Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Maisie took a deep breath to calm herself down and smiled. “I’m not sure what’s the attitude that Mr. Goldmann wants to see from us. If it’s an apology, then I’ll apologize to you on her behalf.”
‘All he wants is an apology, isn’t it?’
Maisie harnessed all the positive attitude that she had in her and bowed to him. “I’m sorry, Mr. Goldmann.”
Seeing that she had lowered her posture, Nolan felt a little ironic. “I didn’t expect Miss Vanderbilt to apologize on behalf of her friend. I really can’t tell that you’re someone who would do something to hurt your sister.”
Maisie straightened her body suspiciously. “What does Mr. Goldmann mean by that?”
‘I hurt my sister? Is he talking about Willow?’
Nolan approached her, leaned closer to her face, and said with an unconcerned tone, “I thought you’re someone who would bear the consequences of all her doings, but now it seems that you’re nothing more than that.”
He said while turning around indifferently, “I’ll let today’s incident slide this once.”
Ryleigh’s heart, which had been on the brink of beating its way out of her chest through her throat, finally calmed down upon seeing them leave. But as soon as she thought of the words that Nolan said to Maisie just now, she asked, “Zee, what does Mr. Goldmann mean by that?”
“How would I know?” Maisie smiled. “I guess it’s because he thinks that I’m currently targeting Willow deliberately, so he has to speak up for her as her man, am I right?”
“What? Willow Vanderbilt is Mr. Goldmann’s lover?” Ryleigh was shocked. “Is Mr. Goldmann blind? There are so many women in the world, and he took a fancy to a woman like Willow?”
Maisie turned her head and glanced at her. “You’re still thinking about gossip? I would suggest you start coming up with an explanation for your father when you get home.”
She walked away right after she finished speaking.
Ryleigh pouted and caught up to her footsteps immediately.
The next day…
Maisie took out a list of the raw materials that needed to be purchased and handed it to the purchasing department staff. “Just order the rough diamonds according to my purchasing slip. You’ll be responsible for any mistake that emerges this time around.
The clerk in the purchasing department took a look at the list on the slip and nodded. “Alright.”
The purchasing department staff was sorting out the list of required acquisitions when Maisie was about to leave, and that was when the office phone rang.
She put the list on the table, got up, walked up to the phone, and answered the call.
Another female clerk got up, walked to her desk, and took a picture of the original ore manufacturer’s address and contact information, which were stated on the purchasing slip, with her mobile phone.
After returning to her seat quickly, she sent the photo to Willow secretly.
Willow, who was sitting in her office, could not help but lift the corners of her lips when she saw the photo that the clerk from the purchasing department sent to her.
‘Since you’re in charge of the purchasing department, then don’t blame me for this.’
The office’s landline rang. Willow picked up the phone and answered, “Hello?”
“Willie, I called your cell phone several times, but why has it been turned off?” Leila could not get to her over her cell phone, so she could only call the landline of her office instead.
Willow‘s face turned pale when she heard this. “My phone was smashed into pieces by that b*tch, so it’s nothing unusual if you couldn’t reach me through it. I’ll buy myself a new cell phone tomorrow. Why are you looking for me?”
“Your father will call that b*tch to come home tonight. You should also bring Mr. Goldmann back for a meal with you tonight. Your father won’t let that b*tch succeed as long as you go official with Mr. Goldmann!“
Willow could not help but frown. “Mother, since when did you see Nolan go back for dinner with me, and what if he doesn’t want to go?”
In the past six years, Nolan had never said that he wanted to go to the Vanderbilts manor for a meal.
“All you need to do is to coax him to come over, no matter what you need to do to achieve that. Don’t forget, your father has high hopes for you now. How can your father and I help you if you can’t even do this?”
She had to hurry up and get her daughter to secure her position as the official Mrs. Goldmann. She had been feeling extremely disturbed ever since she saw the two children at the restaurant the other day.
Leila’s words made sense.
‘Father has been taking me more seriously in recent years because of my relationship with Nolan. Now that Maisie has come back, and in addition to her return, she’s still a top-notch international jewelry designer. I would be nothing in front of Maisie without Nolan’s support.’
Maisie sat in her office and went through the information of all the company’s previous staff. Her eyes were fixed on Mr. Kennedy Fannon.
She remembered Mr. Fannon as he was originally her mother’s assistant. He had been managing Vaenna Jewelry and had maintained Vaenna’s sales in Bassburgh after her mother’s death.
Vaenna’s sales had started declining ever since his resignation.
Her phone vibrated all of a sudden.
Maisie took a glance at the caller’s identity that appeared on the screen—it was her father that she had not contacted in years.
She could not help but hesitate for a moment.
*****
Everything felt a little new and strange to her when she came back to the Vanderbilts manor once again. After stepping into the villa, the nanny was the first person to have recognized her. “Milady?”
Leila was wearing a one-piece evening dress, sitting on the sofa and drinking tea. She put down the teacup and got up as soon as she saw Maisie’s arrival. “Oh, Zee, you’re finally back?”
Glancing at Leila, Maisie could not help but think of the slap that Daisie took on her cheek, and her expression dimmed instantly.
‘You still owe me a slap. You’ll have to return it sooner or later.’
Leila grinned and walked forward. “Your father knows that you’ve returned to Zlokova. That’s why he called you to come back here for a meal. What’s with the look? It’s not good to let your father see you in this mood.”
The corners of Maisie’s lips raised coldly. “Why do I have a feeling that this meal is going to be my last supper?”
‘I’ve never contacted my father ever since I returned to my home country. He must’ve gotten the information from either Willow or Leila.
‘He’s never contacted me throughout the six years too, but he specially asked me to come home for dinner today. The main thing that gave me the chill was that he didn’t even start the invitation with a greeting.’
“How can you call our family dinner your last supper?”
“Please don’t nauseate me. I’m more used to hearing you yell me a b*tch. That somehow feels a lot kinder.” Maisie emphasized the word “kinder” as if she was trying to provoke her deliberately.
Before Leila had the chance to lose her head, a deep voice had already come from upstairs. “Zee, it’s been six years, but you’re still so relentless. Is that how you speak to your mother?”
Maisie chuckled. “My mother is dead. If I’m not mistaken, you were there too when she was cremated.”
“What have you learned throughout the six years abroad? is this how you talk to your elders now?” Stephen almost kicked the bucket from all the accumulated fury.
He originally felt a little guilty about driving her out of the house back then, but he did not expect that she still had not repented.
Leila walked to Stephen and persuaded him, “Dear, don’t be angry with Zee. I’m just her stepmother, after all. I can understand the reason Zee hasn’t accepted me after so many years.”
“In my opinion, you’re worse than a stepmother.”
“Maisie Vanderbilt!” Stephen reprimanded her angrily, “I asked you to come back for dinner instead of a family feud today. If you’re so discontent, then get out!”
Maisie stared at her ferocious father.
‘He was as heartless as today when he drove me out of this manor six years ago. He’ll choose to believe in whatever Leila and Willow tell him. But on the contrary, I’m just the unreasonable brat who’s constantly creating stirs and disrespecting the elders.’
Maisie scoffed. “I really don’t plan to stay for another second longer.”
She turned around and was about to leave the manor, and that was when Willow walked in the door with her arms wrapping around Nolan’s arm.
When Leila and Stephen saw Nolan, they all went up to him to greet him. The fury on Stephen’s face dissipated completely as if he was not the same person as seconds ago.
“Mr. Goldmann, I didn’t expect you to come.”
“Yeah.” Nolan only nodded symbolically while his gaze was fixed on Maisie all of a sudden, and his tone sounded rather indifferent. “The Vanderbilts manor is really boisterous today.”
Stephen took a glimpse at Maisie and introduced her awkwardly, “Uh, this is my younger daughter, Maisie Vanderbilt.”
“Oh, I just learned that the famous jewelry designer Zora is the daughter of the Vanderbilts.”
Stephen smiled implicitly. “Yeah, she… She inherited the talent from her mother.”
Maisie stood with her arms crossed, watching the others like an outsider. She could not help but laugh at all the flattery that assaulted Nolan.
“I shall take my leave now. Please, do enjoy your dinner.”
Willow stopped her as soon as she was about to leave. “Zee, now that you’ve finally come back let’s have a meal together.”
Leila played along with the script and responded with a motherly appearance. “Yes, Zee, don’t go against your father during such an occasion.” Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.