Early the next morning, just as the sky began to lighten, Mrs. Carter asked the servants to prepare a sumptuous breakfast.
Evan Palmer walked into the dining room, slowly sat down at the table, and his gaze inadvertently swept over the still-empty seats, his brow instantly furrowing into a frown.
"It’s already this late, and not a single person is here to eat."
Evan Palmer raised his voice.
"Young people, they should sleep a bit more."
Mrs. Carter wore a gentle smile on her face, her eyes full of kindness.
"Carlos has been spoiled by you,"
Evan Palmer snorted coldly, the displeasure on his face becoming more apparent,
"I heard he was downstairs drinking in silence last night and didn’t go back to the room to sleep all night.
You said that marrying a wife would make him behave better, but who knows, he’s still .
People might think he’s so dissatisfied with his wife."
Hearing this, Mrs. Carter’s smile instantly froze, her brows furrowed slightly, and a look of worry appeared on her face.
At this moment, Maria Carter walked over lazily, yawning.
She walked straight to the table, picked up a piece of toast with her mouth, and started gulping down a cup of hot milk.
"Dad, how could my brother be dissatisfied with my sister-in-law? She’s both beautiful and capable, don’t be like those gossipers spreading rumors."
Maria Carter mumbled while chewing on the toast, clearly unimpressed by her father’s comments.
Upon hearing this, Evan Palmer’s face instantly turned livid.
"How are you speaking?
It seems you and your brother are becoming more and more unruly."
Evan Palmer said angrily.
He knew well that ever since his daughter stayed at the villa for about a month, she seemed to have changed, siding with outsiders, completely disregarding him as her father.
"Dad, you’re just biased against my sister-in-law."
Maria Carter fearlessly met her father’s gaze, speaking stubbornly.
"You used to say that my sister-in-law didn’t get along with my brother.
But just last night, I saw them..."
Maria Carter paused deliberately, a mischievous smile flashing across her face, and then she coughed lightly, as if keeping a secret.
"What happened to them?"
Mrs. Carter immediately became anxious upon hearing this.
Being experienced, Mrs. Carter had always faintly felt that there was something unspeakably strange about her son and Emily’s relationship.
Emily was the daughter of her lifesaver, a gratitude as heavy as a mountain. She was more worried than anyone else that Emily might be bullied by her headstrong son after marrying into the Carter Family.
These days, she often observed the young couple’s every move without showing it, but could never figure anything out.
Her son Carlos appeared indifferent to Emily on the surface, yet occasionally showed a subtle, barely noticeable care in unguarded moments.
As for Emily, usually gentle and sensible, her eyes occasionally flashed with an indecipherable emotion when facing Carlos.
Their way of interacting always left Mrs. Carter in suspense, and now hearing Maria’s words, her curiosity was peaked, filled with all kinds of guesses.
"Maria Carter, why are you gossiping early in the morning?"
With a voice laced with authority, Carlos strode into the dining room.
He was in casual home wear, but his posture remained upright, his cold and unexpressive face showed no emotion.
Following behind Carlos, Emily walked quietly.
She wore a simple dress, her long hair falling smoothly on her shoulders, her fair face carrying a soft smile, appearing graceful yet serene.
However, hidden in her lowered eyes was a barely perceptible embarrassment.
Upon hearing her brother’s voice, Maria’s body stiffened slightly, her gossipy smile instantly vanished, replaced by an innocent look.
Her eyes rolled swiftly, and she forcefully swallowed the toast still in her mouth, then gave a dry laugh,
"Brother, what are you saying? I wasn’t gossiping, just chatting with mom and dad."
Seeing her son and daughter-in-law enter, Mrs. Carter’s tense expression slightly softened, and she again put on a smiling face,
"Carlos, Emily, come and sit, breakfast is getting cold." She said, busily inviting the two to sit down.
Evan Palmer snorted from his seat at the head of the table.
"We’ve decided about your grandfather’s matter."
Evan Palmer set down his cup with a thud, his gaze carried a non-negotiable determination as he looked directly at Carlos.
"We’ll send him to a care facility abroad to stay with your grandmother."
Mrs. Carter nodded lightly beside him, her eyes filled with helplessness.
"It was your grandmother’s suggestion, we had to agree."
Emily sat quietly beside, listening to this, her heart a mix of emotions, yet the elders’ decision was something she had no right to interfere with.
The matter of sending the Old Master to a foreign nursing home was thus settled.
In an instant, the atmosphere at the dining table seemed to be cloaked in a pall of gloom, becoming particularly heavy.
Mrs. Carter sighed softly, Carlos frowned tightly, and did not speak further.
Maria also put away her usual liveliness, sitting quietly, occasionally sneaking a glance at the others.
Emily sat by, mechanically picking up her utensils, feeding herself food bite by bite, yet it felt like chewing wax, tasteless.
Each swallow was exceedingly difficult, her mind full of the Old Master’s kindly face.
Once the meal was finally over, and the weight of that heavy air had just begun to fade, Mrs. Carter broke the silence by saying,
"Emily is going for a pregnancy check-up today, Carlos, you should accompany her."
Emily looked up, about to refuse — ever since her pregnancy, her check-ups were all arranged at Eastern Hospital, where Evelyn Hanson was, making everything convenient, no need for anyone to accompany her.
Carlos immediately nodded,
"Alright, I’ll reschedule today’s appointments and accompany her."
After breakfast, Carlos got up first, Emily rose to follow, the two walking out the door side by side, sunlight casting long shadows over them.
Seeing the couple’s departing figures, Mrs. Carter’s smile was so bright her eyes crinkled like two crescent moons.
She gently tugged on Evan Palmer’s sleeve, her face full of undisguised joy.
"Evan, don’t say anymore that Emily and Carlos aren’t getting along,"
her voice was full of happiness,
"Look at them, they’re such a perfect match standing together."
Evan Palmer followed Mrs. Carter’s gaze, watching as the figures of his son and daughter-in-law gradually disappeared into the distance, his face looking somewhat displeased.
He had never seen his son so patient with a woman before, it seemed this time, he was genuinely invested.
Evan Palmer got up as well, headed to the study, and made a phone call.
Carlos and Emily had just sat in the car when Carlos’ phone rang. Chapters first released on novel⦿fire.net