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 had
box of vitamins was a rare
these are just a
no free lunch in
front of the whole board of directors. It was a surprise
flatly. “You know me, I don’t
my mom go back to the board of directors! She knows she’s wrong and has
all Aunt Hannah’s fault?
“You—”
know the truth? Only you’d do something so stupid as to let others
as she
do it without her silent approval.” Cordelia was clear about it. “Go back, Ava. It’s well
This stumped Aurelia.
He doesn’t
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
looked down slightly
gripped the glass and rubbed it with her finger anxiously, but the corners
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
then, she genuinely thought he was an uncle she
became her special way of addressing him. She called everyone else by their
between them and avoided suspicions from
when she did see him, worried
Aurelia chuckled.
hand. She had long
topic. “Did you realize that our names
“Huh?” Aurelia jolted.
in both our names. It means
but can’t spell, so I don’t know how your
pulled a piece of
“Cordelia…”
means the golden one, and Neil means victory or champion. You both are
instantly. She bit her lips and slipped off to
open the door, but no one came in after a
was puzzled but heard a vague
doing? This is my cousin’s
Mr. Hamerton has said that you’re not
have none! Do you not know
noise?” Cordelia came out with a hand on her back and snickered when
going to speak when Aurelia, who was beside Cordelia, attracted her
holes in the dresses to embroidered patterns in the blink of an
her palms, and
acted. “I’m
she had
quality tonics, and the box of vitamins was a rare blend with an even
are just a token. They’re for
no free
the whole board of directors. It was a
said flatly. “You know me, I don’t like
I’ll go on.” Ava paused. “Cordelia, please ask Zephyr for a favor and let my mom go back to the board of directors! She knows she’s wrong and has been crying at home these
is this all Aunt Hannah’s fault?
“You—”
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!