Taking a deep breath, she paused her stirring motion with her coffee and looked directly at Claudia.
“Aunt Claudia, you have lived in the world of fame and fortune for decades, yet in the end, you chose to live a quiet life. I suppose, besides your own persistence, there must have been external disturbances as well.”
She slightly curved her lips, her smile bittersweet. Her clear, bright eyes seemed to penetrate Claudia’s heart.
Claudia’s heart tightened slightly, causing her to feel hesitant to meet her gaze directly.
“You see, the people living here may be poor, but their lives are simple and routine. The most significant life events they encounter are getting married, having children, getting promotions, and raises. That’s their whole life.” Josie glanced sideways, looking at the crowd outside, feeling a sense of melancholy.
“But in our social circle, chaos is like a blooming flower, blinding and bewildering us. Power struggles never cease. Many times, what you say doesn’t necessarily hold true.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Leanne wants to marry Dexter, and you didn’t approve at first, did you?”
Claudia’s eyes shimmered. “She could have had a better life.”
“But if she insists, there’s nothing you can do.” Josie looked at her. “Aunt Claudia, if Dexter insists, there’s nothing I can do either.”
“Just as you were reluctant to interfere in our affairs back then, I too am unwilling to meddle in theirs now.”
Claudia’s brows furrowed slightly. “If you were unwilling, you wouldn’t have shown up on Leanne’s birthday.”
“Are you blaming me?” Josie calmly asked. As a mother, is she blaming me for hurting Heather’s heart?
Claudia neither agreed nor disagreed.
“It’s not the same, Aunt Claudia.”
“That day, the gift you gave to Leanne was a counterfeit. What was your intention?” Claudia finally asked, after pondering for a long time as she couldn’t understand the reason.
Josie stiffened for a moment, then quickly laughed. “Plagiarism is inherently despicable. Isn’t her artwork just a forgery?”
This explanation seemed plausible, but Claudia was not convinced. “Is that really what it means?” she asked.
The woman in front of her had kind and gentle features, rarely showing anger. Josie looked at her, her heart aching. “You can trust me because I’ve grown up here. If Pepper comes with me, it can fulfill your purpose and also gain a life of freedom.”
Claudia’s brows furrowed once again, clearly surprised to discover that the now respectable Josie had grown up in such a rundown and backward corner.
For some reason, the thought of Josie having lived in such a place filled her heart with a bitterness that almost spilled over into her eyes.
“Trust me,” she repeated.
Claudia then stood up. The car was parked outside. Seeing this, the bodyguard led Pepper out of the car.
Josie walked over. Upon seeing her, the previously downcast Pepper suddenly perked up, barking wildly at Josie. He tried to break free from his leash, eager to leap into her arms.
She was tackled in a full embrace, unable to contain her joy. She ruffled the dog’s head. “Long time no see, Pepper.”
Pepper was even more excited, fluttering in her arms. Claudia watched everything unfold, standing off to the side. “Pepper has never been this affectionate with anyone else before.”
Josie teased, “Perhaps it’s because our magnetic field is a perfect match. Who knows, I might just be its ultimate master.”
There was a pun intended in her statement. Claudia slightly furrowed her brows. “I’m entrusting it to you. You must report its status to me periodically. If anything goes wrong, you know what it means.”
Josie’s movements slowed down. Her tone suggested significant dissatisfaction with Heather, or at least a lack of belonging. Could it be that she has noticed something?
