The Alpha's Unclaimed Mate (Jason and Laila) by Caroline Above Story novel Chapter 177

Chapter 177

Laila’s POV

I knew going to see Vanessa’s Aunt Adelaide on my own was likely a bad idea, but I didn’t have anyone to go with me. Bringing William would only bring up too many questions, from him and from Adelaide. Either of their could get the wrong idea about the visit, perhaps believing the visit was some kind of pre–wedding tour, where I reacquainted my family with my fiancé.

While that might have worked as a cover story, Williamh would have taken it too seriously. It was better to leave him out of things.

Riley would have come with me, if I asked her, but someone needed to stay with Ava. I trusted her with that.

That left only Jason. He had even offered to come, stressing my protection. But I wasn’t going to involve him in this. I was only visiting Vanessa’s aunt. I wouldn’t involve Jason until and unless I actually needed him.

I drove to Adelaide’s manor house and parked on the winding driveway that weaved through the lawn at the front of the three- story brick house. The front double doors were painted stark white and bracketed by towering columns. Approaching the door, I had an eerie sense that the entire house was looming over me, peering down. Judging.

That was silly. It was only a house.

I pushed the doorbell. A loud deep, chime echoed, muffled inside of the house.

A few long seconds later, a man in a suit answered the door. This must have been Adelaide’s butler.

“May I help you?” he asked, taking me in with a lifted brow.

Dressed in one of the pantsuits I wore to work, I wasn’t sure how this outfit earned such a disdainful look. But then, I never really understood or fit in with this aspect of high society. I could only imagine what Vanessa must have felt like, growing up

around this.

“I’m here to see my aunt Adelaide,” I said. “It’s me… Vanessa?”

Vanessa had told me that she hadn’t had much contact with her extended family over the years, having not seen most of her aunts and uncles since she was a small child. I had personally met Adelaide on only two occasions, both in passing while I was at Victor’s home visiting Jessica and Hannah.

In those occasions, she’d only given me a one–over, much like the butler was doing now, before asked, “How do you do?” without waiting for the answer.

“Wait here,” the butler said. “I will ask if she wishes to see you.”

“If you could tell her that I’m just trying to reconnect the family…” I said. I’d thought long and hard about the excuse I would use to try to get through the door. The first thing I could think of was simply this.

The butler looked at me impassively, and I had the sinking feeling that this wouldn’t be enough.

That meant I would have to go with my second idea instead. “I was also hoping to ask her some financial advice. I recently came into a large sum of money, and I couldn’t think of anyone more knowledgeable about what kind of investments to make than my aunt.”

The butler’s eyebrow twitched ever–so–slightly, which gave me some hope I wouldn’t be turned away flat–out. If there was one thing I had learned about Vanessa’s family over the years, it was that they loved money and didn’t care how they got it.

“Wait here,” the butler said, and closed the door.

I turned and faced the driveway. Lush gardens lined the drive on either side, but there were no flowers among the greenery. Everything was neat and proper, not a branch out of place. Even the trees and the bushes, it seemed, needed to fit into the impossible standards of this place.

After a moment, the door opened again, and Aunt Adelaide was there herself. She was a petite older woman with her white hair

Chaprer 7

+25 Bonus

up in a beehive style. Her gray pants had pressed creases, while her white blouse had not one wrinkle. The rings donning her fingers and the pendant necklace around her neck were likely more expensive than my car parked in her driveway.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify