Chapter 269 Jealousy
Cassandra smiled as she wiped her tears. “Please excuse me. I was just too overwhelmed. I haven’t seen you in so many years, and it’s a surprise to see Amelia all grown up. You’ve become so beautiful.”
“Mom, what are you doing? She’s back already, so there’s no need to cry.” Jack frowned.
Cassandra said smilingly, “Yes, she’s back now, so why am I crying? Old people tend to cry easily, so please
excuse me.
Elias didn’t say a word throughout the process. He just silently took care of Aiden and kept putting food on the latter’s plate.
Aiden was quite obedient, too. His small mouth was constantly chewing, and he stopped making any fusses.
Another person at the dining table was also quiet throughout the meal: Stephanie. However, when Stephanie saw the harmonious scene, she felt upset.
In the past, everyone’s attention would be drawn to her and her only. She was pampered by everyone in the house. Now that her sister was back, her family seemed to have forgotten about her. She was ignored as if she had turned into air.
“Mom, can you not be so biased? I want to eat fish too!” Stephanie couldn’t stand it any longer. Edith had. placed a lot of food on Amanda’s plate, and her gaze seemed to be glued to Amanda.
Edith, however, was a little annoyed. “Stop being so childish. Your sister has just come back, and I haven’t seen her in so many years. Are you going to get jealous just because I put food on her plate?”
Stephanie couldn’t believe that Edith, who usually pampered her the most, could say something like that. The others seemed to find it reasonable as well.
aroun
Stephanie couldn’t stand it anymore. She put down her utensils and turned around to leave the dining hall.
Cassandra called out, “Stephanie, sit down. I’ll get some food for you.”
Unexpectedly, Jack said, “Mom, ignore her. She’s just throwing a tantrum.”
Amanda and Elias exchanged glances. They knew it wouldn’t be appropriate for them to say anything, so they could only lower their heads and eat.
Stephanie heard their conversation from her position outside the dining room. Amanda hadn’t officially returned yet, but Stephanie was already losing favor.
Stephanie sobbed as she went to the garden, her heart filled with injustice. Would she be ignored like this forever?
Just then, a maid walked over to her. “What’s the matter, Miss Steph?”
“It’s none of your business!” Stephanie hastily wiped her tears, not wishing her unsightly appearance to be witnessed by servants. She would always be the proud young lady of the Allegra Family.
The maid said, “Well… Crispin is here, and he’s looking for you.”
Crispin? Stephanie almost forgot about that man. The engagement banquet was canceled, so of course,
Elias had let Crispin off the hook.
Amanda’s real identity was exposed as well, so her family couldn’t be bothered about Stephanie. In other words, Stephanie could be together with Crispin just like she wished, but why wasn’t she happy about it?
They were both daughters of the Allegra Family, but why did Amanda, who was abandoned for 20 years, manage to find the excellent and rich Elias, whereas Stephanie found the impoverished Crispin, with whom she was even obsessed?
Stephanie was beginning to suspect that there was something wrong with her head. She was brought up in a wealthy family, so why did she have poorer taste than Amanda, who grew up in poverty?
Could it be that she truly was too far behind Amanda? But why could Amanda get Elias, but she got Crispin instead?
Comparison truly did hurt. With Amanda as a contrast, Stephanie now felt that the man she fell for was completely useless, and there was nothing to like about him.
“Miss Steph, are you meeting him or not?” The maid couldn’t help but ask again. After all, they could barely hold Crispin off at the gate.
Stephanie frowned. “No! Tell him I’m not in the mood
She had just finished speaking when Crispin’s voice sounded behind her. “Steph! Why don’t you want to see me? You know how much I miss you!”
“Hey, how did you get in here? That’s not allowed. The maid went up to stop Crispin, but he shoved the maid aside.
When Stephanie saw Crispin’s insistent behavior, she found it annoying. She wondered how she managed to be so infatuated with him in the past.
Perhaps the things she couldn’t get were always the best ones.
“Fine, just leave for now,” Stephanie said to the maid.
The maid nodded and left.
Only Stephanie and Crispin remained in the garden. Crispin looked around at the luxurious villa of the Allegra Family, his heart itching.
He had gone against all odds and stopped the engagement banquet, but why was Stephanie so indifferent. about him? What happened? Did she have a change of heart?
“Steph, what’s wrong? Did you change your mind? Why didn’t you want to see me?”
Stephanie’s gaze was avoidant. She didn’t know what to say as she stuttered, “Nothing, I was just down in the dumps these days.”
“Why? Tell me, maybe I can help you.”
“I told you I had a sister who was lost for 20 years. You remember, right? Now, she’s back, and everyone is focusing on her. I feel abandoned.” Stephanie sighed as she tossed a green leaf away.
When Crispin heard that, his expression subconsciously shifted. The daughter who has gone missing for 20 years is back now? That meant he wouldn’t be the only son-in-law, so even if he married Stephanie in the
future, he wouldn’t be able to inherit all the property of the Allegra Family.
Why did she come back at this time? How annoying. Crispin was already eursing in his heart, but he had to put on a calm expression as he said, “That’s a good thing, right? You should be happy about it. I remember back when you told me how much you looked forward to your sister’s return.”
“I said that, but now that she’s back for real, I feel weird… The love that fully belonged to me is now split in half to be given to my sister.”
“Steph, don’t think that. Your sister was missing for 20 years, and you’ve also enjoyed the love all to yourself for 20 years, right?” Now, Crispin’s head was filled with questions of whether this newly returned sister intended to inherit the family property.
Stephanie didn’t say anything. She just sighed.
He asked tactfully, “Your sister must be 26 years old now. Is she married? Does she have children now?”
Those were all tools to get more family property. He had to know about these things.
She replied, “She not only got married, she got divorced too. Her son is 3 years old already.”
“What? Does that mean she might just stay in the Allegra Family forever?”
Shock colored Crispin’s face. Two more competitors had shown up in the race for the family property: One of them was even a kid! If Jack was overjoyed, he might give all his property to his grandson instead.
Under these circumstances, Crispin knew he had to marry Stephanie as soon as possible. Then, they had to have a child so that they could keep things under control.
“Of course. My parents wished that they could take her and her son home and pamper them every day.” Stephanie’s voice was filled with jealousy.
Crispin suddenly said, “Steph, let’s get married.”
“Huh?” Stephanie had completely returned to her senses now, and she looked at the man in front of her in disbelief.
She sprinted down the stairs but suddenly remembered her pregnancy and slowed down. Clutching the test strip in her hand, she wondered what Elias Winters' reaction would be once he heard the news.
Yet, when Amanda was halfway down the stairs, she saw two figures in the living room—Elias and a sexy woman. Slowing down her steps, she held the handrail tightly and felt her heart sink. That was because she saw her husband and the woman behaving affectionately as though they were a smitten couple.