Chapter 188 This Is Uncle Adrien
The sudden sound drew the attention of all.
“What are you doing here?”
Donna and Enzo both raised their heads. Upon seeing who it was, they felt quite elated. Noticing everyone’s expressions, Catherine also darted a glance back casually.
With the sound of the leather shoes hitting the ground, a middle-aged man walked to them slowly. The man walked with his back straight and a grave expression. He glanced across all sharply, exuding a majestic air, Audrey introduced Catherine to Adrien considerately, saying in a low voice, Kathy, this is Uncle Adrien, as well as the most accomplished man in the Langs. He’s currently an officer. He’s quite nice, except he looks a bit stern because he has to train the soldiers. Don’t be afraid of him. Okay?”
How could Catherine be afraid? Hmph, sometimes, Catherine really couldn’t understand Audrey’s thoughts.
Yet, Catherine did recognize that Adrien could do martial arts. He was an officer who trained troops, as Audrey said, rather than an office clerk.
Upon entering the house, out of his habitual vigilance, Adrien felt a cold faze on him. He looked in the direction of the gaze only to see that a strange girl was sitting there. The girl was sitting in an imposing manner. She was different from the nieces he had seen at times.
How she sat on the chair showed that she was rather casual now. According to her gorgeous face, Adrien had figured out her identity more or less.
People all said that Liana, the third daughter of the Swanns, was the most beautiful one, who fully inherited the good appearance of Rachael, the previous top beauty in Casier.
Now, as it appeared, that was not true at all. Liana’s beauty was nothing at all compared with Catherine’s.
Catherine resembled Rachael more in appearance and contained all the merits of the Swanns’ appearance. She was tremendously stunning.
Donna and Enzo were rather happy about Adrien’s appearance. Donna went forward to receive this foster son of hers. “Adrien, you’re busy with work. You’ve just got promoted. I know you must be even busier. You shouldn’t have to come yourself. I’ve got your present. I really appreciate the thought! That bracelet is so nice. I love it so much. You’re so considerate!”
She was clearly showing off, but she deliberately acted as if she was having a small talk.
Admittedly, she was an expert at bragging. With a few words, she successfully announced that Adrien had been promoted again.
Meanwhile, she humbly bragged about how filial Adrien was to her to show their close ties. She had given the fullest play to the art of humblebrag.
Adrien knew Donna was showing off, but he still chimed in cooperatively, 11 Mom, today is your 70th birthday. No matter how busy I am, I must show concern for you anyway. This is my obligation as a son. It’s nothing worth mentioning.”
He acted like he was really close to Donna. Yet, he didn’t mention that Donna had called him half a month ago. She even called him three times a day at the advent of her birthday, worried that he might be unable to attend the party for a temporary emergency.
Adrien was not the birth son of Donna and Enzo. In fact, he was the son of Enzo’s friend and Donna’s student since he was little.
Enzo’s friend and his wife died in an accident. As a result, Adrien was adopted by the Langs and became the second son of this family.
No one expected that this orphan would have been so accomplished. Now, Adrien had become the second target the Langs boasted about. Given the favor the Langs had done for him, Adrien would turn a blind eye to many things they did.
Donna and Enzo were old. It was understandable that they liked to brag. Getting Adrien’s cooperative response, Donna smiled even more merrily. Her sharp eyes were full of satisfaction.
Then, she beckoned to the several grandchildren aside. “You must haven’t seen Adrien for a while. Come and say hi. He is busy and barely stays at home. Take the occasion to bond with him more.”
Since Adrien had great power, even Liana and Johnathan Swann had to show him respect and went forward to talk with him.
Audrey couldn’t squeeze into them, so she stayed with Catherine aside. Unexpectedly, Adrien, who was always distant from others and rarely communicated with people, took notice of Catherine.
“This is…”
Everyone followed Adrien’s gaze and found that he was referring to Catherine. The smile on Donna’s face became stiff at once. Her expression became not that natural either.
“Adrien, this is Catherine, your sister’s second daughter. She grew up in the countryside of Casier. She’s unruly. No need to pay too much attention to her.”
Donna’s introduction implied that Catherine was merely a country girl, and Adrien didn’t have to care too much about her.
Audrey couldn’t stand it anymore. Even though she knew she might piss off Donna, she still couldn’t help standing up for Catherine.
This was her sister. She wouldn’t allow anyone to bully Catherine.
“Uncle Adrien, this is my sister, Catherine. She is a bit timid. As she has been back not for long, she isn’t used to talking with strangers. Please don’t blame her.”
Then, she hinted at Catherine and said,
“Kathy, this is Uncle Adrien.”
Catherine gave a snort inwardly. She thought, “He’s clearly a scheming guy. Isn’t he tired of being so affected?”
Catherine disliked Adrien a bit because she believed he must have known who she was but pretended he didn’t. Perhaps he didn’t before, but he must have guessed it upon entering this place. Otherwise, he wouldn’t keep an eye on her behaviors out of the corner of his eyes.
Others might not know that, but Catherine was aware of it. For the sake of Audrey, Catherine still said aloofly, “Hi, Uncle Adrien!”
Seeing Catherine’s cold face with the hint of mockery at the corner of her eye, Adrien felt quite intrigued.
Compared with the juniors who flattered on the surface yet spoke ill of him secretly, he liked Catherine even more. And he could recognize that Catherine had an unusual temperament, a bit fierce and even arrogant.
Although he didn’t know what on earth Catherine had experienced, he could be sure that she was like a fierce animal rather than a sheep. And it was the animal who played dumb on the surface and yet acted ruthlessly, in fact.
“Hi!” Adrien replied casually. It seemed that he didn’t take her seriously. However, this kind of attitude was usual in others’ eyes.
After all, how could a big shot like Adrien care about Catherine? He merely asked a few words about her, given the seeming kinship.
