Chapter 177: Taking a Stance

Perry Yates headed for the second floor, wanting to check on Old Master Alden first.

However, while she had no desire to engage with these people, they were eager to cause trouble.

"What’s wrong with you, girl? Don’t you know to greet your elders when you see so many of them here?"

Hearing the chiding tone, dripping with an elder’s condescension, Perry Yates turned to look.

The speaker was a portly middle-aged man. Perry Yates searched her memory but found no recollection of him.

In fact, it wasn’t just him. For most members of the Alden Family, Perry only had vague impressions. She might know someone existed but couldn’t put a name to the face—this was true for many of her cousins. Others, she didn’t even know existed in the first place.

The man before her clearly belonged to the latter category.

The old Perry Yates was timid and submissive, never daring to resist. She knew she was living under their roof, and more importantly, she knew that against a behemoth like the Alden Family, she stood no chance alone unless she somehow obtained illegal evidence that could bring the entire family down in one fell swoop.

So, she chose to lay low. But now...

Perry Yates tilted her head, glancing at the man who had just spoken. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly, but her words were brutally blunt. "And you are?"

The middle-aged man was stunned for a moment before flying into a rage. "I’m your Third Grand-uncle! You don’t even recognize me? You’re truly..."

He didn’t get to finish. His voice abruptly cut off as a vine, appearing from nowhere, wrapped itself around his neck.

The vine was covered in sharp thorns. The slightest pressure would be enough to pierce his skin and draw blood.

Seeing this, the others quickly backed away, their eyes fixed on Perry Yates in terror.

The truth was, they had gathered here to put Perry Yates in her place. They planned to use their status as her elders to gain complete control over her, ensuring a continuous stream of benefits for themselves.

The old Perry Yates was a timid, soft-spoken little girl who barely had a presence. They had assumed controlling her would be a simple matter.

This time, however, they had clearly miscalculated.

Perry Yates looked at them with a smile, cleaning out an ear with one hand. Her tone was casual as she said, "I’m so tired of hearing about my ’lack of manners.’ Try to come up with something new next time you want to insult someone. Besides, ’Third Grand-uncle’? Did I acknowledge you as such? Did you ever hold me when I was a child? Did you give a gift at my first-month celebration? Did you give gifts for my kindergarten graduation, my elementary school promotion, my middle school promotion, my high school promotion, or my university acceptance celebration? Did you give me a birthday present every year? Did you give me a red envelope for the New Year?"

The rapid-fire questions left everyone stunned. They couldn’t tell if Perry Yates was genuinely angry or just trying to extort things from them in a roundabout way.

Perry Yates, however, ignored their reactions. She sneered and continued, "You want to get something from me without giving anything in return? Dream on. And don’t give me that nonsense about our pitifully thin blood connection. If we’re really talking about relatives, we should be going by my father’s side. You guys are so distantly related, you’re practically strangers, you know that?

Also, if you’re going to ask for something, you should have the right attitude. If you ever dare to use that tone with me again, this will be the price."

As she finished speaking, the vine wrapped around the self-proclaimed Third Grand-uncle tightened violently. The next second, the sound of bones being crushed echoed from his body.

After casually tossing the man to the floor, Perry Yates headed for the second floor again. This time, no one dared to block her path.

Reaching the second floor, Perry Yates didn’t go to Old Master Alden’s room. Instead, she went to the study.

Pushing open the door, she saw Old Master Alden sitting behind the desk, seemingly waiting for her.

"You seem to be doing just fine," Old Master Alden said, raising a hand to gesture for Perry Yates to sit.

Perry Yates obediently sat down across from him. After a long silence, he finally spoke slowly, "Do you hate me?"

Hearing this, Perry Yates paused for a moment, then nodded. "I used to."

"You used to, but not anymore. Because it’s no longer important, right?"

Perry Yates nodded again. "Right."

Hearing her frank answer, Old Master Alden sighed. "I know it’s too late, but I still have to say I’m sorry."

A faint smile played on Perry Yates’s lips. "I am still grateful that you took me in back then. Even if being taken in was worse than not being taken in at all."

"Don’t worry. You are still my grandfather, my mother’s father. I won’t abandon you. As for the rest of them, don’t let them bother me again."

After saying her piece, Perry Yates’s figure vanished on the spot.

Behind the desk, Old Master Alden stared at the spot where Perry had disappeared, silent for a long time. His silence eventually dissolved into a sigh.

The Alden Family had many children, and his affection was finite. If some received more, others would inevitably receive less. Among Old Master Alden’s children, his youngest son and youngest daughter were undoubtedly his favorites.

Perhaps for that very reason, they were also the most rebellious when it came to marriage, refusing his arrangements and insisting on marrying the people they loved.

This led to a situation where, although they were Old Master Alden’s most beloved son and daughter, their children were his least favored grandchildren.

Xavier Alden was one thing; he was, after all, his direct grandson. But Perry Yates...

Just as she had said, being taken in by the Alden Family had been a disaster for her.

Old Master Alden had never imagined that his past favoritism would cause his other children to hold a grudge for so long—a grudge that even extended to the next generation.

Now, an exceptional pair had emerged from the Alden Family, yet both showed signs of drifting away from them.

Meanwhile, after vanishing, Perry Yates didn’t return to The Card Tavern immediately. Instead, she went to the back garden and found Xavier Alden, who was watching the show with a pair of binoculars.

"Had enough of a show?"

Xavier Alden, who had been watching with great interest, jumped at the sudden voice. Looking down and seeing it was Perry Yates, he gave an awkward smile and asked, "How did you find me?"

"With my eyes, of course," Perry Yates said.

"Heh heh." Xavier Alden scratched his head. "That was so satisfying to watch. I’ve wanted to do that for ages, but I never dared."

After all, Perry Yates’s parents were gone. She could do as she pleased, burning bridges whenever she wanted. But Xavier Alden couldn’t. His parents were still around.

"Considering we were once fellow sufferers, how about we cooperate?" Perry Yates asked with a grin.

Seeing her expression, Xavier Alden asked warily, "What kind of cooperation?"

"You know it too. If I hadn’t been quick on my feet, I might have died at their hands. People with such a blatant disregard for human life are bound to be a detriment to the entire family. As this is my mother’s family, I don’t want to see the Aldens fall into decline because of them. I’m sure you feel the same, right?"