Elysian (2)
It's been a week, and though Adrienne hadn't decided yet, at least Lennox Qin had neither questioned her nor caused any more trouble since their first meeting. Adrienne had started a new routine. She started her day at dawn and did a morning run, returning to the estate for a quick breakfast and bath before heading straight to school. Although Adrienne was grateful for the lessons from all the hardships she had, she was determined to prevent herself from taking the same path she did before.
In her previous life, during the three years that she had lived outside of the Jiang family home and before marrying Alistair Han, Adrienne had become a part of a street gang along with Myrtle. They weren't involved with any crimes or bad deeds, but they established a fair bit of connections around the country's underground world.
When Adrienne's reputation was destroyed by Camilla using the media, they were the first ones who made an effort to take down those slandering articles against her. They also taught her and Myrtle to become street-smart, allowing them to deal with the difficulties or dangers of being a woman living in a dangerous neighborhood.
They were also the ones who went vehemently against Adrienne's decision to marry Alistair and tried to convince her to consider other options. Alas, being the foolish girl she was in her previous life, Adrienne didn't listen to them and married Alistair, knowing that Myrtle was upset with her decision.
It was Saturday, and Adrienne knew that today her paternal grandparents would arrive for a visit. She hadn't seen them since her mother's accident and wasn't expecting anything from them anymore. To her, they cared for nothing other than their useless reputation. The only reason they still cared for her was because she was after all part of her mother's Zhao family.
While it was true that Old Master Zhao disapproved of her mother's marriage to Lewis Jiang, he had invested 100 million into the Jiang Corporation to ensure that Rosemary wouldn't suffer bitterness in life. However, he would have never known that marrying her off to the Jiang family was the start of her suffering.
Adrienne had just arrived home from her morning run when she noticed that it was quite lively in the living area. She was about to go upstairs to her room when a familiar voice called her name. It was a deep, stern voice that sounded harsh at the same time. She turned and found her grandfather standing at the living area entrance.
"Addie? You're out this early?" Her grandfather asked. He gave Adrienne a good look, noticing how her skin was sleek with sweat and her usual long midnight hair was cut above her shoulders.
"Hello, Grandpa. I didn't expect that you'll be here early. Forgive me for not being able to welcome you. I went for a morning run and lost track of time. I should have returned sooner." She replied, giving her elder a polite bow while hiding the cold look in her eyes.
Of course, she knew they would come early. Her grandfather threw a fit in her previous life when he found out she ran away from home once she turned eighteen. He was disappointed as he wanted her to succeed the Jiang family, not pass it to Cayden or Elise. He tried to persuade her to return home, but Adrienne was adamant in her claim that she wasn't part of the Jiang family anymore, making him even more furious.
"This child…" The old man sighed, looking at her with pity. He wasn't oblivious to how his son was treating Adrienne, but he didn't dare intervene or do anything about it. When Lewis remarried, he was worried about how Camilla would treat Rosemary's child, fearing that it would reach the Zhao family.
"When Camilla said you were gone, I thought she meant you ran away again and stayed with your friend." Old Master Jiang grimaced at the thought of almost falling for that woman's lie. He suddenly had mixed feelings about this granddaughter of his. It had only been two years since he last saw her, but he felt that this child had matured in the blink of an eye.
Adrienne cocked her head to one side, feigning confusion. She blinked and furrowed her brows, acting like she didn't understand why her stepmother would say something like that.
"Auntie said that? I told her earlier that I was going for a run. I didn't think she would assume I was going to Myrtle's place looking like this. I didn't bring anything else but my water bottle." She then gestured to her attire—a loose white shirt, black running shorts, and a pair of running shoes.
The old man frowned but didn't make any more comments. However, it was enough for Adrienne to see that he hadn't fully accepted Camilla yet.
"Then hurry and clean up, Addie. Breakfast will be ready soon." He said, turning away with his hands clasped behind his back.
Adrienne smirked and crossed her arms over her chest, thinking of how fortunate it was for her that Camilla still hadn't changed her subtle ways to cause her trouble. At least she could anticipate the woman's moves in the future.
The sun was high above the sky, and the dishes were already served when Adrienne came down to join everyone for breakfast after washing up. She wore a white dress with red and black laces on the edge of her skirt, her face free from any makeup, revealing her youthful and charming beauty. She walked and sat like royalty, her movements refined and smooth.
"Grandpa, Grandma, good morning." She greeted her grandparents politely.
Her grandpa nodded before picking up today's newspaper while her grandmother eyed her momentarily. Although she didn't like Adrienne as she was Rosemary Zhao's daughter, Adrienne was still the Jiang family's blood, so she had no choice but to acknowledge her.
"Addie, you look unusually beautiful today." Elise said with a stiff smile.
She hated how beautiful and elegant Adrienne was. For many years, she resented her father for not giving her the same upbringing and privileges Adrienne had when growing up.
"Adrienne." Adrienne corrected Elise. "I thought I've made it clear that we aren't close enough for you to call me affectionately by that name."
And just like that, the few words she uttered left everyone speechless.