Rosedale Residence. In the morning, as soon as Alessia got up, she received a call from Christopher.
"Baby, do you miss mommy?"
"I knew it, you're back, but you didn't even come to see me."
The voice on the phone was not the childish voice of her eldest son but a deep, mature voice with a hint of vicissitude.
Alessia immediately recognized it as the voice of Grandma Carter, and her emotions fluctuated.
During her three years in the Carter family, only Grandma Carter genuinely treated her well.
"Grandma, how are you feeling?" Alessia asked.
"Not good." Grandma Carter said grumpily, "If you come over now and have a meal with me, maybe I'll feel better."
Alessia felt a warmth in her heart and slightly curled her lips.
They said that old people sometimes needed to be coaxed like children, and going to the old house for a meal.
She thought of the agreement with Dominic.
On the other end of the phone, Grandma Carter seemed to know what she was thinking and said, "Don't worry, Dominic won't dare to object."
Alessia tightened her grip on her phone, hesitated for a moment, and agreed, "I'll come over in a while."
She did miss her grandma.
"Mom..."
Her youngest son saw her leaving pitifully, and her daughter, playing with Barbie dolls behind him, also looked at her.
Alessia felt a pang of guilt. The old Carter residence was like a wolf's den; she couldn't take the two little ones there.
"Be good, how about playing games at home?"
Christian pouted, reluctantly agreeing in the end.
Alessia gave each of the two little ones a kiss before leaving.
In the morning, at the Carter residence.
Alessia had just arrived at the door when Bianca greeted her.
Bianca, wearing high heels, welcomed her arrival, but also expressed some concern, "Sis-in-law, Auntie is also at home today."
Dominic's Aunt, Clara Carter, had been living in her mother's house since her divorce ten years ago. She was selfish, mean-spirited, and had a messy personal life.
Grandma Carter took pity on her for divorcing at such a young age and not remarrying, so she had always turned a blind eye to her behavior.
Back then, apart from Bianca, it was Clara who liked to pick on her the most.
Alessia nodded to show that she knew. She wasn't afraid of Clara back then, and she was even less afraid now.
The two entered the main house.
Alessia hadn't seen Grandma Carter yet, but she saw Clara first.
Clara was sitting on the sofa, eating grapes. When she heard the noise, she looked over.
It had to be said that the genes of the Carter family were excellent.
At forty-five, Clara looked like she was in her thirties, with delicate features and a resemblance to Bianca. However, she might have a bad temper and looked a bit fierce.
She looked Alessia up and down critically, then sneered, "Tsk, they say you've become more beautiful, but you're probably not much prettier than before. No matter how good-looking a country bumpkin is, they can't get rid of that rustic smell."
Alessia frowned, and Bianca, protective of her sister-in-law, was about to speak when a deep voice came from upstairs.
"If someone smells like a bumpkin, what do you smell like? A stink? Drinking and partying every day, it's disgraceful."
Alessia looked up upon hearing the voice and saw a kind-looking old lady coming down the stairs, followed by the expressionless Dominic.
Grandma Carter.
Alessia's heart stirred, but she noticed that Grandma Carter's movements were somewhat awkward.
Alessia's gaze paused, and she went up to meet her. "Grandma, your foot..."
"It's nothing, I just fell two years ago, it probably won't get better. Anyway, I'm so old, it doesn't matter." How could a lame foot be nothing?
Alessia stared at her foot.
But Grandma Carter was staring at Alessia's face. "Sia, you have become more beautiful, but grandma still likes the old Sia, chubby and cute."
Probably only true affection could make someone say a nearly meatball-like fatty was cute with their eyes wide open.
Alessia's emotions surged, and she said, "Grandma, I have a prescription for leg injuries. I'll make it into pills and bring it to you in a few days."
"Good, you're so filial." Grandma Carter readily agreed.
Clara sneered mockingly, "Is it from a country quack doctor? Our Carter family doesn't collect junk. You really dare to bring anything. Mom, you're spoiling her. Back then, when you spoiled her, what did she do? She divorced without telling you, gave birth to Chris, and then abandoned him..."
"Shut up, Clara. If you don't want to eat this reunion meal today, just get out. No one is stopping you." Grandma Carter interrupted sternly.
Seeing Clara becoming more and more out of line, Grandma Carter's tone became harsh.
Clara glared fiercely at Alessia, got up, and left the main house.
Grandma Carter saw Clara leave and then affectionately patted Alessia's hand. "Sia, grandma believes in you. You're a good child. Whatever you've done, there must be a reason."
The unconditional trust from Grandma Carter stirred Alessia's emotions, and she held Grandma Carter's hand back. "Grandma, I have never abandoned Chris."
For the sake of Grandma's trust, she felt it necessary to explain.
"Good girl." Grandma Carter smiled.
Alessia helped Grandma Carter, turned her head, and saw Dominic standing at the door.
As Dominic entered the room, it momentarily quieted down, then returned to normal.
When it was time to eat, Clara, who had left, reappeared, and everyone took their seats in turn.
Grandma Carter sat at the head, Clara sat in the first position on the left side, right next to her was Bianca.
In the first position on the right side sat Dominic, followed by empty seats.
Alessia looked around. She had originally intended to wait for Chris to sit down so she could sit next to him. But unexpectedly, her son, with a stern face, sat in the third position on the right side, leaving the seat next to Dominic vacant.
Alessia frowned. She saw her grandmother wave at her and say, "Sia, come sit."
"Mommy, sit." Her son pointed to the vacant seat, and Bianca also gestured to her.
In this situation, if she refused again, it would only seem affected.
Alessia had just sat down when she noticed the man beside her, not looking at her directly, but mocking with a smirk.
Could she blame him?
Alessia had initially felt embarrassed, but now she simply ignored the despicable man and comfortably awaited the meal.
Clara looked at Alessia, who seemed to have become the center of attention, and narrowed her eyes displeasedly.
She took a sip of water and her gaze fell on Dominic, openly chuckling.
Grandma Carter looked over sternly.
Clara stared at Alessia, unafraid to speak up.
"Mom, don't look at me like that. I heard your former daughter-in-law has remarried and is still dragging along a pair of twin daughters who are almost the same age as Chris. You're not going to just let it go, are you? Do you want your grandson to reconcile with her? Haha... If that's the case, our Carter family will truly become a gathering of junk."
Grandma Carter choked.
Christopher lifted his head defiantly, his obsidian eyes glaring.
Dominic also turned his head slowly, looking at Grandma Carter, seemingly interested in what Clara had said.
The atmosphere suddenly became eerie.
Bianca usually didn't provoke Clara. They usually got along, but today, she felt her aunt was going too far.
Those twin children were clearly her brother's children. How could her aunt insult her sister-in-law like that at the dinner table!
"Auntie, Sister-in-law didn't remarry. Those twin children are a misunderstanding," Bianca spoke indignantly.
In an instant, everyone's focus shifted to Bianca.
Clara looked at Bianca with a smirk. "Bianca, when did you become Alessia's lackey? Not remarried, misunderstanding about the children? Then where did the children come from, did she pick them up?"
"No, they are..."
***