Mrs. Hoyle returned home from the detention center without saying a word. She looked gloomy like
black clouds when it was about to rain.
Annie, the little girl who had won her heart, called her but she only glanced at her, patted her head,
sighed, and went upstairs.
No one knew what happened to the old lady. The atmosphere was awkward.
After the old lady disappeared on the stairs, Ada Hoyle asked quietly, “What’s wrong with mom? What
happened?”
Aoba Hoyle was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper. He cocked his head and shrugged his
shoulder, “No idea. She has always been like this.”
In the evening, Olive Steele asked Annie to call the old lady for dinner, but she refused to come
downstairs saying she was not hungry.
“Mom has something on her mind.” said Ada Hoyle.
It was obvious. Aoba Hoyle rolled his eyes on his sister.
Alan Hoyle asked the maid to find the driver, “Where did madam go this afternoon?”
“Madam won’t let me talk.” the old drive replied.
“Do you think I won’t find out if you don’t tell me?” Alan Hoyle asked flatly, but he was not angry.
He was the person in charge of the family now and the driver was clear about it. If the master wanted to
know, he couldn’t do anything about it. He hesitated for a little while and finally replied, “Madam went to
the detention center to visit Miss Meyer.”
When he said this, he glanced at Olive Steele carefully.
“What were they talking about?” asked Alan Hoyle.
The driver shook his head, “Madam didn’t let me and Doctor Gu follow in. so, we have no idea what
madam and Miss Meyer were talking about.”
Aoba Hoyle scoffed and defended Olive Steele, “I don’t know what’s so good about that snake. Mom
has a good daughter-in-law already. I think she’s just confused.”
Olive Steele’s eyes dim slightly. The old lady was still concerned about the woman who committed fatal
crime against the Hoyle but she still treated her like an outsider. She was uncomfortable, but still, she
put on a smile and comforted, “The old lady watched Miss Meyer grew up. She still cares about her. It
shows that when the old lady has set her eyes on someone, she will like the person a lot and I’m
waiting for the day to come.”
She didn’t know whether she was comforting herself or others, but maybe both. She told herself to
always look at the positive side of everything before moving on. She knew she couldn’t think too much
of this, or else it would only bother her.
Alan Hoyle clasped her fingers and placed them on his laps, “You captured our hearts. It’s only a matter
of time before my mother surrenders. Don’t worry about it.”
Olive Steele smiled, “I have nothing to worry about with you around.”
A woman’s greatest happiness was choosing a right man. No other obstacle came close.
Even so, Olive Steele couldn’t stay still and do nothing. She asked the maid to prepare Mrs. Hoyle’s
dinner on tray and carried it upstairs herself.
Distance could be sewn closer by doing small things. The old lady could be ungrateful but not her, she
couldn’t.
There was no light in the room. It was dark. Olive Steele knocked twice, “Mrs. Hoyle, I’m coming in.”
No one responded, but Olive Steele knew that the old lady was inside. She fumbled to turn the lights on
and saw the old lady sitting in a cane chair motionless. Her eyes glistened while holding open a photo
album in her hand. She was looking at the family photo of the Hoyle and Ophelia Meyer was in it.
“Have you come to mock me?” asked the old lady hoarse and low with a hint of self-mockery.
Olive Steele was puzzled. She walked over and put the tray down gently, “No. I’m bringing you your
dinner.”
Mrs. Hoyle was stunned. She raised her eyes and asked, “Wouldn’t it be better for you if I starved to
death?”
Olive Steele smiled gently, “We’re not in Great Depression nor in a poor mountainous area.”
“Take it away. I have no appetite.”
“You have something in mind, don’t you?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“Something on your mind is not my business, but you skipping your dinner is.” Olive Steele closed the
photo album and placed it on the corner of the bed. She moved the table closer, put the tray on it, and
grabbed a chair to sit with her.
“I won’t be moved even if you do this.” said Mrs. Hoyle.
“You don’t have to. I’m not used to you being moved. Your body your rules, but if you collapse and fail
to wait for the day to come, don’t blame me for not fulfilling my promise.”
Mrs. Hoyle glared at her, “Do you want me to die?”
Olive Steele shrugged, “If that’s how you think, then I can’t help it. I’m just saying, instead of fighting
with me, it’s better for you to have your dinner and after that, I will get out of your sight.”
“I don’t think you care about me that much. If you want to leave, just leave. You don’t have to pretend to
care about me in front of Alan. That will only make you hypocritical.” said the old lady.
Olive Steele reluctantly said, “If saying these things makes you feel better, go ahead, but I think you
should know that whatever I do to you doesn’t affect my position in Alan’s heart. I care about you
because you are Alan’s mother. I have decided to move on. If I hold a grudge against what you did to
me in the past, not only that it will be hard on you, but also on myself. I’m just hoping to live an easier,
less tiring life.”
Her words stunned the old lady, “I see you’re getting better and better at talking.”
“People do grow, don’t they?” Olive Steele laughed, “If I don’t grow up, how am I supposed to protect
my daughter and others I love? I think you know better after Mr. Hoyle’s death.”
The year her husband died, her eldest son was nowhere to be found. She tried so hard saving the
company and raising both of her children. She was exhausted. Later, after Alan Hoyle returned, she
pushed him into being the president of the company, but she never thought that the biggest enemy was
the person she trusted the most.
At the thought of Ophelia Meyer and her family and her sweet word that was nothing but poison, the
gas accumulated in her chest for days came out into a mouthful of blood staining the tablecloth.
“What’s wrong?” Olive Steele was startled, but soon calmed down and shouted loudly at the door,
“Doctor Gu! Doctor Gu!”
The whole family fell in chaos. They froze when they saw the scene before them, “What happened?”
“Grandma, what’s the matter?”
Doctor Gu held the old lady to the bed.
Mr. Ding, a senior housekeeper in the family heard the cry and ran over. He was a distant relative of
Mrs. Hoyle. He had working for the Hoyle for more than 20 years. He was both a servant and a family
for Mrs. Hoyle. When he saw Mrs. Hoyle’s pale face, he stopped breathing. She accused Olive Steele
without hesitation, “Miss Steele, we know that you win the young master’s favor so much that he turns
his back against his family, but this is too much. You are well aware that madam is not in her best
condition. Can’t you talk less and stop provoking her?”
Olive Steele was too lazy to dispute with him. She had dealt with the housekeepers several times
before and none on them was sane. To be honest, Olive Steele didn’t have any impression of this
person, but it seemed that he genuinely cared for the old lady.
“It’s not hear fault…” said the old lady. She scared everybody for vomiting blood but strangely enough,
she felt better now.
“Madam—”
“I’m fine.” Mrs. Hoyle took a glass of water handed by Doctor Gu to rinse her mouth. Then, she took a
deep breath.
After the doctor nodded his head in affirmation, everyone was relieved.
Olive Steele was surprised. The old lady had always been unhappy with her. She had always been
confronting her verbally. It was the first time she said a good thing about her and actually defended her.
The sun would probably rise in the west tomorrow morning.
Ada Hoyle sat down on the bed and took her mother’s hand, “Mom, you scared me to death.”
Although the mother and daughter were not very close and often behaved like strangers, but there
were times when they were simply connected to each other. After all, they were mother and daughter.
How could they live without affection toward each other?
“You still care about your mother, huh? I thought you’re always against me.” said Mrs. Hoyle without
withdrawing her hand.
“Against you? What are you talking about? I’m just doing what I think is right.”
“So, do you mean that I’m always wrong?”
Seeing that the dispute between mother and daughter was on the verge, Olive Steele poked Ada Hoyle
on the back to remind her to speak carefully.
“I don’t think Mrs. Hoyle will be able to eat these meals for the time being. I’ll take it out and send it
again in two hours.”
This time, the old lady didn’t object. She raised her hand and waved gently, “You can all go out except
Doctor Gu. I need some space.”
After seeing that she was fine and was accompanied by a doctor, everyone left at ease. When Olive
Steele was at the door, the old lady said, “Cook me some porridge, like the one you did this morning.”
“Sure.” Olive Steele looked back and smiled.
Downstairs, Ada Hoyle patted her shoulder, “Sis, thank you.”
Aoba Hoyle smiled, “It seems that you just tamed her demon. My happiness with Chloe is in your
hands. So, you have to cheer up!”
Olive Steele, however, was worried that Chloe Malan’s straight temper would make it difficult to get
through the old lady’s bend.
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