Jovana paused, her face slightly flushed, playfully sticking out her tongue.
"Studying isn’t as hard as you all imagine. I barely look at my books, and I still manage to rank within the top ten in my grade during exams. I think when my sister was in school, she must have found studying too easy, didn’t want to study, and that’s why she ended up with the worst scores." Jovana laughed innocently, seeming genuinely straightforward, like a little girl without much cunning.
Praising herself while belittling her—well done, truly Clara’s daughter. Mother and daughter were practically cut from the same mold, using almost identical tactics.
If she remembered correctly, the one who orchestrated the poisoning of her unborn child, through Mason, was Jovana’s urging. Jovana convinced her to agree to the condition of not bothering Mason, in exchange for him bringing her a glass of milk every day.
Ha! What a perfect sister indeed! Despite being half-sisters, having little emotional connection since childhood, they still shared a bloodline. Yet, she colluded with an outsider to poison her.
If past life wronged her, then in this life, she would let her taste the pain of being skinned and boned.
Clara too was worried about Jovana’s studies. She had spent over a decade molding her daughter, making her more like a Shaw Family lady than Aurelia—beautiful, understanding noble ways, excelling academically from a young age. The fruits of her meticulous efforts over the years could not be destroyed.
However, she understood her daughter’s thoughts. How could such a little brat as Aurelia deserve to become the daughter-in-law of the Nightshade Family? For her to marry Mason, the Shaw Family sacrificed so much, the thought made her heart ache.
But if her own daughter married into the Nightshade Family, it would be different. Sooner or later, all these would fall into her daughter’s hands, just like falling into her own.
Moreover, the Nightshade Family now was nothing like before. In terms of power, they had far surpassed the Shaw Family. Under Mason’s management these past few years, the Nightshade Corporation revived and swiftly became a commercial giant. Only such an excellent man deserved her carefully cultivated socialite daughter.
Clara contemplated for a moment, didn’t stop Jovana, and said with a smile, "Yes, yes, Little Ru is good at studying. A little time won’t affect her much. Mason, feel free to tell Little Ru what you like to eat, don’t be shy. The sisters have always been close, never differentiating between themselves."
Mason’s eyes shimmered with an elusive glow, seeming not to catch Clara’s implied hints, yet he still smiled politely and nodded, "I understand, Mrs. Shaw."
"No need to be so formal, you can call me the same as Aurelia does, call me ’Mom.’" Clara’s face showed a trace of embarrassment, but she was adept at managing emotions—instantly, she lifted a proper and graceful smile, saying.
Mason nodded but remained silent.
Even a woman as silver-tongued as Clara found herself unsure of what to say at this moment. She merely smiled to diffuse the awkwardness.
"I think studies are more important for Little Ru. Leave the soup-making to the servants; a lady preparing meals and making soup is unbecoming." Balthazar said in a deep voice.
Under the table, Clara pinched Balthazar, "Little Ru is smart, just finding time to study books will suffice. She’s also doing this for Aurelia."
"But..." Balthazar wanted to say something more, but Clara nudged him and whispered in his ear, "Don’t cause trouble. I’m creating an opportunity for the sisters to get along. Don’t you want Aurelia to let go of past grievances against you, restore your old relationship? Let Little Ru advise Aurelia. She’s still young, maybe she’ll understand your good intentions if persuaded."