Chapter 352: Chapter 352

"You’re going to regret it! I hope you don’t regret it!"

These words run through Abi’s mind. The very words that she had confidently told Geneva.

Fat tears ran down her cheeks as the shocked Abram guided her out of the estate. They had no face to see anyone else. The couple had lost a lot that night and gained almost nothing in return. However, they could not hold Ian accountable, and their suspicions had been confirmed.

For days and weeks, they cursed Ian Thornston but could never figure out how to get back at him. What they did not know and did not realize was that Ian had indeed given them the information they sought; he had given them everything they needed. However, in their grief and emotional mess, they missed the fundamental clue. Whether the two would come to that realization remained to be known later.

They missed a lot that evening of the Dinner Gala, but it was not like that would change anything for the Mush family. After this day, the Mush family’s mansion’s gate closed to the outside world, and little was heard from them. They remained in the news for a while as Brianna was placed on the ’Police Wanted List’ for Aiding and Abetting to cause bodily harm as well as Attempted Murder.

Their business went downhill as most people did not want to associate themselves with the Mush family. However, the only surprising aspect of this was that the family never declared bankruptcy.

With how much hit their business had sustained and also with the fact that they lost their main cash cow, that should have been a sure point to reach, but that never came. Over months, it led people to speculate... at least those who understood the flow of money in business.

It was with this that the unexpected happened yet again to the Mush family. However, this was all later stories.

On the dinner grounds, ...

Alex and Geneva turned just as the new guests got close to them.

"Happy birthday, brother! You’re one more step into the seventies!" The first woman walked up to him, kissed Alex on both cheeks, held his hands at arm’s length, looked him up and down, and smiled fondly at him.

"Happy birthday! May you live a long and prosperous life," the second said.

At this, the guest’s attention was piped again. Not many had seen the famous Thornston sisters, Sally and Molly, in person before, but they knew that the second agenda for the day was because of these two. Next to Geneva, these two were the most powerful women on the island. To see these three in the same space was a treat for everyone.

Alex nodded and hugged each of them; however, these two briefly nodded to Geneva and said nothing.

Alex’s gaze hardened, and his eyes narrowed to slits. Alex was not one for public display of negative emotions. Even after that phone issue, he was still cordial with his older sisters because he knew that it would take more than that to soil their relationship, and he was also not about to do that on a good day like his birthday. This did not mean that he would stomach such blatant disrespect.

"Did you not see my wife?"

"She does not deser-"

"I would watch my mouth if I were you, Sally!" Alex snapped. Sally gaped. She was astonished that the gentle Alex could say this to her face.

However, Geneva placed her hands on Alex’s, stilling him mid-conversation,

"Sally and Molly, welcome," Geneva said sweetly while Alex watched on helplessly.

This gentle look made Sally, who was more readable, appear agitated. Molly sighed but did not intervene, as she was more adept at reading people.

Instead of responding to Geneva’s greetings, Sally asked while looking around, "Where is the Mush girl? I so very much want to see that beauty who will become our new granddaughter-in-law...."

Molly looked around, frowning when she did not see Abi and Abram as they had discussed.

"Are you here for well-wishes or to sow discord in the family? Is this how you want the world to see us?" Alex’s distress was too much. All his thoughts were like, ’Is this what Geneva had been shouldering in private all these years?’ His sisters had let go of any discreteness in confronting them in the open. It was just unacceptable to Alex.

"ENOUGH!" Alex bellowed; all his patience had run thin.

The guests close to the Thornston’s looked at Sally as if she were mad. At the same time, they still took a few steps away from Alex’s threatening look, even though it was not directed at them.

"Why is she looking for Brianna Mush? Is she living under a rock on this island?"

"Yh, even I, with no influence, would not want that unmannered girl to marry my son! Are there some loose screws in her head?"

They whispered around, and these found their way into Ian’s ears just as he approached his parents. Inasmuch as they had this thought, they were disappointed because the criminal, Brianna, still had a shot over the beautiful young women around.

Ian smirked, but he did not have to say anything, as Brad, who had stood unnoticed, suddenly asked,

"What Aunt Sally means is that she wants us to dip our reputation in the muddy waters a bit and welcome a criminal into the family..... huh? That’s novel!" He held up his wine glass and gulped it down, shaking his head.

Sally abruptly turned to Brad and asked, "What is the meaning of this!?"

"It looks like our aunt is getting senile with age, to utter such meaningless words in the face of every honoured guests here. They might even think that we are a joke!" Ian added.

The brothers shared a look and then turned back to Sally simultaneously. Sally struck her walking stick forcefully to make her point, but who were these two brothers?

"Geneva! Is this how you raise the Thornston heirs? I knew you were unfit for the job, but what is this? How dare you?!"

"It looks like her eyesight is bad too! Tsk, tsk, tsk....."

"I know, brother. She can’t even see us. She has to turn to mother for this?"

"Maybe she is deaf too?!"

"Yh, why didn’t I think of that?"

Ian and Brad’s conversation sounded so solemn and legit that lots of mouths had dropped open.

Who were Sally and Molly Thornston and most importantly, who could utter such words to her and go free? Probably these very two!

Sally clutched her chest in rage, her eyes wide open as she gasped for air. The brothers coordinated as if they had rehearsed this.

Even Alex was surprised, but not Geneva so much. She felt a rush of pride that her boys were standing up for her in this. Even though it was obvious that Ian was doing this for himself.

"Enough! Ian, have you forgotten who your aunt is?" Molly stepped in as if trying to reprimand them, as she clutched her purse and anchored her walking stick elegantly.

"Does that matter who she is? We just pointed out that fact that she may have a health issue.... It’s a genuine concern, so why are you getting so worked up over this?"

"Ian, I think that she is also...." Brad let the statement hang temporarily, building anticipation and almost everyone clung to this statement and just as suddenly, he said,

"Naaa.... I think that she is pretty much normal...."

The people around let out a breath of relief, only for Ian to add,

"Of course she is! After giving birth to Dumb, Dumber and Dumbest, all those dump emotions should have been offloaded off. If not, then I’m not sure what we could have done with her. Isn’t that right, Molly?"

Molly could not maintain her stoic image for the first time in her life. Her mouth dropped open and she tightened her hands on the knob of her walking stick and on her clutch. Molly had never been humiliated in her life and in front of a crowd of people she felt were nobodies.

Ian dropped the casualness and then said to his two aunts directly,

"Since you two came here for a birthday celebration, stick to that and do not stick your nose into other people’s businesses."

Ian’s meaning was clear, and those who understood it did.

Sally’s fury was more apparent, and she itched to slap some sense into Ian, but Sally could only dream of that. Ian had always been untouchable since childhood. The child had an air of mystery around him that was unfathomable.

Brad smirked, picked up another glass of wine, and said, "Happy birthday, Dad; I know this will be a memorable one for you." Without even looking at his aunts and their entourage, Brad headed through the guests with no direction in mind. The garden where this was being held was large enough for him to mingle and get some time to himself.

Unknowingly, a set of eyes followed his every movement.

"Brother Alex, are you going to keep watch for your sons and wife to do this to us?.... Such blatant disrespect?" Sally asked, fuming.

Even though Sally and Molly were older, they still had to give that level of respect to Alex because of his position in the family.

"What do you expect me to do? I have already told you on the phone to learn to respect my wife because she is the mistress of the Thornstons’ estate and you more than anyone should know what that represents."

"Actually, dear, I am no more the mistress. Have you forgotten?"

"What do you mean? We have not set a new mistress yet!" Sally snapped.

Geneva sighed, "Isn’t my son already married? His wife is naturally the new mistress. What do you mean by the fact that a new mistress has not been set yet?"

Sally’s words died in her throat from a sudden collective gasp from almost all around there.

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