"What are you doing?" Ava turned her head warily, but Alessia's hand still landed on her head.
However, Alessia quickly withdrew her hand.
Alessia said calmly, "There was a moth on your head just now, but it's gone now."
Ava glanced suspiciously at Alessia's hand, and just then, a white moth flew past her eyes.
Ava frowned slightly, then dismissed her doubts.
Alessia watched Ava leave the gate, then opened her palm and found two strands of hair on it.
The more she interacted with Ava, the less she felt like a mother who had finally found her child after so much effort. It all seemed too fake and superficial.
However, the truth could be discussed later. First, she needed to redo the paternity test.
This time, the sample was taken by herself, so there was no possibility of a mistake.
The test would be conducted tomorrow, and the results would be available the day after. It would be before the kinship banquet.
Alessia made up her mind and was about to go back inside when she saw Bianca walking over with Christian and Christopher while talking on the phone.
Living opposite was indeed convenient.
Alessia watched as Bianca squeezed into the house while on the phone, looking like she was back in her own home, then patted the heads of the two kids.
"Where's Elle?"
When it came to Eleanor, Christian's mood dampened, and he tightly held Alessia's hand. "Daddy took Elle to the hospital. Mommy, don't be sad. Daddy said it's just a routine check-up, and Elle will be fine."
Alessia held Christian's hand in return, this boy was clearly the nervous one.
It seemed that he had been traumatized by Eleanor's frequent illnesses since childhood.
She softened her gaze a bit. "Mommy isn't worried at all. Mommy knows that Daddy is taking Elle for a check-up these days."
Dominic would take Eleanor for a check-up, which she had anticipated yesterday.
With Dominic's domineering and controlling nature, how could he believe whatever she said?
Eleanor's illness couldn't be faked. After Dominic checked her, if he took it seriously, it would be fine. Although she was confident in her medical skills, if Dominic had other means, it would be better.
Even if not, Eleanor's illness still depended on her Grandpa.
Then she could talk to Dominic and ask him to help find her Grandpa together.
After all, it was all for Eleanor's illness. Dominic shouldn't refuse, and she wouldn't be taking advantage of him.
Alessia gathered her thoughts and went back inside. Bianca was still on the phone.
"Yes, yes, yes... Hurry up and come over. I'll introduce you to Al and also the sweet sisters you saw at the hotel last time. I promised them for you."
"Yes, it's the one you mentioned, Elle."
"Do you think I'd lie to you? Come over, there will definitely be surprises. If you keep hesitating, do you still want to be my partner?"
After a phone call full of coercion and bragging, Bianca hung up.
On the other end, Jessie was about to say something, but there was no sound on the phone.
She smiled helplessly and took off her Bluetooth headset, suddenly feeling a bit worried.
Her aunt had called her not long ago and told her to teach her cousin banquet etiquette as soon as possible. She wanted her cousin to look like a rich young lady at the banquet.
Last time they had dinner together, she thought her cousin was very good and didn't need any teaching.
But this cousin might not be very smart. She had already reminded her that there were no good people in the Ramirez family, but she didn't know how to run away yet.
A kinship banquet...
Heh, in her opinion, it was just a bidding war that hadn't started yet.
Thinking of this, she felt a little bored and sped up the car.
She arrived at Forest Hill soon and saw Bianca waiting outside in person, which surprised her.
She pushed open the car door and said with a surprised but delighted expression, "Miss Carter, are you personally welcoming me?"
Bianca rolled her eyes. "Quit the nonsense and hurry up. I'll take you in to meet Al and the twins."
Jessie looked at Bianca's expression and finally realized that she wasn't being introduced but was being shown off.
She really wanted to see what Al looked like!
Jessie followed Bianca inside.
Bianca asked, "I heard your family is causing trouble again?"
"Yeah," Jessie replied weakly.
"What's it about this time?" Bianca inquired.
"It's hard to explain in a few words," Jessie said unenthusiastically.
"Is it because of that cousind you found recently?" Bianca smirked and continued to pry.
"Sort of. My cousin used to wander outside and suffered a lot. She not only lives in the countryside now but also divorced and has two children. You know what the Ramirez family is like. They're ruthless people who can pluck feathers from a flying goose. I'm not a good person either. I want to help her, but I can't even protect myself," Jessie said, stretching lazily. This time, she was speaking the truth.
Bianca looked at Jessie with a hint of pity in her eyes. She knew very well what kind of life her friend had in the Ramirez family.
In the past, in order to negotiate a business deal, the Ramirez family shamelessly married Jessie, who had just graduated from university, to a fifty-year-old man.
If she hadn't rushed over with people that day, Jessie would have been ruined.
Over the years, Jessie had worked hard to build her career, but she still couldn't escape the tragic fate of being involved in a business marriage.
She had always wanted to help her friend.
When she found out that her sister-in-law was the daughter the Ramirez family had abandoned outside, she was shocked.
During these days, she had gradually learned that her sister-in-law had not revealed anything about herself to the Ramirez family.
She couldn't interfere in the Ramirez family's affairs as an outsider, but she could secretly help Jessie and her sister-in-law get closer.
So that Jessie would have someone to rely on in the Ramirez family.
From her observations, her sister-in-law was definitely a hidden powerhouse, and she was the kind that hid it very well.
With these thoughts in mind, Bianca put her hand on Jessie's shoulder and led her forward. "Alright, I have a big surprise for you today."
"A surprise? Is it just Al?" Jessie looked like she had already figured it out.
Bianca shook her finger. "No, there's another surprise."
Jessie looked disbelieving, but at this moment, Bianca opened the door and pushed her inside.
Jessie shook her head with a smile. When she looked up, she saw Alessia sitting on the sofa reading a book. She widened her eyes in surprise and muttered, "Cousin...?"
When Alessia heard the voice, she also looked over. Seeing Jessie, she just gave her a cold glance and then looked away.
She hadn't expected Bianca's friend to be Jessie, but for her, Jessie was just a somewhat familiar stranger, and she wouldn't have any impact on her.
Instead, Bianca, who peeked in from outside the door, finally saw the astonished look on Jessie's face, a mischievous gleam flashing in her eyes. She stepped inside and, still holding Jessie, walked towards Alessia.
Realizing what was happening, Jessie, completely baffled, looked at Bianca with eyes full of question marks.
All her expressions seemed to ask: Why is my cousin here? Why? Why?
But Bianca acted as if she couldn't see it and kept walking until she stopped, letting go of Jessie and gesturing proudly towards Alessia.
"Jessie, let me introduce you formally. This super beautiful lady, Alessia La Rosa, is the chief designer and owner of LR Studio, and also my sister-in-law."
Buzz!
Jessie's mind exploded instantly.
She knew Alessia, but the chief designer and owner of LR Studio, and her sister-in-law? What was going on?
Bianca's brother was only Dominic Carter, right?
Dominic? Alessia?
A rich young man who grew up with a golden key, and a country girl who was abandoned in the countryside since childhood. She couldn't find any way to connect these two people.
At this moment, Alessia, who had been quietly allowing Bianca to make a scene, finally spoke up. She only said one word, "Former!"
"Hehe!" Bianca laughed awkwardly. Although she wasn't very willing, she changed her words, "Yes, Jessie, this is my former sister-in-law, but she's still my sister-in-law."
Former sister-in-law!
Jessie finally understood.
Dominic's ex-wife had indeed been chosen by Old Madam Carter. He was married to a fat and ugly country girl. Bianca had complained about her to her before.
Wait!
Jessie blinked and caught the key point. "Bianca, didn't you tell me that your former sister-in-law was fat, ugly, and always pestering your brother? You hated your former sister-in-law the most!"
"Shut up! Did I call you here to expose me?" Bianca pounced over as soon as she heard this, covering Jessie's mouth. She looked embarrassed and tried to please Alessia, saying, "Hehe, Sister-in-law, those were things I said when I was young and ignorant. You're an adult, don't take it to heart."
Alessia raised an eyebrow, showing little emotion. She was well aware of Bianca's attitude towards her in the past.
Jessie, looking at Alessia's indifferent appearance, was stunned for a moment, then let go of her worries.
Perhaps only a woman with such magnanimity could win the favor of Old Madam Carter and marry Dominic, and now she was also loved by Bianca.
Now that she thought about it, she felt that she had been too simple-minded.
"Sia!" Jessie recalled her interactions with Alessia last time, realizing that nothing unpleasant had happened. She greeted her openly.
***