Chapter 16

This night, Rita slept very well. She had slept there for several years before, and the cozy space provided her with a sense of comfort. The next morning, Rita made her way downstairs to the dining area where the Old Master and Nelson were already Nelsonted. Emma was also present, her serious expression belying her soft and gentle tone as she said, "Dad, have some oatmeal porridge." The butler observed the scene and couldn't help feeling emotional. "It's been ages since the Old Master ate with the family." Since Rita disappeared three years ago, the Old Master hadn't had a single meal with his family, not even on Christmas and Thanksgiving day. Rita meant a lot to him. When Rita heard it on the way downstairs, she felt warm and a little sad. When she was still at home in the past, Old Master had always been eating with everyone. The three years of lonely eating were because he missed her, and also because he vented his anger on the whole family.. Grandpa had always doted on her the most in this family. Nelson sat next to the Old Master, but upon seeing him, the latter's mood dampened. "Now that Rita is back, you should make amends and take good care of her. Consider it an apology, understood?" Nelson frowned slightly. He also wanted to do as his grandfather said, but obviously, Rita rejected him very much. Emma interjected, "Rita just returned. She must be tired and so Nelson didn't ask her for breakfast. What she needs is rest. Don't worry, Dad. I've already prepared a hot meal for her, and she can eat it when she wakes up." Emma's words appeased the old man's expression, but he still couldn't stand Nelson. "Grandpa, Mrs. Wallis, good morning." Rita walked down the stairs and greeted them in the dining room. Upon seeing her, the old man was overjoyed. "Rita, come and join us for breakfast." Rita agreed. "Why not?" There was only one Nelsont left at the table next to Nelson. She didn't want to sit there, but she had no choice. The man was as cold as usual. This breakfast was more uncomfortable than yesterday's dinner. After the meal, the old man said to Nelson, "If you still don't understand, don't bother coming back. I've seen enough of you. Now that Rita is back, I'm satisfied. It doesn't matter to me whether I have you or not." Nelson said nothing. Ken, the assistant who came to pick up Nelson to work, happened to hear this. He didn't know that his boss had such a low status in his family. Now he knew why the boss always stayed in other houses for these years. What a miserable situation. ...... News of Rita's return to New Clamport caused quite a stir in the past few days. Before the excitement had even settled down, a photo emerged in the upper circle that caused a sensation. Everyone had been wondering who would earn the Wallis' favor, Laurel? Or Rita? Soon, in the afternoon, it was reported that Emma had personally taken her daughter-in-law to a party. The jewelry the daughter-in-law was wearing was high-end jewelry bought by Emma two years ago. That daughter-in-law turned out to be Rita Esther. It was now obvious who the Wallis family had favored. In a high-end apartment in New Clamport, Laurel was so angry that she smashed the cup in her hand. She glared at the photo in fury. In the picture, Rita had her arm wrapped around Emma's, looking casual and confident. Her noble demeanor seemed to come naturally. Laurel was so angry that she felt like she was losing her mind. She wildly smashed everything within reach. She looked anything but an elegant young lady from a respected family. "Miss Bach, what are you doing?" Meg, her assistant, had a key to her apartment. When she opened the door and saw the mess, she hurried over to clean up. When Laurel saw her, her face was cold. "What are you doing here?" Meg sighed and said, "We've lost a lot of money this time. Let me update you on the damages." Her words only made Laurel angrier. That show had been ruined by Rita! That fucking ill-bred bitch! ...... The impact of the party was beyond Rita's expectation. That afternoon, as she had tea with the Old Master, Rita pondered how she could broach the topic with him. In the end, it was the old man who spoke first. "Are you planning to divorce Nelson?" Rita's heart skipped a beat. She looked up at her grandfather's aged and cloudy eyes. Her voice trembled. The old man sighed and said, "My dear, I understand that Nelson has caused you much pain and sorrow. But could you consider holding off on getting a divorce until after I'm gone? Do it for me. It would mean the world to me."