Although Francia had stayed with the Whitlocks for a while previously, Cecilia couldn't pay her much attention as she had been downcast and troubled about Selina back then. Now that everything was solved, Cecilia was feeling much better and could talk to Francia.
"Madam Godfrey, why did you move out so quickly? I wanted you to stay little longer. Living together as relatives can help us stay close," Cecilia courteously said.
It was the first time that Francia had been called 'Madam Godfrey'. The title inflated her ego. She lifted her head higher in pride.
"Didn't Tobias buy us a mansion to stay in? He really is too kind," Francia answered.
Cecilia smiled. "Madam Godfrey, your brother saved my son's life."
Francia rolled her eyes and finally got to the heart of the matter. "Madam Lawson, you have all shown a lot of gratitude to me. If only my niece would too."
Cecilia was taken aback.
"What do you you mean?" Cecilia immediately added, "Natalie is a good girl. She's kind and she knows to be grateful."
"No, that's not true." Francia sighed deeply. "Madam Lawson, you don't know how my niece treats us. She always yells at us and I..."
Francia covered her chest as she continued, "As her aunt, it vexes me. I know I can't afford to suck up to the Whitlock family, but when all is said and done, I'm still her aunt. It really vexes me to have her scream at me for no reason all the time."
A look of surprise flashed in Cecilia's eyes.
To her, Natalie was definitely not such a person.
Francia went on, "I wanted to leave several times. I know my niece despises poor people like us. Thank God, Madam Lawson, you're different."
Cecilia interjected, "Madam Godfrey, is there any misunderstanding between you two? Natalie isn't like that."
"You think that I'm lying, but it's all true." Francia saw Bowie descending the stairs and hurriedly out. "Bowie, come here."
Bowie trotted over.
Francia gave Bowie a look and said, "Bowie, Madam Lawson is a kind woman who humors me and chats with me. You tell her if Natalie acts disrespectfully to us and yells at us often."
"She does!" Bowie immediately quipped.
She knew that her mother meant to grumble about Natalie to Cecilia. She did not disappoint. Bowie said, "Madam Lawson, you don't know how Natalie treats us. Now that she's all high up, she doesn't care about us at all. I'm younger than her, so maybe that's justified, but she's even rude to my mother. She warns us to stay away and wants to chase us off. Are we not worthy of respect just because we came from different origins?"
Cecilia was shocked beyond belief.
She really did not take Natalie for that kind of person, but since both Bowie and Francia said so...
More importantly, she had just witnessed how stiff Natalie was when Bowie and Francie came over. She had spoken coldly to them both and harshly admonished Bowie for staring at Matthew in front of everyone.
Cecilia noticed that Natalie had even glanced at Francia frostily after saying that.
Cecilia began to waver.
After a while, she took out a credit card and gave it to Francia. "Madam Godfrey, if you need anything, just buy it using this card. I'll talk to Natalie. Natalie is a good girl. There must be some sort of misunderstanding."
Francia took the card, elated.
She replied, "Madam Lawson, you're the best. My niece has never given us any such thing. Even the villa was bought by Tobias. If it weren't for you all, Bowie and I would be sleeping on the streets."
Cecilia arranged for a chauffeur to send Francia and Bowie home while she went upstairs in search of Natalie.
Natalie was sitting on her bed, a stormy expression on her face.
She knew that Bowie had not given up on Matthew at all. She was troubled as to what to do.
She would never introduce Bowie to Matthew, but she couldn't say or do anything too cruel to Bowie. After all, Bowie was James's niece.
Natalie walked towards the windows after mulling over the matter.
She cast her eyes on the stars outside the window.
Natalie muttered, "Dad, are you there? Can you tell me what to do now?"
She was really at a loss.
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