May Sutton looked absolutely livid. "Even now, you're still taking Cecilia Adler's side? Are you really not afraid she'll end up better off than you?"
Vivian Lee was at a loss for words.
'She couldn't just tell her mom about being reborn.'
'Even if she did, her mom would never believe her.'
To ensure Cecilia Adler could marry Ian Quincy without a hitch, she gritted her teeth and said, "Mom, Ian Quincy isn't what you imagine. Stop trying to play matchmaker. You should go apologize to my sister. She's Dad's daughter, after all."
May Sutton was dumbfounded.
Inside the room, Lucas Lee was silent for a moment, seemingly choosing his words carefully. "Cecilia, look. Since you came to this family, you've never once called your aunt 'Mom,' and she's never held it against you. That's enough to show she's a kind and magnanimous person.
She asked you to do chores for two reasons. First, she wants you to be more diligent, so your future in-laws will take a liking to you. Second, she was afraid you'd feel like she wasn't treating you as one of her own. I mean, think about it, do guests ever do chores? It's always the hosts, isn't it?"
Cecilia Adler almost laughed out of sheer anger.
'So, was she supposed to thank May Sutton for this "training"? Thank her for treating her "like family"?'
She wasn't buying Lucas Lee's act. "I'm unworthy of such wonderful treatment!" she said bluntly.
Lucas Lee sighed and placated her. "Fine, you don't have to do them, alright? Just focus on being a bride."
Cecilia Adler was still fuming, but she wasn't actually planning to leave. After all, she had so many stamps to sell.
'Who would she sell them to back in the village?'
She puffed out her cheeks and gave a reluctant hum of agreement.
Lucas Lee comforted her for a little while longer before leaving and closing the door behind him. He turned and met Vivian Lee's gaze. "Vivian, when you have free time from now on, help Cecilia out with some of the chores."
"Dad, I didn't expect my recent laziness would make my sister so angry. I'll apologize to her."
The more understanding Vivian Lee acted, the more unreasonable Cecilia Adler appeared in contrast.
Lucas Lee lightly patted Vivian Lee's shoulder. "You're still the considerate one."
'Kids raised in the village are just hopeless.'
'She usually acts all meek and agreeable.'
'But in reality, she has no sense of propriety at all.'
He said with some regret, "Your mom told me Ian Quincy grew up to be tall and handsome. I wanted you to be the one engaged to him, but you just had to..."
"Dad, my sister has no education and no job. She needs this marriage more than I do."
"Good girl. You've really had to sacrifice. To go to such lengths for Cecilia... I'm just afraid she won't appreciate it."
"..."
Cecilia Adler's hearing was excellent. Even through the closed door, and with the father and daughter deliberately lowering their voices, she still made out their entire conversation.
'They really are a family, all cut from the same hypocritical cloth.'
'At least after this whole fiasco, she had a complete picture of who Vivian Lee was.'
'She also knew that Vivian Lee had given this engagement to her.'
'Ian Quincy was an excellent catch by all accounts, yet Vivian Lee didn't want him. She even avoided him like the plague, favoring that rather unattractive hoodlum instead.'
'It didn't make any sense.'
'The only possibility was that Vivian Lee knew about some flaw of Ian Quincy's.'
'But Ian Quincy had been in the Northwest the whole time. Vivian Lee couldn't have possibly met him, right?'
She really couldn't figure out the reason, so she decided to visit the Quillan family tomorrow and, while she was at it, ask the neighbors about Ian Quincy's character.
「The next morning.」
Cecilia Adler secretly brought some pastries and headed to the Quillan family's home in the East District.
She had only been there twice.
Once for the matchmaking meeting with Mrs. Quincy, who was standing in for Ian Quincy, and the second time for the engagement.
At the moment, the main gate to the Quillan family's home was tightly shut.
She reached out and knocked on the door. "Ian, Ian."
After the second knock, a voice came from inside the house. "What are you doing here? Go back!"
Cecilia Adler could hear the hidden anger in the person's voice.
'Are his parents not home?'
Just then, an elderly female neighbor poked her head out from the house next door, watching.
Cecilia Adler glanced at her before continuing to knock, her voice soft and gentle. "Ian, I came especially to see you. Just open the door first. It's cold out here."