Chapter 16
Hearing Xander’s words, Anathea let out a quiet, mocking laugh in her heart.
She’d thought that after starting school, he would gradually change. When he’d apologized to her the other day, she’d secretly felt relieved, believing that, at the end of the day, he was still her son–he couldn’t possibly be so heartless as to push her away
completely.
But now, it was clear she’d been too naive. In Xander’s eyes, she was nothing more than an embarrassing mother who could
never compare to the exceptional Natalie.
Anathea didn’t answer his question and instead turned to look at Gregory, who was casually flipping through the documents in
his hands. He occasionally texted Martin with revisions. As always, he was distant and indifferent, acting as if none of this
concerned him.
She averted her gaze, already understanding the situation. Gregory had never publicly acknowledged her as his wife, so there was
no way he would suddenly start now and let her show up with them.
That was also precisely why, when Xander threw a fit about wanting to ride with Natalie, Gregory stayed silent the entire time,
completely unfazed. He didn’t care who sat in the car with him–so long as it wasn’t Anathea.
Anathea reminded herself that they were getting divorced anyway. There was no point in making things harder for herself.
With that in mind, she steadied her emotions and said to Arnold, “Just take them. I’ll drive myself to the Sinclair residence later.”
After all, taking Arnold’s car meant arriving through the front entrance, where she would have to greet Eleanor first. Eleanor had never liked her, and Anathea didn’t see the point in subjecting herself to that.
If she drove herself, she could park in the garage and head straight to Brisa instead. That way, she could also avoid the
judgmental stares.
“But-”
Arnold had barely begun to speak when Xander cheered, hugging Natalie’s arm. “Yay! I get to ride with Ms. Whitman!”
Arnold hesitated, then turned to Gregory for his decision. Yet, the latter remained seated and didn’t even look up. He simply
continued flipping through his documents, completely unbothered by the argument.
Anathea didn’t spare Gregory another glance. Moreover, she had no interest in watching Xander cling to Natalie, so she turned
and walked straight to her car without stopping.
The moment she left, Xander’s face lit up. He thought Anathea was always the easiest to convince.
Clinging to Natalie’s hand, he grinned. “Ms. Whitman, let’s go!”
He wanted all his cousins to see how amazing Natalie was and make them jealous.
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“Alright,” Natalie replied, glancing briefly in Anathea’s direction before her smile deepened. “I remember you like the window seat, so I’ll sit in the middle.”
“Okay!” Xander beamed, thrilled that Natalie actually remembered his little habit.
Natalie smirked and opened the car door, sliding in beside Gregory. Every now and then, she chatted with him, and though Gregory was busy working, he would casually respond.
From the rearview mirror, everything looked perfectly harmonious. However, Arnold quietly shook his head, feeling helpless.
Meanwhile, Anathea watched as the Rolls–Royce pulled away from the estate. Then, she started her car and followed behind. As they approached the Sinclair residence’s grand entrance, Anathea turned left, heading down into the underground garage
instead.
Eleanor’s birthday parties were always extravagant. This year, a custom–made red carpet of about 660 yards stretched from the main gates all the way to the garden, where the party was held. Each yard of that carpet alone cost nearly 60 thousand dollars. Everything at the event was tailored to Eleanor’s taste. Even the dessert plates were collector’s items, while the forks and spoons were made of pure gold. A massive champagne tower stood in the center like a glistening fountain, nearly ten feet tall.
“Rumor has it that Mr. Sinclair absolutely spoils Mrs. Sinclair, giving her anything she wants,” one guest murmured. “Looking at all this, I’d say the rumors are true!”
“A devoted husband, a brilliant son–Mrs. Sinclair’s life is like something straight out of a fairytale!” another guest sighed.
The guests murmured among themselves, their voices filled with admiration and envy. Holden overheard their conversation and
smiled in satisfaction.
Walking over to Eleanor, he placed a hand on her shoulder and said, “I’m going to check on the custom cake I ordered for you.”
“Alright,” Eleanor responded lightly.
She watched Holden walk away before settling back into her chair, her expression unreadable. As guests came up to exchange pleasantries, she merely nodded in acknowledgment, unwilling to engage in small talk.
It wasn’t until she spotted Gregory and Natalie approaching from a distance that her face finally softened into a faint smile. She stood up and greeted them, “You’re finally here. What took you so long?”
“We got held up by something,” Natalie said with a warm smile.
Gregory simply gave Eleanor a polite nod in greeting, while Xander ran up to her and called out sweetly, “Grandma!”
“Xander!” Eleanor pinched his chubby little cheeks, then frowned. “You’ve only been in school for a few days, and you’re already
losing weight?”
Xander touched his face, confused. He hadn’t noticed any difference. In fact, Jenny had told him he looked chubbier than before,
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Chapter 16
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but Eleanor was saying he was thinner.
“I told you it wasn’t a good idea for Xander to start school so early,” Eleanor said, turning to Gregory. “He’d be better off staying
here. I hired private tutors for every subject–he’ll receive the best education. There’s no rush for him to go to school yet.”
Then, she smiled at Xander and coaxed, “What do you think, Xander? Wouldn’t you rather stay here and study? I can arrange it
for you right away.”
Xander hesitated. Studying here meant having tutors who treated him like a little prince. If he got hungry, Eleanor would have the
chef make him pastries. If he got thirsty, there were always fancy drinks waiting for him.
Everyone catered to him, but somehow, he liked going to school better. Sitting in class with other kids and learning together just
felt different from being alone with tutors.
“Xander, answer me,” Eleanor urged, squeezing his hand and giving him a knowing look.
Feeling cornered, Xander glanced at Gregory for help. Even though Gregory had never really paid much attention to his affairs-
or anything outside of work, for that matter–he thought it was worth a shot.
“There’s nothing wrong with starting school early,” Gregory said indifferently.
Xander’s eyes lit up, thinking, “Yes! Dad actually backed me up! I can keep going to school!”
Eleanor frowned slightly, clearly displeased with Gregory’s response. She was about to argue when Natalie quickly looped her arm through Eleanor’s.
“Oh, come on, Eleanor. Since Greg has already decided, why not just go with it?” Natalie said sweetly.
“You’re always taking his side.” Eleanor huffed, but the tension in her face eased as she playfully tapped Natalie’s forehead. “Be
careful, or he’s going to have you wrapped around his little finger.”
At that, Natalie snuck a glance at Gregory. Then, she chuckled softly and admitted in a bashful tone, “I don’t mind.” She added,
“Anyway, let’s not talk about me. It’s your birthday today—look at the gift Greg and I got for you!”
She pulled out an elegant gift box, opening it to reveal a stunning, intricately designed necklace that sparkled under the lights. It
was clear at a glance that it was worth a fortune.
“Greg and I picked this out just for you. Do you like it?”
“I love it. I’d love anything from you two,” Eleanor said, unable to hide her delight. She’d seen plenty of expensive gifts in her lifetime, but this one made her genuinely happy. After all, Gregory and Natalie had chosen it together.
She believed that this meant there was still hope for the two to pursue their relationship.
Eleanor had always adored Natalie. She’d long seen the latter as a daughter and her ideal daughter–in–law. If it hadn’t been for Anathea getting in the way back then, things would have turned out differently.
She’d been bitter about it for five years, which was why she’d never been kind to Anathea. However, things were looking
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Chapter 16
promising again.
TO DU
As Xander dragged Natalie away to play, Eleanor took the opportunity to step closer to Gregory. She didn’t beat around the bush. “So, when are you divorcing Anathea?”
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