Chapter 222
At the dinner table, the family gathered in a warm atmosphere.
Midway through the meal, Astrid lifted her ss of wine and looked at Vivienne and Percival. "Vivienne,
Percival, I''m raising a toast to you!"
Vivienne raised an eyebrow as a yful aura emanated from her eyes. "What''s the asion?"
ording to family hierarchy, it should be her and Percival toasting Astrid.
Astrid chuckled. "I''m usually swamped with work and rarely get toe home. I know that Arabe has
always been dismissive of our parents, and I couldn''t help much. But since you came back, you''ve
been taking care of them. I can tell they''re much happier now, and that''s all thanks to you. I''m toasting
you to thank you for fulfilling the filial duties on my behalf as well."
Her biological father died when she was ten. Later, Cordelia raised her until she was fifteen, and that
was when she met Dorian.
Dorian treated her like his own daughter, never neglecting her, even after he and Cordelia had
Thaddeus and adopted Arabe.
She truly regarded Dorian as her father. However, due to her job at the secret service, she rarely came
home and found it difficult to take care of them.
Vivienneughed. Her smile was enchanting, sharing her vibrant energy with all those around her.
"Alright! I''ll ept your toast. But I don''t drink, so I''ll substitute with juice instead."
"Good!" Astrid didn''t fuss. She raised her ss and downed the drink in one go.
After the meal, Astrid put down her cutlery and looked at Dorian earnestly. "Dad, Mom, I''m back this
time for two reasons. First, to see you. Second, because of a work transfer. I need to move to
Rivenwood."
Dorian and Cordelia were taken aback, then eximed in surprise, "Moving to Rivenwood?! Why the
sudden move? You didn''t mention this before."
"It was ast-minute decision from the higher-ups. I mighte home even less in the future." Astrid
looked at them apologetically. "When I''m not here, you must take care of yourselves."
"Take care of what?" Cordelia mmed the table angrily. "You''ve been away for years! You barely
Dorian tried to calm her down. "Why are you mad at her? It''s not her fault that her job is transferring
her. You''re understanding about everything else, so why are you being so petty this time?"
Cordelia shot him a re. "Is this petty? Look at her age? She''s been dating for years but never got
married! Every time we push them to get married, she brushes us off!"
After saying this, Cordelia turned to Astrid. "I bet you''re nning on dying your marriage for a few
more years, right?"
"Mom!" Astrid was a bit embarrassed. "My work is important. I don''t have time for marriage."
"Bullshit!" Cordelia cursed angrily. "What kind of job doesn''t allow its employees to get married?
Summon your boss here; I want to ask him why he doesn''t allow his employees to get married. What''s
his motive?"
As they bickered, Vivienne and Percival kept quiet, frowning and not voicing their opinions.
Astrid was only twenty-four. She was not that old. But Cordelia, who had experienced a tough life
raising Astrid alone after her divorce, hoped that Astrid could find someone who truly loved her.
At one point, Cordelia had mentioned to Vivienne in casual conversation that she didn’t really trust
Alfred.
He and Astrid had been dating for several years, but he had never visited their home and never
mentioned marrying Astrid. This led Cordelia to believe that Alfred was wasting Astrid’s youth.
So, when Astrid announced that she was moving to Rivenwood, Cordelia’s reaction was intense.
“I told you that my work is important, and it''s currently not the right time for marriage." Astrid didn''t want
to argue with Cordelia on her first day home, so she patiently tried to diffuse the situation. "Mom, stop
worrying about me getting married. When it''s time, we''ll get married."
Cordelia was determined to get a resolution. Ignoring Astrid, she directly asked Alfred, "Alfred, I need a
straight answer from you today. You and Astrid have been dating for a very long time, so when are you
getting married?"
Alfred smiled. "We''re currently very busy with our work and don''t n to get married anytime soon. But
don''t worry; once our work stabilizes in a couple of years, I''ll definitely marry Astrid and bring her
home."
Hearing this, Vivienne, who had been quiet for a while, lifted her eyes. Her icy gaze swept over Alfred.
There was a barely discernible gleam in her eyes, then she lowered her gaze without a word.
Cordelia frowned. "In a couple more years? In a couple more years, she''ll be twenty-six. If you don''t
marry her, she''ll be an old maid."
Alfred still wore a smile. "No. I promise, I will marry her."
Hearing this, Percival also lifted his gaze and cast a casual nce at Alfred.
"No way!" Cordelia''s face darkened. "Astrid can''t wait for two years, nor can we..."
Before she could finish, Vivienne suddenly interjected. "Cordelia, Astrid knows what she''s doing. Alfred
will marry her."
She pulled out a napkin and wiped some food crumbs from the corner of her mouth while looking up at
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Alfred. "Right, Alfred?"
Alfred looked up, meeting Vivienne''s prating gaze. His heart skipped a beat, but he still managed
to smile. "Yes."
Vivienne slightly curled her lips but didn''t say anything more.
Seeing Vivienne''s stance, Cordelia thought for a moment before saying, "Fine, do as you wish then!"
She didn''t understand why Vivienne suddenly said that, but she knew Vivienne was a determined
young woman.
If she said so, there must have been a reason, right?
With that thought, she scanned Astrid and Alfred without saying anything more.
Astrid breathed a sigh of relief as she cast a grateful smile towards Vivienne.
After dinner, Astrid pulled out seven tickets to a piano concert at the Havenwood Opera House. Her
excitement was barely containable.
"Dad, Mom, my idol M is actuallying to Havenwood for her tour. You guys have toe with me
on Saturday."
She was originally nning toe back in a few days, but upon hearing about M''s concert, she
chose to take an earlier leave to return home.
"Astrid''s always been a big fan of M. She had to pull quite a few strings to get all these tickets."
Alfred quipped with a chuckle.
"Sure." Dorian and Cordelia said in unison. They weren''t particrly interested in the piano concert, but
they were willing to apany Astrid for her joy.
After all, Astrid was about to be transferred to Rivenwood soon, and they would have even fewer
chances to meet.
Vivienne and Percival also nodded. They didn''t have much interest either, but Astrid had just returned
home, and her happiness was what mattered.
After dinner, Cordelia helped Astrid and Alfred get settled in their rooms. It was only then that Astrid
brought up Arabe. "Mom, is Arabe on the run for her crimes now?"
Upon hearing this name, Cordelia fell silent. She merely sighed and said, "Let her be."