Chapter 1036

"Liz, there's no rush. We're about to have dinner anyway. Besides, I haven't even introduced you to our guests yet. These two are my nephews, they "

Eartha pointed to her two nephews, but Lizetta cut her off mid-sentence.

"Mrs. Madden, did you even prepare a room for me?"

Eartha's warm smile faded slightly. Seeing this, the man in the light blue suit jacket immediately stepped forward.

"How could you misunderstand Eartha like that? Of course she prepared a room for you. It's just that dinner is almost ready, so we'll show you upstairs afterward. I'm Silas Porter. I've heard so much about the beautiful Lizetta, and I've been dying to finally meet you. You truly live up to your reputation—radiant as a fragrant gardenia.”

As Silas spoke, he reached out to shake Lizetta's hand. When she didn't reciprocate, he leaned in slightly, as if planning to forcefully grab her hand.

Lizetta let out a cold scoff and immediately took two steps back.

She stared at him icily. "Who are you trying to claim as family? My mother was an only child. I don't have any cousins."

Silas's face flushed with embarrassment. Conrad, looking as if he had reached the very end of his patience, spoke up in a dark tone.

"Lizetta, are you determined to make a scene and ruin everyone's night just so you can be satisfied?!"

Lizetta finally turned her attention back to her father. A chilling, mocking smile touched her lips.

"So, the only way for you to be satisfied is if I let everyone else walk all over me while I swallow my own misery?"

Being repeatedly talked back to in front of the younger generation made Conrad feel

as though his authority was being trampled. He flared up in anger.

"No one is making you miserable! Everyone here is bending over backward to make you happy, so what could you possibly be upset about Eartha spent the entire moming slaving away in the kitchen just so you could have a nice meal. and Andrea personally drove out to pick you up. Yet all you've done is complain!"

Lizetta looked at Conrad in pure amusement. She realized it was physically impossible to reason with a man whose bias blinded him to everything else.

No matter what she said, Conrad would only ever see how terribly wronged Andrea and Eartha were.

Eartha stood off to the side, gently patting Conrad's arm to pacify him.

"Alright, that's enough. The child already feels distant from us, so don't push her away. Besides, I just supervised the kitchen staff while they prepared the dishes. It wasn't tiring at all..."

Andrea secretly relished the moment. She wished Lizetta would talk back to Conrad a few more times.

This was the perfect contrast to show off her own filial piety. After all, she was the only good daughter her father had, right?

She pressed down a smirk, walked over, and sat on Conrad's other side,

affectionately linking her arm through his.

"Don't be angry, Dad. Lizetta

definitely didn't mean it. She fell

asleep on the car ride here, so she's

probably just a bit cranky from

waking up. I should have driven slower so she could sleep a little longer."

Andrea's little performance was the equivalent of pouring gasoline on Conrad's fiery temper.

“You slept soundly while all our guests and elders waited for you! You made Andrea act as your chauffeur, and after all that, you're still throwing a tantrum?!"

Lizetta watched as Andrea and Eartha sandwiched Conrad, playing the roles of the perfect, innocent victims. Their gentle consolations only fanned the flames of his rage higher and higher.

Finding the entire situation utterly hilarious, she nodded.

jer

"Right, speaking of driving, Andrea wouldn't stop bragging outside about the Rorsche you gave her as a welcome-to-the-company gift. Since you were supposedly looking forward to my return day and night, I assume you've prepared an amazing welcome gift for me too Why don't you bring it out now? Give me a good surprise first, and then you can lecture me all you want."