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Novel Catalog
Chapter 63
At noon, both Elias and Sonya decided to stay at the manor for lunch. Aubree, seizing the opportunity, made up an excuse to stay as well.
At the dining table, she played the part of the attentive guest, constantly refilling drinks and offering food to the couple. She even peeled prawns for Estella, although she barely touched her own plate.
“Here, Essie. I remember you love prawns, so I peeled them just for you,” Aubree said, sliding the plate of prawns toward the little girl.
Estella merely glanced at the plate before lowering her head again, continuing to eat her food as though she hadn’t seen anything.
Aubree’s hand lingered on the plate for a moment before her smile faltered. She waited, but Estella didn’t make a move toward the prawns.
“Essie, why aren’t you eating the prawns Ms. Pearson peeled for you?” Sonya chimed in, her voice tinged with reprimand. “She even did it especially for you, and you didn’t even thank her.”
Estella ignored the comment, continuing to eat, her face unreadable.
Sonya’s patience was beginning to wear thin. She leaned forward, her tone growing sharper. “Such behavior is exceedingly rude, Essie.”
Still, Estella remained silent, her stubbornness palpable. She lifted her head just enough to meet Sonya’s gaze, her eyes filled with defiance. I just don’t want to eat anything from this woman.
Aubree, seeing the tension, quickly acted with false understanding. “Don’t be angry, Mrs. Farwell. Perhaps Essie isn’t eating because she’s already full. And, well, she’s a bit emotionally unstable right now… You wouldn’t want to frighten her.”
“What a considerate girl!” Sonya praised, her tone softening as she glanced at Aubree. “I’ll rest easy knowing you’ll take good care of her in the future.”
Aubree smiled faintly, shifting her gaze to Lucian, silently hoping for some acknowledgment. Sonya, too, looked at her son, but her eyes were filled with subtle reproach.
Lucian, catching their glances, felt a twinge of discomfort. His expression hardened as he addressed Aubree. “Essie doesn’t eat food from outsiders,” he said firmly, his voice blunt. “You don’t need to try anymore.”
Aubree’s face dropped for a moment, a flicker of hurt passing through her features. She took the plate of prawns back, her hand lingering before retreating to her side.
Sonya, sensing the tension, turned her gaze back to Lucian. “This is your fault for pampering her too much,” she muttered, her voice tinged with frustration.
Lucian didn’t waver. “Children need to have some safety awareness. At the very least, Essie won’t just eat anything from strangers when she’s out.”
Before the conversation could continue, Elias, who had been quietly listening, coughed lightly to interrupt. “Lucian is right,” he added, his tone matter-of-fact. “Essie has been wandering a lot lately. No one can take responsibility if she eats something she shouldn’t outside.”
Sonya hesitated, then relented with a sigh, though her expression remained troubled.
After lunch, Lucian excused himself to handle some work, asking about the others’ plans.
Sonya, clearly eager to spoil her granddaughter, beamed. “It’s been a while since I took Essie out to shop. How about it, Essie? Let’s pick out some beautiful dresses for you!”
Despite her dissatisfaction with Lucian’s marriage, her love for Estella was unwavering. She often treated the little girl to gifts and outings whenever she visited.
Just as Estella seemed ready to agree, Aubree stepped forward, a practiced smile on her face. “I’ll go with you, Mrs. Farwell. It’ll be a great chance for me to see what Essie likes.”
Sonya smiled warmly. “Sure, that sounds wonderful!”
She reached for Estella’s hand, but the little girl pulled back, shaking her head firmly. With a swift motion, Estella grabbed her notebook and wrote: I don’t want to go out today. I want to practice writing at home. I don’t want to be with this woman.
Sonya, though surprised and a little hurt, didn’t press further. “Alright, sweetheart. If you’d rather stay in, that’s fine.”
Elias, ever the doting grandfather, smiled gently and led Estella to the couch. “How about we practice some writing together? Tell me what word you’d like to write today.”
Estella thought for a moment, her mind drifting back to the names of the two boys she’d seen in her kindergarten books. She wrote down “Archie” and “Benny” in her notebook.
Elias looked puzzled. “Why do you want to practice these two words?” he asked, genuinely curious. “They’re not exactly common names, are they?”
Estella just shook her head, then tugged at her grandfather’s sleeve, urging him to continue teaching her.
