Chapter 128: Everyone Is a Villain
Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Everyone Is a Villain
Hearing this, Dennis Donovan subconsciously straightened his back and perked up his ears. He wanted to hear who this "important person" Arabella Donovan was talking about was, and whether it was one of the people he suspected.
However, Arabella Donovan didn’t continue the topic. Instead, she turned her attention back to him and Audrey Quillan.
’Wealth has always stirred the hearts of men. Even a grand-aunt, the only daughter of a rich family, could be targeted by predators looking to wipe out a family line. To say nothing of a grand-uncle with a vast fortune, who just so happens to be childless with no heir. He’s practically an old mother hen sitting on a mountain of gold.’
The old mother hen in question: "..."
The rest of the Donovan Family: Pfft-hahahaha... We don’t normally laugh, unless we absolutely can’t help it!
Arabella Donovan didn’t notice their odd reactions. She thought for a moment, then frowned and shook her head.
’No, that’s not right. He’s an old mother hen sitting on a mountain of gold that can also lay golden eggs!’
The certain someone who was not only a mother hen but could also lay golden eggs: "..." ’We’re really stuck on this hen thing, aren’t we?’
Compared to the two adults who were struggling just as much but managed to hold back their laughter, Eloise Donovan had a little less self-control. Relying on Mrs. Donovan to block the view, she pulled out her phone and sent a message to their gossip group chat.
[Donovan Family Gossip Group]
Misty Dawn: What do I do? I’m about to lose it!
TheBossIsReliable: Hold it in. The old mother hen himself hasn’t even cracked. What are you getting so worked up for? Don’t let Serena see that something’s wrong.
Misty Dawn: ...Bro, can you please stop mentioning the old mother hen? I really can’t hold it in anymore.
TwoByTwo: What old mother hen? Are we making chicken soup?
ScatteredLikeSand: Why do I say you’re an idiot? Isn’t it obvious? They’re clearly getting all the good gossip behind our backs again. With an IQ like yours, how did you even become a huge star? Are you really setting a good example for the youth of today?
TwoByTwo: Third Brother! If you don’t know how to talk, then shut up! No one will think you’re mute!
TwoByTwo: Damn it, wait, you guys... Why does this always happen when I’m on a business trip? I hate you all!
Thanks to her brothers’ clowning around, Eloise Donovan managed to calm down for the moment. She casually fanned herself with her hand to hide the upturned corners of her mouth.
Luckily, Arabella Donovan’s attention was currently focused on Dennis Donovan and the young caregiver, so she didn’t notice Eloise’s subtle movements.
’Come to think of it, Grand-uncle is quite pitiful. Just because he has too much money and too many connections, at his age, he doesn’t have a single person around him he can trust. Every single one of them has ulterior motives. They’re all cunning, and they’re all rotten to the core.’
Throughout the entire book, from his butler to his friends, from relatives to subordinates, from close acquaintances to colleagues, nearly everyone was a villain.
Even the female lead, whose conscience wasn’t entirely gone, was no exception. In the early stages of the story, in order to save up for her terminally ill mother’s medical bills, she helped her scumbag boyfriend and Butler Donovan deceive Master Donovan several times. Unwittingly, she also ended up helping them commit many misdeeds by a strange twist of fate.
Even though she didn’t do it intentionally, and even though she finally came to her senses, voluntarily told Master Donovan the truth, and stood firmly by his side when everyone made a desperate move to hunt him down and steal everything he had—ultimately sending them all up in a great fire along with the century-old mansion to join him in death—it still couldn’t erase the mistakes she had made early on.
Fame, power, money, reputation... they turn people into monsters. It seems like they’re gaining, but they’re always losing.
Arabella Donovan didn’t hold any ill will toward this Miss Quillan. In fact, she somewhat admired her decisiveness and courage in dragging everyone down with her in the end. Except for one thing.
’Everyone knows Master Donovan has been searching for his lost love for half a century, but what they don’t know is that Miss Preston has also been waiting for her love for half a century.’
What?! The Donovans’ eyes widened in unison.
Dennis Donovan, especially, jolted. He almost jumped to his feet. The only reason he didn’t was because his entire body was trembling, and his legs had gone so numb that he couldn’t move.
But even so, his mind was clearer than ever, and he stared at Arabella Donovan with an intensity that could have burned a hole right through her.
Even someone as slow on the uptake as Arabella Donovan could tell something was wrong.
’What’s going on? Grand-uncle is looking at me like he wants to eat me alive. What did I do to offend him just now? Nothing, right?’
Arabella Donovan’s thoughts were like a bucket of cold water dumped over Dennis Donovan’s head, shocking him back to his senses.
He kept telling himself to calm down. ’Calm down. The fact that my love still thinks of me, still waits for me, is the best possible outcome.’
He was so close to finding the love he had waited a lifetime for. He couldn’t let it all fall apart at the last minute. Absolutely not!
With that thought, Dennis Donovan gritted his teeth and slapped his thigh. "Look at my memory! How could I have forgotten that box of Snow Peak Red Robe tea in my car? Audrey, go get it for everyone to try."
Audrey Quillan froze. "Ninth Master, didn’t you say that tea was..."
"It’s fine. Go get it."
Seeing Dennis Donovan’s insistence, Audrey Quillan said no more and turned to leave.
Arabella Donovan watched Audrey Quillan’s retreating figure, then ducked behind Mrs. Donovan. Using her as a shield, she whispered to Eloise Donovan, "This Snow Peak Red Robe... is it very rare?"
"It’s said to be a treasure among the new Red Robe teas. It’s so rare you can’t put a price on it."
"So compared to those two tins the Chamberlain Family gave us before..."
"His is naturally much rarer, and by extension, should be more expensive."
With that comparison, Arabella Donovan understood.
’No wonder Grand-uncle looked so serious just now. He probably knew beforehand that Dad has a taste for this. Playing the seniority card didn’t work, so now he’s moved on to bribery. After all, you can’t refuse someone once you’ve accepted their gifts. He’ll probably have Dad take one sip and then give him the rest of it. That way, Dad can’t refuse Grand-uncle’s request to stay over. Giving away such good tea... it hurts just to think about it. Hahahaha, I can tell Grand-uncle really, really wants to stay at our house.’
Mr. Donovan’s mouth twitched. ’Oh, for heaven’s sake, child,’ he thought, ’who do you think your grand-uncle is going to all this trouble for?’
But on second thought, Dennis Donovan had most likely brought out this top-grade tea simply to distract Arabella Donovan; he probably never intended to actually give it to him.
But now, thanks to what Arabella Donovan just "said," he had to give it away whether he wanted to or not.
They were already planning on letting Dennis Donovan stay over because of the Miss Preston affair. Otherwise, he wouldn’t just be "lying low for a bit"—they’d be making a real enemy of him.
Now, by agreeing, he could also logically swindle a tin of premium tea out of him. All things considered, he was the one coming out ahead.
With that thought, Mr. Donovan felt invigorated again!
"Uncle, you’ve already graced us with your presence. Bringing gifts is really too much."
"It’s nothing. They’re just material possessions. You can’t bring them with you, and you can’t take them when you go. It’s better to give them to someone who’s fated to have them. By the way..." Dennis Donovan changed the subject, suddenly introducing the middle-aged man he had brought with him to the Donovans.
"This is Chester Donovan. You could say he’s one of our own. He’s Beatrice’s superior, and he came with me today specifically because there are some important matters he’d like to ask Serena about."