Chapter 205: Chapter 205

In the large kitchen, Ava completed her task for the morning and looked at her handiwork, nodding in satisfaction. She didn’t go over the top with this platter, but it was still pleasing to the eye. Ava had kept herself very busy in the few days after James’ funeral. This was because she didn’t want to be swayed by a certain somebody.

She walked around and inspected the large breakfast pastry platter she had made. She knew what Geneva liked and had catered to it perfectly. On that platter, the pastries that every single person liked were there, even including the cream puffs that Ingrid could never say no to. Gabriel was easier to cater to because he loved everything.

Ava never bothered with Samantha much because the girl had just withdrawn herself from the world. Ava smiled at the thought of the children and then turned and removed her apron, only to overhear a conversation in the back.

"I can’t believe that Suzie got so lucky!"

"Yes! I wish I had taken an interest in serving the new mistress back then too... maybe I would be the one in Suzie’s shoes now!"

"Hmmft! Do you think that it is because Suzie serves Miss Shelby?"

"No, but she got the chance because she serves her!"

"Ikr! Suzie got that big bonus just for dragging a guest out! I had thought that she would have been fired but then she got a reward instead?"

"Don’t forget that new co-chef, too!"

"How can I? Even though the guest was her friend, she slapped her! Can you imagine? Did she have to go to that exte-"

"Let me stop you there!" One interrupted.

"There are many groups of people in this life and that ’friend’ is the worst of the worst. I know you do not like Ava because you think that she took your glory and was placed higher than you when you have been working here for years, but which one of us did not know what happened that day? Learn to differentiate right from wrong!"

"Why are you getting so worked up over this?"

"Because YOU DID NOT SEE IT YOURSELF! Ava never mentioned it, maybe because she wanted to protect her friend after treating her that way, but Ava was right in every single action she took then.

That morning, when I was pouring the tea for Master Ian, I saw the friend who had come to visit open up her legs, and she had no underwear! Her pink pussy was on display and to who else but directly at Master Ian, while the unsuspecting Miss Shelby sat by her side talking...."

"WHAT!" one shouted in disbelief.

"No way! She did that?! OMG!"

"So, tell me which friend would be so brazen to do thing in front of her friend’s husband and his family. You all know Suzie. For Suzie to have dragged a person out, the person must have done something really bad!"

The whole room became quiet as they pondered deeply. Of course, they had an idea of what had happened that day, but not these details.

"So, that is why Madam Geneva did not punish them but rewarded them instead!"

"You don’t know the half of it. Master Ian even added a thick envelope!"

Exclamation cries went around as Ava turned, picked up the tray and left the room quietly so that none of them realized it. She did not even want to think of Brianna at that moment.

"From now on, I am going to do my best so that Miss Shelby is comfortable. She is the best mistress ever! She does not discriminate, and she is so kind—not to even talk of her beauty!"

The workers, who consisted of about four people, left the room, and headed for the dining room, carrying trays as well.

A few other workers of the mansion had deduced this already, so at breakfast that day, and some of the previous days, they had started paying extra attention to their mistress. It was as subtle as handing her a fork when she was reaching for it, immediately re-filling her cup when the tea was low, and changing the mug completely when they felt the contents had cooled up.

Shelby recognized it because, in her life in the Wendover mansion, she had always been the one no one cared for in any glaring way. Shelby thought their new subtle actions weird, but she felt Ian had authorized it. But why did it seem like the workers were trying to bootlick and gain or seek favour from her?

She shook her head internally, especially as she took in their looks. The workers looked at her intently, just not directly as if waiting for a chance to do something for her. It was crazy. This was just as the person called Avril had come in and her thoughts were drawn to the new person. Well, Avril had come with a bang, so it wasn’t like anyone could miss that.

The four workers came into the room just in time to hear Avril’s words.

Ava was just ahead of them, and she had also stopped in her tracks.

"Who is she?" One of the newer workers asked.

An old one in their midst replied, "Someone we cannot afford to offend."

They took in the scene for a while and someone replied in a whisper and for their ears only,

"Still, keep an eye on her!"

They all nodded abruptly as if they had received a military command. From that time, they had one thought. ’Protect our mistress!’

Avril had never expected the sight that greeted her that morning. She had heard that her brother, Ian, had gotten married. This was very surprising news for her because the Ian that the world knew was one who was love-struck with Aliya and seemed unable to move on. The news had been so sudden that she had been in denial for months, thinking it was a joke.

However, she started to believe it when she got the wedding pictures.

’The pictures do her no justice.’ She thought as her eye skimmed over Shelby. Her eye trembled. ’How can a girl be so beautiful that even my heart cannot stand it?’ Avril asked herself.

Avril thought herself a very outstanding woman. However, one glance at Shelby, and she felt like she was an ordinary, plain-looking girl in the midst of a crowd. Her ’beauty’ that she had cherished as her life’s ace made her look like a joke in front of Ian’s new wife. It was too simple to say that Avril paled in comparison. The fact was, Avril did not seem qualified to be compared to her at all.

Shelby’s appearance was like the blazing sun and Avril was the wilting flower underneath it.

No one knows if this was the reason that Avril said what she did. Anyone with eyes could see this, as well as the subtle jealousy that tinged the new woman’s voice. As soon as the ’oops!’ left Avril’s mouth, Geneva thumped her hand on the table, startling almost everyone.

"Did you expect my son to stay single forever? What nonsense is that? If you have nothing better to say, do not open your mouth at all!" Geneva narrowed her eyes at Avril, thinking, ’I am never wrong in my assumptions and analysis.’

Alex raised his eyes towards the woman he had greeted warmly, and disappointment coated him. Avril met his eyes and her heart jumped and got caught in her throat.

"I know you can be blunt and say whatever, but Avril, Shelby is Ian’s wife, so show the same respect you accord him to her!"

’How did this new girl worm her way into their hearts so fast? What is going on?’ However, if Avril had expected a reaction from Ian, she got none. Ian continued his meal as if Avril was invisible.

Standing there awkwardly, Avril said, "It’s not like that, Mum, Daddy. Sorry, sister, that my words came out wrong."

Almost everyone had one thought, though, "Did it really come out wrong, or was she trying to save her face?"

"I just thought that it figures! I don’t think that your pictures do you justice at all! You are so beautiful that it’s hard for me to look at you. Why would you not win brother’s heart?" Shelby looked at Avril square in the face, making the older girl squirm in her shoes.

"Welcome to the family," Avril said awkwardly, and Shelby nodded.

’Who is she? She calls both Geneva and Alex as Mum and Daddy, but Ian says that she is not his sister?’

Ian reached out and rubbed, Shelby’s head fondly, "I’ll tell you later," he whispered only for her ears. Ian leaned over and brushed his lips on her cheeks. The rest of the family was used to this open display of affection between Ian and Shelby, but Avril was not. She stared at them with mixed feelings.

Avril moved to the empty place on Ian’s immediate left and sat down, "Katie, get me an extra place, and where is Brad?"

Katie raised her hand, and a plate, cutlery and a steaming mug of coffee were placed in front of Avril.

No one answered her question about Brad because he shattered into the room almost immediately.

"Oh! When did you come, Avril? You should have called me to come get you!" He was only a bit surprised at seeing Avril there but there was so much familiarity between them as they chitchat casually.

As they engaged in their small talk, Ava finally stepped forward and placed the tray in the middle of the table, and then she made her way over and sat by Ingrid. As she reached for a helping of the breakfast, an icy voice said,

"... and when does a mere worker sit at the same table as her employers?"

Thank you so much to all for your votes and comments! I hope we can keep it up ^_^

Support the author by reading only on NovelHub :) ~Uploaded only on NovelHub by Loctovia ~