Chapter 374 From his mother

She envied Alana’s status and the fact that someone was willing to cherish and dote on her!

She also couldn’t bear the thought that her own daughter, whom she had raised with such care and nurtured with such devotion, was being outshone by Alana.

And a dowry of over a billion dollars, that was an astronomical sum she’d never even dared to imagine.

A family capable of affording a five billion-dollar dowry couldn’t possibly be just any ordinary wealthy family, could it?!

Moreover, she’d heard that the Hudson family was among the most prominent elite families in the capital, with a heritage that ran far deeper than most.

It was hard to imagine just how glamorous Alana’s life would be if she married into such a family.

The more they had once looked down on Alana, the more out of their league she had become in the future.

If even just one hundred million of that dowry ended up in her hands, she wouldn’t just be able to pay off the money she owed Agnes, she’d have plenty left over to splurge on.

“Lana, you can’t keep all that five-billion-dollars dowry for yourself. You’ve at least got to give your aunt a cut so she can share in your good fortune!” Miranda stared at Alana, her tone laced with sarcasm.

Her heart and eyes were filled with greed for that five billion; she couldn’t wait to make it her own.

Alana gave a faint smile. The dowry negotiations had barely begun, and Miranda’s greedy true colors were already showing.

“Auntie, maybe you shouldn’t try to share in my good fortune... I find you to be a bad omen.”

The moment those words left her lips, Miranda’s face turned green with rage. Stephan couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Suddenly, he felt that Alana’s sharp tongue was almost as sharp as his own.

Then again, she did have him as her mentor.

Grandma shot Miranda a glance, truly feeling that Miranda had been bringing shame upon the Martin family all along.

As Alana’s grandmother, she stated bluntly, “You’ve always called Alana an outsider. So now, no matter what, you have no right to a share of her money.”

Miranda gasped.

Grandma turned to Cynthia and said gratefully, “Since you’ve prepared such a generous dowry, our Martin family will also prepare a trousseau for Lana, though it will certainly be far less than what you in-laws have provided.”

Cynthia smiled. “It’s fine. Anything’s fine and to wish the couple good luck.”

Grandma nodded. It was a wise move not to dwell on the dowry and trousseau any further.

Miranda listened with her heart in her mouth. Jealousy distorted her features, and finally unable to bear it any longer, she snapped at Cynthia, “In-law, do you have any other sons besides this one? I have a daughter... could she marry one of your other sons?! My daughter is beautiful and outstanding... even more so than Alana!” She thought to herself, if her daughter could marry into a family like this, she, as a mother, would be living the high life too!

And a dowry of over a billion dollars, all of it going to her. Just thinking about it was exhilarating!

As soon as her mother-in-law heard this, she wanted nothing more than to grab a rag and stuff it into Miranda’s mouth.

“Miranda, that’s enough! Stop making a fool of yourself!”

But Miranda was already drooling at the thought of a five-billion-dollar dowry, desperate to sell her own daughter off.

She said urgently, “If you don’t have any other sons, your cousins’ sons would do too... my daughter can marry any of them!”

Grandma couldn’t help but close her eyes.

How humiliating!

What kind of karma had she brought upon herself?

Alana and Stephan couldn’t help but frown.

Stephan thought of Miranda’s narcissistic and gullible daughter, and a look of disgust, reminiscent of the old man on the subway, immediately flashed across his handsome face.

Cynthia looked at Miranda with a forced smile.

“Sorry, but the Hudson family isn’t just open to anyone who wants to join.”

Stephan nodded eagerly. “I know, but my daughter is young, beautiful, and outstanding, she’ll definitely meet your standards!”

After all, if even a woman like Alana, who had no status or background, had been accepted, why couldn’t her daughter be accepted too?

Cynthia gave another forced smile and retorted, “People need dignity, and trees need bark. The Hudson family wouldn’t dare take in the daughter of someone as shameless as you.”

Miranda felt guilty. “I... I’m not shameless, am I?”

“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing right now? Just a moment ago, you were being sarcastic and cutting, using the dowry issue to give me a hard time. Now you’re groveling at my feet, begging me to let your daughter marry into the Hudson family so you can ride on her coattails and live a life of luxury. Don’t you think you should first consider whether you even have the fortune to deserve that?”

Miranda stammered, “I... I’m not blessed, but doesn’t my daughter deserve to be? My daughter isn’t bad-looking, and she has parents... isn’t she better off than Alana?”

“With a shameless mother like you, what kind of luck could your daughter possibly have? Besides, looking the way you do, your daughter’s probably just as bad as you are. Stop trying to fool people.”

Miranda choked on her words, instantly losing all the strength to argue.

Alana glanced at Cynthia and finally realized that Stephan’s sharp tongue had been inherited from his mother.

The atmosphere grew awkward once again.

Grandma, ever quick-witted, hurriedly changed the subject to move past the awkwardness.

Next, the two families discussed the wedding date together.

Cynthia had already obtained Stephan and Alana’s birth charts and consulted a master astrologer to select an auspicious date.

Three months later, around the end of the year, would be the ideal time for the two to marry.

Three months... not too long, yet not too short either.

It was just enough time to make preparations.

By then, Grandma would likely be discharged from the hospital and able to attend the wedding as planned.

Alana and Stephan had no objections. Grandma had no objections either.

Cynthia and Bernard certainly had no objections either.

So the wedding date was set in grand style.

After everything was settled, Cynthia and Bernard stayed a little longer, exchanged a few more words of concern with Grandma, and then took their leave.

After all, the couple still had things to do.

Cynthia and Bernard left, but Stephan stayed behind to keep Alana company.

Besides, Miranda and Darius hadn’t left yet, and he was worried Alana might not be able to handle things on her own, so he stayed to serve as her support.

After all, as long as he was there, no one would dare to bully her.

Alana glanced at Miranda and Darius. “Uncle and Aunt, aren’t you leaving yet?”

The two of them had been watching the show for far too long.

Miranda and Darius instantly shot Alana a look of envy, jealousy, and resentment.

At first, Alana had been nothing more than a neglected little troublemaker in their eyes... someone they could bully at will.

Now, all of a sudden, she’d hit the jackpot, hooking up with a rich man and becoming someone they could never hope to measure up to.

How could anyone be this lucky?!

Darius frowned and said, “Lana, you’ve already got a five-billion-dollar dowry. Why bother with your grandmother’s measly inheritance?”

“Your grandmother’s measly little fortune is nothing compared to five billion.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. I plan to use the assets my grandmother gave me to support her in her old age. With that money, Grandma will have a very good and happy life in her later years.”

Miranda glared at her. “You’re already so rich, do you really need to give that old woman a little money for her retirement?!”

“Whether I can afford it or not, I don’t think that money should be squandered by you lot.”

Miranda was furious, but there was nothing she could do about Alana.

Darius couldn’t help but plead with Grandma again, “Mom!”

Grandma waved her hand dismissively.

“You’ve brought this upon yourselves; you’ll have to atone for it yourselves. I’m too old to get involved in your mess.”

She was utterly disillusioned with her eldest son and daughter-in-law and had given up all hope for them.

She didn’t care what became of them anymore.