In the moment after their eyes met, Chloe Grant quickly lowered her gaze, stuffing food into her mouth to hide her panic.
Her heart was pounding wildly.
Panic, fear, anger... every kind of emotion.
He acted like nothing had happened!
The day after the first time they met, he was too.
After the second time, the same.
Chloe Grant suddenly felt a pang in her heart, a sadness, she even wondered: Does he take it for granted that she is just a substitute?
Chloe Grant blamed him!
But, honestly, aside from the initial breakdown when she first found out, after taking a calming bath, Chloe realized she couldn’t entirely blame him.
The first time, she misunderstood on her own.
The second time, it was Lily Grant’s scheme.
The third time... she mistakenly drank some drugged wine, unknowingly.
She understood the reasoning, but emotionally, she couldn’t stop blaming Matthew Morgan, nor could she face him!
"Nowadays, it’s really a mess with all sorts of things happening."
Isabella Gray was peeling shrimp for Chloe, while complaining to Mr. Morgan, "I’m warning you, if someone from the Lee family invites you to taste some fine wine in the future, you mustn’t go, or I’ll have it out with you!"
"I was just tasting wine with him, nothing else," Mr. Morgan replied, a bit exasperated.
"Even so! His character is questionable, getting involved with his adopted daughter, and now he wants to marry her, it’s the biggest joke in the entire capital! The Lee family company’s stock has been falling; just wait, by the time the wedding takes place, the Lee family will be done for."
"That’s their business..." Mr. Morgan said, somewhat helplessly.
Isabella Gray gave him a glare.
While serving Chloe some food, she explained, "It’s that Uncle Lee who visited our home before. He has an adopted daughter your age, and now he wants to marry her. It’s absurd!"
"They’re not biologically related... so it’s probably not a big deal?" Chloe Grant chimed in.
Hearing this, Isabella Gray immediately put on a serious expression, "How is that not a big deal? It’s a moral issue! Propriety, integrity, honor, and modesty! Relationships should align with their rightful boundaries and cannot be crossed! Doing such a thing must face consequences."
Upon finishing her words, Isabella Gray looked at Chloe, then glanced at Matthew Morgan, and bluntly said, "For instance, if you were to have a relationship with your Uncle Morgan, I would kick you out of the Morgan family and sever ties with your Uncle Morgan!"
As soon as those words were spoken, Chloe Grant visibly trembled, and the chopsticks slipped from her hand, falling to the ground.
Matthew Morgan frowned.
"Why did you speak to Chloe so bluntly?" Mr. Morgan was clearly displeased, "Look, you scared the child."
The maid had already picked up Chloe’s chopsticks and handed her a new pair.
As Chloe accepted them, her hands continued to shake.
"I’m sorry, Chloe, it’s grandma who’s too blunt," Isabella Gray quickly tried to soothe.
Chloe Grant hurriedly shook her head, yet she put the chopsticks down, "I... I really have something urgent to attend to, I’ve nearly finished eating, I’ll be leaving first."
As soon as she said that, Chloe Grant stood up almost as if to flee, giving Isabella no chance to refuse as she walked outside.
"Chloe?" Isabella Gray called out.
Matthew Morgan also stood up at this moment, "I need to go to the office; I’ll take her."
He said briefly, then walked outside.
As Matthew Morgan spoke, Chloe Grant was at the door, so she naturally heard him.
Without thinking, Chloe Grant ran directly outside...