The Innocent Wife of Scheming President

Chapter 482 New Life New Attitude

At Mrs. Hoyle’s age, even though she slept late, her biological clock would still wake her up on time. She couldn’t sleep in and decided to get up.

She reached out and touched the other side of the bed. It’s cold. When she opened her eyes, Annie wasn’t there.

In the cracks of slightly opened window, she could hear faintly a laughter from the garden. She pulled up the curtains and noticed the east part of the sky was bright. The summer sun had rose. The little girl was playing boxing with her father. She was throwing one punch after another.

Like father like daughter. Even since she fell in love with her granddaughter she once disliked, she noticed that she grew more and more like her father when he was young. She was lively and daring.

She watched them playing happily. She had been standing by the window for half an hour without realizing it. It was not until the duo of father and daughter ran back inside covered with sweat did the old lady changed her clothes and went downstairs.

At this time, Olive Steele prepared a delicious breakfast. She cooked a pot of healthy porridge which was suitable for the stomach of elderly. She also fried ham and eggs, baked bread and toast, and made several appetizers. She tried to cover everyone’s liking.

“Good morning, Mrs. Hoyle.” Olive Steele saw the old lady and smiled. This was a new day and it had to be started with a new gesture. She always believed that smiling was the best weapon to resolve grievances and embarrassment.

Mrs. Hoyle stared at her flatly, but she was surprised, “Did you do it all?”

She nodded, “Have a taste.”

Annie took a shower, took Alan Hoyle’s hand, and came over, “The food cooked by mom is always delicious. Grandma, you have to taste it.”

The food indeed looked good. At first glance, it was appetizing, but Mrs. Hoyle was still sarcastic, “She is your mother. Of course, you will speak highly of her.”

“Uncle Cui Yongyuan said that people should tell the truth. I’m just telling you the truth.”

she patted her chest and said, “Since I cannot convince Grandma, you can tell by yourself after you have a taste.”

Ada Hoyle got up the latest. She came downstairs with pajamas and slippers, “Annie, don’t sweat it. Even if it’s delicious, your grandma will say that it isn’t.”

Mrs. Hoyle glared at her, “How dare you talk about me like that!”

Olive Steele sighed. It seemed that this family couldn’t last a day without a fight.

“I’m talking to Annie, don’t you see? I’m not talking to you.” Ada Hoyle talked back.

“You’re looking for a fight, aren’t you?” Mrs. Hoyle felt like slapping her daughter.

Ada Hoyle was sharp-eyes, “A true gentleman uses his tongue, not his hands.”

“Well, I’m not a gentleman!” Mrs. Hoyle was ready for a fight.

Olive Steele watched the mother and daughter quarrelling. It was actually a good thing to bicker sometimes.

Ada Hoyle told her once that since after her father died, Mrs. Hoyle had grown nothing but serious. She wasn’t kind, harmonious, or even charming.

Perhaps, in the old lady’s mind, when her husband died, the pillar of the family had fallen. She probably thought of a way not to let her family became vulnerable. Olive Steele understood that, but the old lady forgot that a bond between mother and children was more of an emotional need and it was not equal to cowardice.

This family lacked warmth for years and now, Annie and she might try to bring it back. Olive Steele couldn’t help smiling, “Enjoy your breakfast.”

She filled a bowl of porridge for the old lady, “Mrs. Hoyle, I know you have eaten salt more than we eat rice. I don’t know if this porridge suits your liking. If you don’t like it, you can tell me.”

Mrs. Hoyle sat down and gently stirred the porridge with white porcelain spoon. It was fragrant and faintly visible that lotus seed and orange peel were added in it. However, she said strangely, “How dare I object on your cooking? You have bought everyone in this room. Everyone is on your side no leaving an old woman like me alone.”

Olive Steele winked at Annie, “Annie, do you think grandma is an old woman?”

Annie didn’t understand a thing. She said without thinking, “Compared with me, of course, grandma is a little older because she is two generations older than me. However, it’s too early to call her an old woman. She will be one twenty years later. A person with grey hair, hunched back, and wrinkles is called an old woman. Grandma is not yet one.”

Annie’s words made Mrs. Hoyle happy, “You have a sweet mouth. I’m going to look like a monster twenty years later.”

“What’s wrong with having a sweet mouth to make you happy?” Annie asked frankly, “Grandma, in fact, you should smile more. You look good when you smile. The wrinkles on the corner of your eyes also look good when you smile. I think you must be very pretty when you were young and people loves pretty things.”

The atmosphere at the dining table was harmonious. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Aoba Hoyle choked on his porridge. He covered his mouth and was busy looking for paper towels. He felt that Annie was so funny he almost burst out laughing, “Where did you learn these words?”

“The internet. I read a lot of things, but I feel this one suits grandma the best. Otherwise, grandma can’t give birth to my handsome father, can she? Without a handsome father, my mother won’t give birth to a beautiful little girl like me, will she? This is called heredity—” she shook her head, “No it’s actually called good genes.”

She was off topic but she successfully diverted the old lady’s eyes from provoking Olive Steele, “How do you know about heredity and good genes?”

Children were like angels and happy beans for the elderly. Olive Steele hoped that her child could get along well with the grandparents. But, sometimes, she couldn’t help thinking, if the Meyers weren’t exposed, perhaps, the old lady would be able to accept Annie and her into the family.

Therefore, Olive Steele knew that the old lady hadn’t fully compromised with her. The old lady was ready to provoke and get on her nerve every single time. It was a long way for her to defeat her mother-in-law.

Mrs. Hoyle didn’t have her appetite these past few days, but before she realized, she had finished a large bowl of porridge. She even had the urge to eat another bowl. She had to admit that Olive Steele had the talent, but she wouldn’t say it. It was too embarrassing.

Annie was a quick-witted child. When she lived in Luo City, Olive Steele taught her to respect the elders and do what she can for them such as serving tea, pouring water, and choosing vegetables. The little girl said to the old lady, “Grandma, I’ll give you another bowl. My teacher said that you should eat well during breakfast.”

She didn’t know whether she had been lonely for too long or something, but after only three days, Mrs. Hoyle found that she had no resistance to this sweet and immature voice of Annie. She admitted that Olive Steele had raised this kid well.

In fact, Mrs. Hoyle had long wanted a grandchildren, but at that time, she didn’t consider this child nor her mother as part of the family.

Suddenly, Ophelia Meyer, the woman she once regarded like her own child popped up in her mind. She looked down as her chest felt stuffy.

In the afternoon, she went to the detention center.

Ophelia Meyer was surprised at her arrival. These days, no one came to see her. Her parents were locked up in the next room and were interrogated every day. They hadn’t seen each other.

“Auntie…”

Ophelia Meyer called out in a low voice. She used to call her mom in front of Olive Steele. How ironic.

Ophelia Meyer was brought to the cold visiting room. Grey light came from the pole on the iron gate. Uniformed guards stood at the door with straight face to guard and watch.

Her days behind the bars had been sorrowful. She didn’t eat nor sleep well and she was bullied by the big sister gangs in prison. She didn’t know if they were the enemy of the rich or if someone instructed them, after knowing her identity, everyone aimed to bully her.

They beat and slapped her, pulled her hair, poked her with toothbrush, splashed her with dirty water, and provoked her by cursing at her. She didn’t want to stay in prison, but her freedom was in the hand of a certain man.

If he had the heart to punish her, she didn’t even need to go to jail, he would kill her with bare hands.

She was scared and no one came to see her. Now, Mrs. Hoyle looked like a savior. How could she miss this opportunity?

“Auntie, I’m sorry. I know my parents have done many unforgiving crimes to the Hoyle and on behalf of them, I apologize…”

Ophelia Meyer wanted to grab Mrs. Hoyle’s hands, but the old lady took her hand back without letting her touch it, “Ophelia, tell me the truth. When your father wanted to harm Uncle Hoyle back then, did you know anything about it?”

“I did oppose it, but I couldn’t stop him. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.” Ophelia Meyer reached out her hands awkwardly. Her face changed a few times and finally she covered it and wept bitterly.

Mrs. Hoyle came psychologically prepared, but still, she couldn’t hide her anger, “You watched your father plotted something against your uncle and killed him, you were still able to enjoy my kindness to you peacefully. You chased after Alan blindly. Have you slept well over the years?”

“No, auntie, believe me, I really love Alan.” Ophelia Meyer added, “I have been condemned by my conscience these years. I want to tell you the truth, but I’m afraid you will not forgive me. I’m afraid to lose Alan so I dare not say it.”

Mrs. Hoyle shook her head and sneered, “Do you love Alan at all? If you really loved him, you wouldn’t be able to watch your father kill his father with your own eyes. Ophelia, you disappoint me.”