Chapter 301
Chapter 301
Audrey turned around. “Amelia likes me and treats me well, so I accept her gifts and treat her like family. What’s the problem?”
Lucia was seething. She wanted to slap Audrey, but Hugo stood guard like a fortress, leaving her no opening.
“She’s bribing you to push her back into Logan’s arms. Wake up. Don’t let her sweet talk fool you!” Lucia trailed behind Audrey, her voice shrill.
Audrey checked the wedding favor samples and then reviewed the venue decor.
She liked champagne roses, but Amelia suggested mixing in red ones for contrast. The mock–up photos looked surprisingly good.
After emailing Amelia her approval and reiterating her preference for a simpler ceremony because of her pregnancy.
Audrey finally glanced up at Lucia, who was still fuming. She was desperate to attend the wedding.
“You’ve been with Logan for seven years. Even if your allowance isn’t much, you gave me nothing at my last wedding. No sweet talk from you but just pain.” Audrey looked at Lucia. “Since money is off the table, let’s negotiate another way.”
Lucia jumped in. “Don’t be fooled by appearances. In the Winifred family, I’m just a glorified maid. I have to please Logan for scraps. But if we stand together, we-”
“I’ll change my surname,” Audrey cut in.
Lucia froze. “What?”
Audrey smiled brightly, “To Audrey Senior. Everyone already calls me Audrey. It’s just paperwork.”
Lucia’s eyes bulged, tears welling. “I gave birth to you and sacrificed everything to raise you. This is how you repay me? What did George ever do to deserve your loyalty?
“If I hadn’t cared for you, could he have worked peacefully? So what if he played with you after work? That makes him a hero?
“I’m the one who stayed up nights nursing you. I saved you from your grandma trying to drown you in the pond!”
Compared to Lucia’s fury and hysterics, Audrey remained calm.
After Lucia finished her accusations, Audrey said calmly, “You and Grandma never got along. After I was born, Dad hired a nanny to care for me during the day. At night, he woke up to prepare bottles while you slept soundly.
“Yes, you took me to the hospital that one time, but you left me there alone. It was Dad who rushed from the construction site to stay by my bedside.
“And as for Grandma trying to drown me, that only happened after you threatened to kill us both if Dad didn’t give you money. She told you to jump if you were so desperate to die.”
Lucia hadn’t expected her to know all this.
She thought, ‘Who’d been digging up these old stories? Sure, parts are true, but there’s context. I couldn’t breastfeed, but that wasn’t my fault. And at night, yes, I pretended not to hear Audrey cry because I knew George would get up instead.
‘As for demanding money, George kept sending cash to his parents in the countryside. How was I supposed to afford new clothes or bags?‘
Audrey waved a hand. Arguing about the past was pointless. “I gave you a choice. No money, no effort? Then we’re done here.”
Lucia weighed her options. She had to attend that wedding. Logan’s refusal hinged entirely on Audrey’s veto. If Audrey relented, he would have no grounds to object.
“Fine.” Lucia gritted out. “Change your surname. I’ll allow it.”
1/3
09:24 Tue, 17 Jún Þi
Chapter 301
Audrey snapped her fingers and fetched the paperwork upstairs. She was ready to do it right away.
Legally, adults didn’t need parental consent for a name change, but with George deceased, the process had stalled.
Audrey prepared all the required paperwork and brought Lucia back to get the final documents.
Audrey had gone to consult about the name change. A staff member told her that due to her credit issues, she couldn’t proceed. Today, with Lucia’s cooperation, the documents slid through.
The clerk reminded Audrey that her academic records and other documents wouldn’t match her new name without tedious revisions.
Audrey didn’t care about that anymore. She completed the procedure quickly.
Outside, the sky stretched cloudless and blue, the air crisp. Audrey breathed deeply, feeling weightless.
Lucia, meanwhite, felt like she had swallowed a boulder. “It’s done. So my invitation…”
“You know the time and place. Don’t be late.” Audrey flashed a radiant smile and got into her car.
At half past seven, Yann returned home. When he heard about the day’s events, his expression darkened. “You want Lucia there?”
“Why not? It’s a big event. One more person won’t make a difference.” Audrey shrugged. As long as Lucia didn’t feel awkward, the discomfort would be everyone else’s problem.
After changing her surname, Audrey was in a good mood. She suddenly said, “I’m craving barbecue.”
After checking with Sylvie that pregnant women could eat small amounts of grilled food, Yann was about to order takeout.
“Not at home,” Audrey insisted. “I want to eat at the restaurant.” The fresh autumn air and the lively bustle of a packed barbecue joint made the experience–something a quiet meal at home couldn’t replicate.
They changed clothes and drove out, parking near a bustling night market street.
Yann ordered a grilled beef dish, a salad, and two fresh juices.
“And fries,” Audrey whispered in his ear. “Freshly fried, extra crispy. Trust
me,
they’re amazing.”
Yann sighed. He thought, ‘Is this a pregnancy thing? Or does Audrey just have such peculiar tastes?‘
When the sizzling beef arrived, Audrey’s eyes lit up. She rolled up her sleeves eagerly and grabbed her knife and fork.
Yann offered to cut it for her, but she shook her head. Half the joy of barbecue was the process. Still, she was slow, so Yann started slicing pieces and feeding her between bites.
“Slow down,” he smiled, wiping a dab of sauce from her lips with a napkin. “It’s all yours.”
The fries had just arrived when a commotion erupted across the street.
“You bitch! Take my money and then back out?” Aman’s roar cut through the chatter.
“I’m sick. If you’re fine with catching it, sure, let’s go.” The woman, dressed in revealing clothes typical of massage parlors, slouched at a small table. It was Valerie.
“Sick and still scamming people? You need a lesson!” The man hurled a handful of fruit peels at her face. Valerie dodged lazily, unfazed, and reached for a skewer of grilled beef on the table.
With a rough shove, the man sent her tumbling onto the curb.
09:24 Tue, 17 Jun· –>
Chapter 301
“Oh, my back! Help! He’s killing me!” Valerie wailed theatrically.
Audrey leaned closer to Yann, craning her neck. It took her a second to recognize that woman as Valerie.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
