birthday celebration and he hadn't insisted she wear a wig, she'd probably have shown up with that ridiculous hair, making a spectacle of herself and him both. He could already picture the laughter behind his back.
Elbert shot a sidelong glance at his disappointing granddaughter, his tone thick with exasperation. “Leila, you should take a page from Regina's book. Look at her -hardworking, responsible. If you put half as much effort into your studies, you wouldn't have to worry about getting into a good university." Leila and Regina both attended the prestigious Westbrook Academy-one was top of her grade, the other dead last. Elbert never missed a chance to compare the two.
She'd heard this speech so many times, her ears might as well have grown calluses.
But Elbert's health wasn't what it used to be; he was too old to handle too much excitement. Leila shot Regina a venomous glare, grinding out a perfunctory, "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Regina, meanwhile, had Elbert eating out of the palm of her hand, his booming laughter ringing throughout the room.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtFrom start to finish, Elbert hadn't spared so much as a glance for Citrine, who stood quietly beside Weston, as if she were invisible.
Citrine didn't mind in the least. She was perfectly content to play the background, enjoying the peace.
When Elbert and Regina finally finished chatting, Weston seized the moment to make introductions. "Elbert, this is my granddaughter, Citrine Carmichael- Raymond's daughter." "Oh, Raymond's girl, is she? I've heard her mother's a mystery," Elbert finally deigned to look at Citrine, his tone dripping with disdain.
He might as well have pointed at her and called her Raymond's illegitimate child.
"Hello, Elbert," Citrine replied evenly, picking up immediately on his hostility. Her voice was as cool and detached as his.
Elbert's face darkened, his brows drawing together in disapproval.
Every other child at least had the decency to call him Mr. Elbert, but this girl? She called him by his first name, as if she'd never been taught basic manners.
He turned to Weston, his voice sharp with mockery. "Weston, you really ought to send your granddaughter to finishing school. Teach her smanners." It was clear Elbert was no longer just annoyed-he was truly angry.
Regina watched the scene unfold, barely able to hide her glee. The bigger the scandal, the better.
Weston's demeanor changed in an instant as soon as his granddaughter was insulted.
Citrine, on the other hand, remained unruffled. She looked Elbert straight in the eye, her tone bold and unyielding.
"I think you're the one who could use a lesson in manners, Elbert. I'm young, maybe a little ignorant, but I treat people the way they treat me. If you think I'm being rude, maybe you should consider the way you spoke tofirst. I didn't insult your elders, did I? So how am I the one without manners?" "You..." Elbert was livid, his eyes flashing.
He struggled for a retort, but all he could manage was, "Sharp-tongued brat." Weston's temper flared. He stood, moving protectively in front of Citrine.
He fixed Elbert with a cold stare. "Elbert, have you finally lost your mind in your old age? This is my granddaughter. If you speak to her like that again, don't blme for cutting ties." The Carmichaels and the Jensens had been friends for decades, but this was the first tWeston and Elbert had clashed so openly.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAnd all over a girl who, until now, had barely made a blip on anyone's radar.
In the past, Weston had doted on Regina, but even when she'd been bullied at gatherings like this, he'd never intervened.
ened. People used to call her the Carmichaels' stray mutt, and Weston had let it slide. But now, after Elbert had said just a couple of pointed words to Citrine-nothing even that harsh-Weston was already furious. Clearly, Citrine meant something different to him.
Elbert, ever the pragmatist, recognized when to back down. No matter how how angry he was, he had little choice but to swallow it.
Grudgingly, he muttered, "Fine. It's my birthday I won't make a scene." Regina, watching Weston publicly defend Citrine, couldn't hide a flicker of shock in her eyes.
Weston was always so concerned with appearances, never letting his grandchildren break the rules in public. She parte atano years ago, party, when Travis Carmichael had dared to talk back to Elbert. Weston hadn't defended him at all-he'd made Travis apologize to everyone, and when Travis refused, he'd even brought out the family discipline at home.