An Invitation

In each passing minute, the air around Gertrude just keeps getting more stiff and frosty.

She's certainly the type of person who lets the atmosphere talk in her stead. Her overall aura resembles her son in that sense. It's so prepossessing that it's almost as if she holds some kind of power that needs no words nor actions to be recognized.

All the houseworkers they passed through would immediately make way for her. With her chin lifted high, she strides as if she's walking on a red carpet - poise so on point and grace in action.

Cassidy, on the other hand, is walking behind her the entire time. She just silently watches her from the back, a flat look splattered across her face all the while.

Now, as soon as they settled down in one of the mansion's living rooms, Cassidy was already at the point where she's struggling to keep her boredom from seeping through too much.

"Ughhhh... This is stifling. I can't even move my mouth since she's not one to talk much. Though I did try to initiate a conversation, she wouldn't respond at all..." she thought silently, veiling her annoyance with a straight face.

"Only when she found something to scold me for would she shoot her mouth off-"

"Well, are we just going to sit around here? Bring me some tea," Gertrude started again all of the sudden, taking her aback and making her snap out of her thoughts.

"Uhh... Come again?"

"I said bring me some tea."

Her sudden demand ends up dumbfounding Cassidy for a moment. There are clearly some maids right outside, but she still decided to order her.

But then again, it could just be some sort of courtesy among the rich to serve their visitors like this. Perhaps, steeping some tea for them is one of the things that makes up a good hostess.

With that in mind, Cassidy eventually snaps out of her stupefied state and simply complies. She then makes her way to a nearby table where a tea set has already been laid out.

"This stuff works just like instant coffee, right?" she found herself wondering a second later, tilting her head as she eyed the tea set quizzically.

Not thinking much about the process, Cassidy just goes with the flow of her instincts. She really doesn't know how to properly do this, but her mother-in-law is already aware that she lost her memories. A slip-up or two may be excusable.

"By the way, we'll be having a family get-together in one of our private resorts this weekend. We're going to celebrate my grandson's thirteenth birthday there," Gertrude voiced out without looking at her.

"Oh, I see. That's great, Ma'am!" Cassidy chirped in pleasant surprise.

"My son will be going ahead of you, so make sure to dress yourself up properly. Don't make a scene by running late and acting indecent. Damien's friends and their parents will be there."

"Damien...? Oh, you mean Sir Edward's first son-"

"Just come. Don't ask any more questions."

Again with her dismissive tone.

Every time Cassidy displays her attempt to entertain her curiosity like this, Gertrude will always make her shut her trap with this dismissive approach of hers. Now, she's really starting to be convinced that she's not here to check on her well-being after all.

Her mother-in-law didn't even ask how she's been doing after staying in the hospital for half a month. She neglected the issue about the plane crash either.

"So, I guess she's only here to inform me about the birthday celebration, then..." Cassidy mused in silence, casting down her gaze in dismay.

While she may have done nothing but negatively perceive Gertrude this whole time, she couldn't deny that she still felt a little happy that someone from the family paid her a visit. It could mean that they thought of her at the very least.

Right now, though, Cassidy finds herself disheartened a bit more than she expected.