Chapter 164: Mia: Don’t Tell Me Grandma Isn’t Daddy’s Real Mom?
Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Mia: Don’t Tell Me Grandma Isn’t Daddy’s Real Mom?
Seeing that he had backup, Keith Jennings wailed even louder, "Grandma! Those two bastards are bullying me! They hit me and made my hand all red!"
"A moment ago, I just wanted my cousin Mia to say hi, and I can’t believe they hit me for it! Why do they hate me so much?!"
Laura Jennings’s heart was breaking for him. Her face twisted with rage as she gritted her teeth, "You little beasts! You bastards! Apologize!"
Zachery shielded Mia behind him. Mia couldn’t be bothered to speak. ’After all,’ she thought, ’whether you’re trying to act cute or pitiful, your audience has to be a human being first. And clearly, Laura Jennings doesn’t qualify.’
Laura Jennings hadn’t expected Mia Lockwood to remain silent. She felt her authority had been challenged.
’In the Sloan family, she was outranked by Old Mr. Sloan. Then there were Iris Sloan and her own husband, Ethan Sloan. Their word was law, so hardly anyone ever listened to her.’
’And now, a little bastard dared to ignore her too?!’
Laura Jennings was incandescent with rage. She plopped down on the floor and began to scream and throw a tantrum. "This is outrageous! Simply outrageous! What sins did I commit to deserve two animal grandchildren like you?! You’re going to be the death of me! You ill-mannered little bastards, is this how your mother raised you?!"
Zachery asked innocently, "What does Mommy have to do with this? You already called us bastards. And as everyone knows, bastards don’t need to have manners."
Laura Jennings was so enraged by his words that she nearly passed out. Her finger trembled as she pointed at him. "You... you... I called you a bastard, and you dare talk back? Who do you think you are? If I say you’re a bastard, you’re a bastard! I’m telling you two little bastards, without my permission, neither of you will ever step foot in the Sloan family’s home..."
"Bastards? Ms. Jennings, did you not spend enough time in prison that you’ve come here to spout nonsense, spread rumors, and harass two children?"
Just then, a sharp, cold female voice cut Laura Jennings off!
Estelle Lockwood, her expression icy, walked in with Iris Sloan and Ethan Sloan.
Zachery immediately cried out, "Mommy!"
When Mia saw them, her eyes darted about. She was perfectly calm inside, nodding to herself. ’The audience for my pitiful act has arrived.’
And so, two streams of tears instantly rolled down her cheeks. With her lips pressed tightly together, she whimpered pitifully, "Mommy... Aunt Iris..."
Estelle Lockwood’s eyes met Mia’s, and she moved to hug her, but then she saw Mia wink and give her a meaningful look. Estelle knew instantly that Mia wasn’t hurt in the slightest.
Iris Sloan’s heart ached for her. "Mia, sweetie, what is it? Tell your aunt all about it."
Laura Jennings interjected indignantly, "What could she possibly be upset about? She’s so young, yet she’s disrespectful to her elders and even hits people! Keith is clearly the one who’s been wronged..."
"Aunt Iris, it’s nothing. I’m sure my cousin Keith didn’t mean to snatch my jade pendant, and he didn’t mean to fall down just to blame me."
Before Laura Jennings could finish or Keith Jennings could start wailing again, Mia had already spoken up in a remarkably understanding tone.
"It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have worn the jade pendant where it was so visible. I’m sorry, Aunt Iris. Zachery and I have caused the Sloan family too much trouble."
Iris Sloan was instantly incensed. "Mia, what are you apologizing for? Keith Jennings saw your pendant and tried to snatch it, and somehow he’s the one who’s in the right?!"
Laura Jennings’s eyes flew wide. "Nonsense! What are you talking about, snatching a pendant? Our Keith is so well-behaved and obedient, he would never snatch anything! He was obviously just trying to say hello to Mia Lockwood, but who knew she would lash out and hit him for no reason!"
"The way I see it, it’s because Mia Lockwood comes from a poor background. Some country bumpkin doesn’t know how to raise a child, which is why she turned out so vicious. Not like our Keith, who’s been sweet and clever since birth!"
Iris Sloan sneered, but before she could speak, Estelle Lockwood raised a single, meaningful eyebrow.
"Mia hit him?"
Laura Jennings’s voice immediately shot up. "Of course! I saw it with my own two eyes! In my opinion, a little bastard like that shouldn’t..."
"Mia is a five-year-old girl. How could she possibly overpower Keith Jennings, who’s seven years old and much taller and stronger than her?" Estelle Lockwood asked leisurely, a scoff in her voice.
Iris Sloan instantly let out a cold laugh. "Exactly. Keith Jennings might only be seven, but he’s far bigger and heavier than the average seven-year-old. With all that fat, he could probably crush Mia just by falling on her. And you expect us to believe Mia made *him* cry by hitting him? That’s ridiculous!"
Laura Jennings clearly hadn’t thought of that and was left dumbfounded. She stammered, "Our Keith... Keith is naturally a kind boy. He wouldn’t fight back! Besides, who can prove Mia Lockwood didn’t lay a hand on him?!"
"Grandma Jennings, why don’t you take a look at my cousin Keith’s hands? See if there are any marks from being hit?" Zachery chimed in quietly.
Although he wasn’t usually skilled in social maneuvering, he had recently learned a few manipulative tricks from the "little young master."
"My cousin Keith is acting like he’s in so much pain, so he must have been hit very hard. If it was that serious, there would definitely be a mark. Or perhaps we should have a doctor take a look? I recall the Sloan family has a family doctor, don’t they?"
Iris Sloan nodded and ordered a servant, "Go get Dr. White."
Fear was visible in Keith Jennings’s eyes as he shrieked, "No, don’t! I don’t want to see the doctor!"
He flailed his arms about wildly, which allowed everyone to see them clearly.
—There wasn’t a single scratch on Keith Jennings’s hands. On the contrary, the palm of Mia’s hand had a red mark, clear evidence that she was the one who had been hit by Keith!
Mia discreetly pulled her hand back. She had used a specific technique to hit him earlier so that it wouldn’t leave a mark, but in her exertion, her own palm had turned red.
Laura Jennings started to panic. ’I know my grandnephew’s personality,’ she thought. ’He definitely wasn’t hit by Mia Lockwood. If the doctor comes, won’t everything be exposed?’
"F-Forget it! Our Keith is magnanimous, he won’t hold a grudge. Just apologize, and we can put this all behind us!"
Iris Sloan was so furious she almost laughed. ’Anyone with eyes could see what Laura Jennings was scared of, yet she was still demanding an apology from Mia? She wanted Mia, the innocent young miss of the Sloan family, to apologize to the guilty son of the Jennings family?’
’If word of this got out, everyone would look down on Mia!’
Iris Sloan looked toward Ethan Sloan. He frowned, also feeling that this was inappropriate. Not wanting to escalate the situation, he began, "Laura..."
Suddenly, Mia spoke, her voice filled with dejection. "Mommy, let’s go."
"Mommy, they all said Zachery and I are bastards. They said the real young master of the Sloan family is our cousin Keith. They even told us we had to greet him and that we couldn’t enter the Sloan home until he gave us permission."
Her voice was soft, but her words were heartbreaking. It wasn’t just Iris Sloan; even the surrounding servants felt that Laura Jennings had gone too far in targeting two small children.
Laura Jennings suddenly realized things were turning against her and hurriedly retorted, "Stop your nonsense..."
"But Mommy, there’s something I don’t understand."
Mia cut Laura Jennings off, her expression a mask of confusion.
"We’re clearly Daddy’s biological daughter and son, so why does Grandma insist on calling us bastards?"
"Could it be... that Daddy isn’t Grandma’s biological son? Because if that’s the case, then to Grandma, Daddy’s children would be bastards, wouldn’t they?"