Chapter 363
Worried about leaving the two elderly people at home alone since Jeanie was staying overnight, Elise decided not to remain at the dormitory that night.
On the way home, she remembered what Danny had said, so she suddenly asked, “Does the Griffith Family really require the $K Group’s power?”
“Not really. That organization operates on the fringes of the law and isn’t easily controlled. It’s just that other families are vying for it as well, and we’d be at a loss if we didn’t catch up” Alexander answered casually, more focused on driving.
“I see.
So, it’s in high demand simply because many people are vying for it.” She turned her head to look at him. “And you? Are you intending to ally with them?”
With a mild chuckle, he answered, “I don’t really wish to.” After a pause, he elaborated, “It’s not that I’m so against it, either; in fact, as long as the SK Group ignores all of the families, the fuss will die off very quickly.”
“They sound like a sh*t stirrer based on how you’re talking about them,” she teased.
Alexander chuckled deeply in response. “If they heard you say that through a wiretap, we would be in big trouble.”
“They wouldn’t dare,” she responded without elaboration.
Somewhat surprised by Elise’s reply, Alexander studied her casually through the rearview mirror, but she had already turned her head away, obviously having no intention to explain herself. So, he dropped the topic.
Meanwhile, ever since leaving the police station, Madeline had been acting soullessly.
Her mind kept replaying the words that Elise and Alexander had said to her before they left.
Even when Adam set her lunch out in front of her, she didn’t respond.
“Are you okay? You’ve been acting strangely ever since we returned this afternoon.” He finally put down his fork, intending to have a good talk with her.
“I’m fine,” she replied absent-mindedly.
To Madeline, Adam had never paid much attention to the family’s activities, so there was no point in discussing her concerns with him now.
Not intending to drop the topic, he opened his mouth, about to say something when her cell phone rang.
Without looking at the caller ID, she put the phone to her ear. “Yes?”
“It’s me, Mrs. Griffith. Do you have time to talk?”
Upon hearing Amelia’s voice, Madeline spared her husband a single glance before standing up and taking the phone call out on the balcony.
Only after sliding the glass door shut did she say more loudly, “We can speak freely now, Madam Olson.”
“In that case, I won’t beat around the bush. I’m sure you know what happened between my son and your future daughter-in-law. You should know why I’m seeking you out.” Amelia’s tone was calm and not the least bit beseeching.
After a lifetime of being put on a pedestal, she had her nose in the air; it was difficult for her to learn how to humble herself.
However, while Madeline did not care much about that, she was momentarily at a loss for how to respond to something concerning Elise and Alexander.
Noticing Madeline’s lack of a reaction, Amelia continued to speak to her own interests. “Young people are arrogant; it’s very normal for them to get into clashes. That being said, we can’t conduct our affairs based on what’s happening right in front of our faces alone. Given that both the Olson and Griffith Family are famed and respected clans in Tissote, we’re bound to have interactions again in the future. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“I understand. It’s simply that…” In all honesty, Madeline wasn’t even sure if she could call the shots on Alexander’s behalf, let alone Elise’s.
“Mrs. Griffith!” Hearing the hesitation in her voice, Amelia immediately hardened her attitude. “Jeremy and Johan are responsible for the future prosperity of the Olson Family Clan. If anything happens to them, I dare not guarantee that no one else within my family would take drastic action. By that point, the situation will have deteriorated beyond our control!”
Miserably, Madeline fell silent as she knew that Amelia was correct. The Olson Family Clan hadn’t had a good reputation in Tissote in recent years. There were no lengths to which they wouldn’t go and if the Griffiths forced them into a corner, they would have no choice but to retaliate,
Ultimately, it was better to have one more friend than one more enemy.
After yet another moment of silence, Madeline finally threw caution to the wind and said into the phone, “I’ll try, but I can’t make any guarantees. Also, Mrs. Shoal, don’t think this is because the Griffiths are afraid of the Olson Family Clan. If anything, I’m merely humoring you!”
With that, Madeline hung up.
At the end of the day, she was still the only mistress of the Griffith Family. She wasn’t going to let anyone intimidate her just like that.
Nevertheless, setting her anger aside, she opened up her contacts and located a number with a gray avatar next to it. And then, she made a call to the number.
Very quickly, the call connected. Without making any small talk, she got straight to the point. “Where is he?”
Only after going to the supermarket and buying a ton of ingredients did Elise and Alexander return home. After dropping Elise off at the door, Alexander headed back to work.
As she started preparing lunch, Jeanie entered the kitchen to help.
However, used to being pampered and waited on regardless of her state of mind, there wasn’t much Jeanie could do but rinse the vegetables.
Glad to see Elise, she began to start up some idle chatter.
“In today’s world, there aren’t many young women left like you who would make both a wonderful homemaker and a fantastic conversationalist at a dinner party, Miss Sinclair.”
“I don’t think that’s the case. There are many such women in the world,” Elise answered carelessly. “It’s simply that you haven’t met them yet.”
“That might be true.” Jeanie nodded before sighing wistfully. “I have, indeed, not left the house or experienced the outside world in a long time.”
Coming to the abrupt realization that she had misspoken, Elise paused in the midst
of cutting up the vegetables to comfort sympathetically, “You’re young yet. There’s no rush.”
Upon hearing that, Jeanie muttered pessimistically, “I fear I won’t live to see that day as long as my daughter is still around.”
Inexplicably, Elise felt a dull ache in her chest, as if she could sense Jeanie’s pain.
And so, she put down her knife and lifted her head to meet Jeanie’s gaze in earnest. Solemnly, she told Jeanie, “I can help you. As long as you speak up, I can help you clean it all up.”
The sudden goodwill took Jeanie aback but when she recalled what Faye could do, she furrowed her brow. “It’s okay. I’ve put you on the spot enough these few days, and I don’t wish to cause Sinclair Family any trouble by involving you in my family affairs.”
BA
“But I don’t think it’s any trouble,” Elise told her earnestly. “I’m only doing what I want to.”
Indeed, Elise never looked into things too deeply and only followed her heart.
If she wanted Jeanie to stay, she would allow it; if she wanted to help Jeanie, Jeanie only needed to speak up. Elise’s only precondition was that it was what the other party needed.
To the best of her ability, Elise tried to look as genuine and sincere as possible to Jeanie so that the other woman would know she could be trusted.
Meanwhile, a voice in Jeanie’s head told her Elise could be relied upon.
On the other hand, another voice told Jeanie that Elise was too good to be hurt. The former simply would not drag the young woman into the bottomless hellhole that was the Anderson Family.
And so, after the momentary stand-off, Jeanie finally glossed over the topic with a laugh. “Let’s not talk about this any longer. We’d better get moving. Starving must be the worst fate for an old person!”
It was her subtle way of declining the offer.
Understanding Jeanie’s meaning, Elise could only drop the topic. Lowering her head, she picked up the knife and continued prepping for lunch.
It was only that, in the time following that, they each had a load on their mind now and could no longer chatter as cordially as they had before.
