Chapter 158
“Leave? You’re my granddaughter, Elspeth. How can I bear to watch you staying outside all alone?”
Elspeth didn’t know if he was telling the truth, but she felt that he held extreme views, and so he was probably not benevolent.
“I don’t need the Joneson Family’s protection. I can protect myself.”
Michael snorted and said, “Whose help do you need if not ours? The Winthrop Family’s? Mr. Wordsworth told me that you are engaged with Callum. I never understood what good you saw in him when he is nothing compared to you.”
In that split second, Elspeth knew why she had a nauseous feeling when she looked at him. When she heard his words, her face turned gloomy and she thought, He’s trying to control me by saying he cares for me. He looks like someone who wants all the power to himself.
“I have the right to choose whom I want to marry. It’s the 21st century, yet you still want to arrange my marriage for me?” Elspeth retorted.
Her stubbornness shocked the crowd.
After all, aside from Frank, Elspeth was the only one who dared to talk back to Michael.
“Fine. I’ll leave that be, but you have to promise me that you will stay here.”
Is he putting me under house arrest? Elspeth’s face darkened even though she had expected the outcome. “No. I can’t stay here, as I still have places to be.”
However, Michael wouldn’t approve of anyone disobeying him. “Listen, Elspeth. If you be a good girl and stay here, nothing bad will happen to Callum,” he said calmly as if he wouldn’t hurt Callum the moment Elspeth disagreed with him.
They are threatening me with Callum again. Elspeth knew that the Joneson Family had men in both law enforcement and the underworld. No one could compare to them in terms of power, nor would they be brave enough to challenge Michael.
Elspeth’s eyes darkened as she hummed in response.
Only then did Michael look happy and praise her for being obedient.
Frank suddenly said impatiently, “Alright, that should be it. Can we leave if there is nothing more to say? Do we really have to put such a big effort into welcoming her?”
Frank was Michael’s favorite. Seeing that he was impatient, Michael stopped asking Elspeth questions and rolled his eyes at Frank. “How can you say that? She’s your cousin! We will be family from now on!”
“Family? I doubt that she wants this.” Frank snorted.
Although his words were harsh, he was saying what everyone already knew.
Seeing that Frank was about to fly into a rage, Michael didn’t argue with him. He then cleared his throat and said, “Alright. Everyone get back to what they are doing. Frank, since Elspeth is unfamiliar with the surroundings, why don’t you take her for a stroll?”
“What? Why me?” Frank’s eyes twitched.
“That’s because you guys are also the same age. The both of you will have many things in common.”
Michael wasn’t wrong. After all, the Joneson Family didn’t have many offspring. Nicholas’ wife—Anya—gave birth to Kenneth and Lola; Dylan’s wife gave birth to Frank; and Elspeth was the child of Helena. There were only a total of four children in the house. Hence, it was understandable that Michael didn’t want Elspeth to leave.
Although Frank was getting impatient, he didn’t say anything more and agreed to it in silence.
“Well then, you must be tired from all the traveling. I have asked someone to clean out a place for you to stay. Frank, take her to Cluist Pavilion. She will be staying there.”
Frank nodded when he heard Michael’s words. Then, he looked at Elspeth, who was daydreaming, and said faintly, “Let’s go.”
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