âWho are you to speculate, Aunt Lisa?â
âExactly. No one saw the letter, other than Grandpa. It could be something else!â Sheila stood up for Nicole as well.
Lisa crossed her arms and snorted. âEven if itâs something else, it must be something outrageous, seeing that it has angered the old man as such.â
âEveryone shut up! Iâll make that person pay if I hear another word!â Evan declared, a chill wafting across his body.
Knowing how merciless Evan could be, the Seets kept silent and dismissed themselves tactfully.
The children stood by their motherâs side. Although they didnât know what was going on, the unpleasant expression on her face was palpable.
Their faces were taut with concern, but they didnât know how to share her worries.
âEvan, I want to see Grandpa and ask whatâs going on.â
Evan nodded. He wanted to know what was written in the letter as well.
He told Davin and Sheila to send the kids home before heading upstairs to Russellâs study with Nicole. Jonathan and Sophia followed anxiously behind.
âMr. Evan, Iâm afraid that Mr. Russell doesnât want to see anyone right now.â Derrick stopped them from taking a step further.
âI want to see him. I need to make things clearâ¦â
âMs. Lane, youâre the last person that Mr. Russell wants to see. I suggest that you send her home first, Mr. Evan.â
âWhat exactly is going on, Derrick?â Evan asked as he regarded Derrick with confusion. He must have known something if Grandpa told him to keep the letter.
Derrick sighed, looking troubled. After a long while, he uttered softly, âItâs a grudge passed on from the previous generation.â
Having said that, he glanced at Nicole before bowing to Evan as he headed back to the study.
A grudge from the previous generation?
Evan looked at Nicole, who was just as surprised as he was.
Does that mean that itâs related to Nicoleâs father? What kind of grudge could it be for Grandpa to have reacted so dramatically?
âLetâs go home first,â Evan suggested.
Nicole nodded in silence.
Knowing that it wasnât some indecent photo, but a grudge passed on from the previous generation, Sophia was relieved that Russellâs anger had no direct relationship with Nicole.
âCheer up. Iâll try to talk to the old man,â she comforted.
âThank you.â
âEvan, take good care of Nicole.â
Evan nodded and left with Nicole in his arms.
âThis wouldnât have happened if we didnât allow them to be together in the first place.â Jonathan sighed, looking at Sophia.
âYou heard it. Itâs something to do with the past. This isnât Nicoleâs fault! You canât just blame her,â Sophia uttered incredulously.
âWho said anything about blaming her? Iâm blaming you. You shouldnât have agreed to it in the first place!â
âHmph! Iâll do what I want!â
I guess Iâve been too forbearing lately that you donât know whoâs the boss in the family, do you? So theyâve said, never spoiled a woman or theyâll climb all over you.
Jonathan sighed and marched off to his study.
At the garage, Nicole suggested that they pay Zane a visit, in search of some clues.
She was dying to know the reason for Russellâs sudden change in attitude.
Evan was curious as well. He wanted to know what Zane had done to tick his grandfather off. If it were just a dispute about business, his grandfather wouldnât have been so angry.
Along the way to the Lane family villa, Nicole was feeling very uneasy as Russellâs words echoed in his ears.
âI forbid you to marry this woman!â
âAnd never allow her to set foot in the Seet family again!â