Chapter 76


    As soon as the two children reached downstairs, they saw a luxury car parked right outside the house.


    It''s a ck Land Rover! Daddy''s back!


    “We''ve missed you, Ms. Ery!” The children rushed out, and Rory was the first to hug Avery, who had


    just gotten out of the car. When Rory threw herself at Avery, it almost caused the woman to lose


    bnce.


    “I''ve missed you too!” uttered Avery after lowering herself to pinch Rory''s soft cheeks.


    Jeffrey could not help but rejoice to see such a heartwarming scene, convinced that Cayden had finally


    sealed the deal. If the adults are happy with each other and the children wee their future


    stepmother, I don''t see what could go wrong.


    “You two, be good and give Ms. Ery some space.” Cayden stepped out of the car and nced sternly


    at his children.


    Pouting, Rory lowered her head and muttered, “Daddy just wants Ms. Ery all to himself, but I remember


    how he made her cryst time.”


    Upon hearing that, Avery immediately turned bright red.


    “So you''re the one the children call Ms. Ery, huh? I''ve got to say. Cayden''s a lucky man to have you.”


    Jeffrey hurried over to tter his future granddaughter-inw.


    With his straight back, the elderly man, who wore a pair of dark gray trousers and a id shirt with a


    vest on top of it, looked gentlemanly and as fashionable as a model on a magazine cover.


    Avery immediately stood up to greet the man respectfully, “It''s a pleasure to meet you, Old Mr. Moore.


    I''m Avery Rumpley.”


    “The pleasure''s mine. Pleasee inside. It pleases me to see how much the children like you.”


    Jeffrey treated the woman as if she was already his granddaughter-inw.


    The housekeeper hurried over to help carry the gifts Avery had brought.


    Even though they were not expensive, Jeffrey was happy with them. He thought Avery was down-to-


    earth and not a hypocritical bootlicker.


    After dealing with his mother, Kendrick came downstairs. “Hello, sister-inw. I''m Kendrick, Cayden''s


    younger stepbrother. We share the same father.”


    Avery quickly stood up once again when the man addressed her as his sister-inw. She knew Cayden


    had a stepbrother but not much else beyond that since the Moores was aplicated family.


    After all, no one could really tell what was true about the family just by reading about them in


    magazines.


    “Hi there! I''m Avery Rumpley,” greeted Avery.


    The family then sat down to talk with her.


    Cayden had Avery sit beside him and made sure his grandfather, stepbrother, and children only asked


    questions that were appropriate.


    “How old are you, Ery?” inquired Jeffrey.


    “Twenty-four.”


    “Then Cayden''s five years older than you. That''s good. I just so happen to have an article that you


    should read.” With that, Jeffrey took out a newspaper from the drawer of the coffee table and handed it


    to Avery.


    Kendrick thought that was deliberate of Jeffrey. We just got the new coffee table, so why would there


    be a newspaper in its drawer? He probably had somebody put it there after learning that she is five


    years younger than Cayden.


    Avery took the newspaper and started reading.


    ording to the paper, a study showed that couples where the man was five years older than the


    woman were less likely to have arguments and that their marriage would be happier and more stable.


    “Where''s Grandma?” asked Zachary suddenly with a frown.


    The boy looked so serious that one could be forgiven for thinking that he cared more about Avery''s visit


    to their house than everyone else.


    Cayden looked at Zachary and noticed that his son was dressed in a ck suit and a bow tie. If the


    man did not know any better, he would have thought that Zachary was a father waiting for his son to


    introduce him to his daughter-inw.


    “You have so much product in your hair that your head''s probably turned highly mmable. You used


    up all my hair products, didn''t you?” joked Kendrick while rubbing the back of his nephew''s head.


    However, Zachary did not appreciate the humor. Uncle Kendrick is embarrassing me in front of Ms. Ery!


    Fortunately, Avery smiled at Zachary and gestured for him toe to her side, which immediately


    mitigated his embarrassment.


    Sitting next to Avery, Zachary turned to meet Cayden''s cold stare, convinced that his father was just


    jealous that he was younger.


    Afraid Avery would misunderstand and think that the family had anything against her, Jeffrey quickly


    exined, “Cayden''s mother had an important event to attend today. This is my fault, really. I heard


    that Cayden has a girlfriend, so I couldn''t wait to meet you. I should''ve picked a better time to invite you


    over. Anyhow, I''m sure she''ll be back home soon.”


    Avery had seen Allie before in magazines. The older woman would always be invited to parties


    attended by socialites and celebrities.


    Just when Avery was about to assure Jeffrey that she understood, she heard a car drive in.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    “Grandma''s back?” Rory leaped out of her great-grandfather''s arms and went straight to the door to


    wee her grandmother.


    After getting out of her car, Allie strutted into the house.


    Avery quickly swallowed her words and rose with Cayden instead.


    “Grandma, Ms. Ery is here,” informed Rory after taking Allie''s handbag and slinging it over her petite


    shoulder.


    Allie was all smiles when she addressed the only stranger in her home. “Sorry for making you wait. I


    didn''t know you wereing.”


    “It''s fine; I just got here. Sorry for messing up your ns,” apologized Avery after epting Allie''s


    warm hug.


    “Take a seat, Mom.” Cayden did not want Avery to be exhausted from the unnecessarily long


    formalities, so he quickly removed her from his mother''s arms.


    Jeffrey nodded in satisfaction when he saw that. If that''s any indication of Cayden''s love for his future


    wife, he''ll probably end up a henpecked husband.


    “Ery, is it? I know that''s what Rory keeps calling you. What''s yourst name?” inquired Allie, finally


    seated.


    “It''s—” Before Avery could answer Allie, she noticed a middle-aged woman in a floral gown walking


    down the stairs with a ss of red juice and an unfriendly expression.


    “To hell with you and your hypocrisy, b*tch!” cursed Lily while moving her slightly overweight body to


    pour her juice onto Allie''s face. Then, she mmed the ss on the table before turning to her other


    family members. “You were afraid I''d make a scene, so you had my son lock me in my room?”


    Avery was so shocked that she jumped to her feet, wondering who the woman in the branded gown


    was.


    The housekeeper hurriedly grabbed a tissue to wipe off the juice on Allie''s face without a word, while


    Cayden remained seated as though his mother was not the one who got assaulted.


    The children pursed their lips and stayed silent, seemingly used to situations like that.


    “Listen to me, Mom. You should get back upstairs.” Kendrick tried to stop Lily from making things


    worse, but his mother would not have it.


    Lily, who reeked of alcohol, then turned around to smile at Avery. For some reason, there was a hint of


    malice in that smile of hers.