“If he didn’t keep the old master out of harm’s way in those days, the old master wouldn’t be able to live out his years in the south. The Katz family are not of humble stock, do you get me?”
Lucy finally realized that Xavier was placing her in a higher social status on purpose.
With her head slightly hung low, she forced a smile. “I understand.”
Xavier gazed at her and softly sighed.
A fatherless child sometimes had no choice but to put their pride away.
A person without backing was not in a position to be willful and do as they pleased as they would risk losing everything following one false move.
Without another word, he led them to the dining hall.
During this time, the maids already had the sumptuous banquet ready in the dining hall.
Natalie might not like Lucy, but she was not going to ruin the mood of the rare gathering today.
Hence, she was instructing the maids to arrange the cutleries and as such.
When they came into the room, Natalie swept a glance at Lucy and faintly chuckled.
“Miss Katz, if you don’t mind, why don’t you take a seat with me here?”
Everyone was taken aback.
The Fosters’ dining table was a rectangular marble kind.
At the absence of the old master, the head of the table sat Natalie and Xavier on each side.
Since John was not around, Joel took a seat just beside Xavier.
By right, Lucy should sit with Joel as his wife.
In other words, on the right-hand side of Joel.
Yet now, Natalie wanted Lucy to sit over at her side but Wendy, her niece was already sitting beside her.
This was to say that Lucy would sit on Wendy’s left-hand side, the lowliest position in the family as of the foot of the table.
Everyone’s expression changed.
About to get up, Wendy said, “Cousin, why don’t you sit here...”
Natalie interrupted her before she could finish.
She lifted her head and glared at Wendy. “What? It’s not like you always can have a meal with me. You’re going back to South City in two days, can’t you sit with me for a while?”
She then lifted her chin and stared at Lucy all happy. Natalie continued. “I heard that you’re kind and considerate. In those days that your mother was still in the capital, she had quite the hand in waiting on people.
“Come to think of it, she helped me with my confinement after I gave birth to Joel. Our Wendy only comes to the capital once in a few years. You know kids, they can’t sit down long enough to finish their food. Could I trouble you to take care of her? I hope you don’t mind?”
Lucy’s complexion turned sullen.
Her fingers under the table were clenched in a bundle.
Of course everyone could tell that Natalie was ordering her around like a nanny.
It was fine to sit over there but Natalie would still give her a hard time even if she took a seat there as requested.
Moreover, Natalie intentionally brought up that her mother had once helped take care of her during confinement.
She was putting Lucy’s family down in social class, criticizing them to be only worthy of waiting on people and undeserving to be together with Joel.
Lucy shook from head to toe with anger.
Just then, a loud bang was heard.
Joel slammed his chopsticks down on the table.
With a frown, Xavier observed Joel looking upset and subconsciously cautioned a warning. “Joel, if you have something to say, wait until you finish your food!”
Joel coldly scoffed.
With fury filling her tummy, there was no way she could eat anymore.
Slamming her chopsticks on the table, Natalie chided, “Enough! You can finish dinner by yourself. I’m full!”
She then stood up and shot a hateful look at Lucy before taking strides to head out.
Xavier frowned.
Joel retained a straight face, seemingly unperturbed by his mother leaving in a huff.
Wendy, on the other hand, was worried.
Staring at Joel, she muttered with concern, “Cousin, Aunt...”
“Don’t bother with her.”
Joel faintly said as he retrieved the bamboo sprout Natalie refused to eat into his bowl. He then scooped a bowl of soup for Lucy and proceeded with the conversation. “Wendy, women in this world are more adorable when they’re kind. Don’t learn from your aunt, so mean in her middle age. No wonder people don’t like...”
An angry cry cut in before he could finish.
“You’re out of line!”
Joel shut his mouth and placed the bowl of soup in front of Lucy before turning to his father.
With a frown and a sour look on his face, Xavier fixed his gaze on Joel and replied disapprovingly, “She’s your mother. How can you say such a thing about your mother?”
Joel grinned.
“I only told the truth because she’s my mother. I won’t be willing to say this much if it were someone else.”
“You!”
Lucy suddenly spoke up. “Uncle.”
She got up and with her eyes on Xavier. Neither supercilious nor obsequious, she softly said, “After so much talk, it was all because Aunt Foster doesn’t like me. I thought that she’ll slowly get to know me and approve of me as time goes by.”
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