Chapter 356: Chapter 356

Shelby could not be bothered with what was going on. Even those gazes that seemed to be worshipping her were ignored. Instead, something else caused her interest; her eyes landed on Katie’s right then.

Like most of the people who knew Katie, it was startling to see her in that state. Katie had always been known for her stoic demeanor, her expression a blank slate devoid of emotion, and her hair impeccably styled in a tight updo.

Nothing would ever be out of place with Katie, for she was meticulous and presented herself almost as a machine. However, the figure standing before them now starkly contrasted the familiar image she was used to.

Katie’s stiff, formal, monotone dress was replaced by an outfit that suggested a tentative glimpse of freedom as if Katie were fully human, unlike the machine-persona! No matter how absurd that sounded, that was the only thought in Shelby’s mind as she took in Katie’s whole person.

The most striking change was in Katie eyes—now wide and shimmering with fear. It was shocking to see any emotion flicker there, especially such raw vulnerability in someone who had always projected indifference. She seemed like a stranger, revealing a side of herself they never expected to encounter.

Shelby looked up at Ian, and he nodded. That was all she needed to confirm that it was really Katie and not some lookalike.

"Katie!" Sally, not being deterred and used to pressing people’s buttons, called out.

Despite all that Sally had planned, none was unfolding as envisioned. Tears glistened in Katie’s eyes that were also filled with so much reluctance.

"I- don’t know them, ma’am! I’m sorry for wasting your time! P-lease let me go.... Please...."

Katie bowed low and kept bowing fervently, as if she had been extremely wronged. This was the part that was infuriating Sally.

’What a useless person!’

The most important dilemma was: How could Katie claim not to know Geneva, whom she had grown up with? Did that even make sense?

Sally had thought that Katie had been feigning ignorance because of whatever ordeal she had gone through when she had been kicked out. Even when Molly had told Sally to let it go, she did not.

Most things did not make sense, like how Katie got herself a house on the outskirts of town instead of coming to them or routinely reporting the proceedings of the Thornston home to them. They would not have missed such a piece of big news as a new mistress being instated if that had not happened. So, had Katie really lost all of her memories? Nothing made sense!

"You.... you really do not know them?"

Katie slowly raised her head, neck straight, not wanting to catch a glimpse of the man who was giving her all the terrors. She shook her head slowly. Katie did not even want to say that she had a sense of familiarity with them. She just wanted to get out of there!

"I’m really sorry, ma’am. I think you may be confusing me with someone else. I have never been here, and do not know these people."

The people around exchanged glances. They were all in the same circles and had seen Katie more times than they could count. Katie had been Geneva’s face and every single person who had ever met Geneva had seen this very efficient maid. Yes, Katie looked slightly different outwardly but that did not mean that no one had recognized her.

Geneva turned to look at Katie. She had been told of Katie’s condition, but it was still surprising to see that in reality.

’It’s all for the best then. If Katie does not remember anyone, then she would not remember that secret either. Not that I mind if she brought it up, as Ian had assured me that he would handle it, but what are the odds of this happening?’ Geneva contemplated.

"You really do not remember me?" Geneva asked quietly, and even that startled Katie. The voice was very familiar to her, but she still could not make any connections.

"Are you going to let her be?-"

"Sally, I don’t think it is any of your business how I handle the staff in my house. Katie left on her own two feet, and the position has been occupied. End of story!"

"I don’t believe that this woman came here to bring any good wishes. This is a birthday Dinner, and we have no room for such tantrums! Escort her out!"

Sally gaped. She had never in her wildest dreams thought that Geneva would have seen it through. Sally was flabbergasted as she had never been treated as such in all her seventy-plus years.

"Alex! Are you going to look on for your wife to treat your own sister this way?"

Alex turned to Murray at the back of the crowd. Currey had been the one to heed the call and was already by Sally’s side.

"Make sure my eldest sister leaves as well. I don’t think that they came here with any good intentions."

Molly sighed and gave her brother a meaningful look. Alex was as swift and decisive as ever. However, Molly was prideful and never ever wanted to lose her dignity. Besides, she had already seen what she wanted to see at this Dinner.

In as much as Molly tried to throw her weight around, she knew that Ian was someone she did not dare to cross. Obviously, despite this, she had been on board with giving Ian a new wife because of the rumours that Ian had not attended his own marriage ceremony. However, looking at how intimate Ian was with his wife, even in the full glare of everyone, Molly knew that it was a lost battle.

Like a knight or a general on a battlefield, Molly knew when to advance and when to retreat. This time, as well as the factors presented to her, all told her that it was time to let go and plan for the future.

The witty Molly knew that the key to whatever might go on in the future lay with Katie. ’We just need to find out what really happened to her and the circumstances surrounding her leaving. Maybe Katie found something, or she still has something that may prove to be useful.’

"IS this what you want, Alex?"

After receiving no response from Alex, Molly turned and left decisively. Sally was not so easy to convince so she had to be ’convinced’ to leave.

On the side, Geneva watched as Katie followed them, and an unreadable look crossed her eyes.

’It’s for the best!’ Geneva told herself.

Obviously, since Sally and Molly had left, the three men also followed them. A brief silence ensued after they left. It was a heavy silence within which many people were lost in complex thoughts. One thing was clear for all of them. If Alex Thornston let go of his sisters or drove them out, it stood to say that none of them was safe if they overstepped their bounds.

What no one noticed was that a beautifully looking woman in her prime departed from Sally and Molly’s crowd and blended with the many guests.

She had a very determined look in her eyes as if she had a mission that remained to be fulfilled.

Dumb, Dumber and Dumbest finally felt the relief they were looking for as soon as the car went out of the Thornston estate gates.

Dumb’s eyes were red from all the coughing fit he had been having. His brother’s throat was raw, as if it had been scraped with an object, while the last one was just happy that someone could hear his words.

"What was that?" One of them whispered as fear clouded their vision.

"I am never coming back here again! It’s so creepy!""

"Who is going to inherit the estate if you are not coming back here?" One asked, and the last one just lamented,

"They got me out before I could see more of that beauty!"

At the mention of this, their eyes shone as if there were stars glistening in them. Lesson already forgotten, they each started planning how to get that beauty if they could.

In the same car, Their mother and aunt sat opposite them, each with their own thoughts and sentiments. Far away and in one corner of the limo, Katie was by herself, giving them as much distance as possible.

"This is the most humiliating experience in all of my life!" Sally lamented.

"I can’t believe that brother actually kicked us out of our home! Our parents would be turning around in their grave at this!"

Molly turned to Katie, and thoughts swirled around in her mind, but she still could not come to any conclusion. She could not be bothered with Sally’s tantrums.

’First, let’s get a doctor to work on her amnesia, and that may point out what may have transpired.’

"Madam Clara, where are you going to?" Angela asked. Angela had left Clara to attend to some house chores and when she returned, she saw Clara all dolled up. Clara had been pretty docile in the few weeks after she had left eth hospital and started ’working.’

She would usually sit at the store and sometimes even make their work a little difficult by mistreating the customers but in all this, Angela knew that it was the effort that Clara put in that was important so she bore every grievance with a smile.

However, Clara had not told her anything about going out of the house. In fact, Angela preferred it when Clara stayed pput as it would mean, less issues to clean up.

"I’m going to my in-law’s Dinner Gala."

"But Ma’am, Master Rocky and Sir Ian had specifically said that you should not go the-"

"Have you grown enough wings to talk back at me?!" Clara snapped and then shook her hand as the intensity of her slapping Angela made her hand hurt.

"Look at what you have done?! Fetch me a cold compress for my hand!"

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