This stumped Aurelia.
“Why… He doesn’t like it?”
“No!” Cordelia hurried to say, “I’m just curious. He’s my cousin and an award-winning actor with many fans in Centrolis. Why is he an uncle when it comes to you?”
Aurelia looked down slightly with a blush.
She gripped the glass and rubbed it with her finger anxiously, but the corners of her lips were discreetly ticking upward.
Why was he called an uncle? It was because Neil was a man who was mature, stable, and had a cold hint in her first impression, just like… the merciless assassins in mystery novels.
Back then, she genuinely thought he was an uncle she could not approach.
Later, the term of address became her special way of addressing him. She called everyone else by their names. It was only different when it came to him.
“Uncle” put distance between them and avoided suspicions from others.
The feeling was strange. She missed him when she did not see him but was afraid when she did see him, worried that others would see through her, so “uncle” was a way she carefully guarded her meek pride.
Aurelia chuckled.
Cordelia held her hand. She had long seen through everything.
“Oh, yeah.” Cordelia changed the topic. “Did you realize that our names are similar?”
“Huh?” Aurelia jolted.
“There’s a ‘lia’ in both our names. It means gentle!”
“Really?” Aurelia smiled embarrassedly. “I can speak the language but can’t spell, so I don’t know how your name is spelled!”
“It’s okay if you don’t know my name.” Cordelia pulled a piece of paper over. “You’ve got to remember Neil’s name, though!”
“Cordelia…”
“There, see!” Cordelia grinned. “Aurelia means the golden one, and Neil means victory or champion. You both are even more connected!”
Aurelia flushed red instantly. She bit her lips and slipped off to the side.
The doorbell rang then, and the maid went to open the door, but no one came in after a while.
Cordelia was puzzled but heard a vague commotion.
“What are you doing? This is my cousin’s home. I’m here to see my cousin-in-law!”
“Sorry, Ms. Baker. Mr. Hamerton has said that you’re not allowed inside this villa!”
“Stop assuming authority when you have none! Do you not know me?”
“Who’s making so much noise?” Cordelia came out with a hand on her back and snickered when she saw it was Ava. “Oh, it’s you, Ava. What can I help you with?”
Ava was going to speak when Aurelia, who was beside Cordelia, attracted her gaze.
This was the expert who had changed all the holes in the dresses to embroidered patterns in the blink of an eye!
She clenched her hands, nails piercing her palms, and her gaze turned vicious.
“Hah, Cordelia!” Ava acted. “I’m here to visit you!”
what she
of vitamins was a rare
apologetically. “Cordelia, these are just a token. They’re
was no free
It was a surprise that this mother-daughter duo was still
be honest,” Cordelia said flatly. “You know me, I
and let my mom go back to the board of directors! She knows she’s wrong and has been
she’s wrong?” Cordelia scoffed. “Ava, is this all Aunt Hannah’s fault? I think it’s more like
“You—”
have witnesses and evidence. Do you think I don’t know the truth? Only you’d do something so
as she sucked in
approval.” Cordelia was clear about it. “Go back, Ava. It’s well within reason to be punished for
This stumped Aurelia.
He doesn’t
actor with many fans in Centrolis. Why is he
slightly with
with her finger anxiously, but the corners of her lips
man who was mature, stable, and
thought he was an uncle she could not
addressing him. She called everyone else by their names. It
put distance between them and avoided suspicions
see him, worried that others would see through her, so “uncle”
Aurelia chuckled.
hand. She had long seen
yeah.” Cordelia changed the topic. “Did you realize that our names are
“Huh?” Aurelia jolted.
a ‘lia’ in both our names.
embarrassedly. “I can speak the language but can’t spell, so I
name.” Cordelia pulled a piece
“Cordelia…”
Cordelia grinned. “Aurelia means the golden one, and Neil means victory or champion. You both are even more
She bit her lips
and the maid went to open the door, but no one came in after
was puzzled but heard a
This is my cousin’s home. I’m here
Mr. Hamerton has said that
authority when you have none! Do you
making so much noise?” Cordelia came out with a hand on her back and snickered
speak when Aurelia, who was beside Cordelia, attracted her
expert who had changed all the holes in the dresses to embroidered patterns
clenched her hands, nails piercing her palms, and her gaze
Ava acted. “I’m here
what she had brought
box of vitamins was a rare blend with an even higher
just a
smirked. There was no free lunch
of the whole board of directors. It was a surprise that this mother-daughter duo was still up
Cordelia said flatly. “You know me, I
favor and let my mom go back to the board of directors! She knows she’s wrong and has been
Cordelia scoffed. “Ava, is this all Aunt Hannah’s fault? I think it’s more like she’s the scapegoat for
“You—”
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!