enjoyebooks Chapter 657 - 628: Defining Identity
Chapter 657 - 628: Defining Identity
Simon Forrester turned to look in the direction of the doorway. Upon seeing Quentin Thorne’s conflict and pain in his eyes, he comforted his wife, "Maybe they just happened to meet at the front door."Sienna Thornton shook her head, clearly unconvinced.
On the other side, Old Master Grant saw his beloved granddaughter Mina Thorne arrive, and with the support of Grant Two and Grant Three, he went to bring his granddaughter to sit next to him.
Indeed, Mina Thorne was the only girl in the Grant Family, and Old Master Grant truly cherished his granddaughter, especially since his eldest daughter Ian Grant passed away. However, loving her was one thing; to personally lead her to her seat was quite another. Thus, his actions tonight were also a signal to outsiders that this granddaughter of the Grant Family was under protection.
The old neighbors understood, glanced in the direction where Sienna Thornton was seated, and merely smiled without speaking.
Quentin Thorne took a seat beside Old Master Forrester, and with everyone present, it was time to serve the dishes.
The Grant Family was not as particular about dining as the Forrester Family was. Typically, they only had an aunt responsible for meals, so hosting a banquet at home today meant ordering from nearby restaurants and having food delivered.
The residents of this area were mostly nobles, accustomed to gourmet food, with delicate palates. Faced with this simple feast, they naturally yawned repeatedly, with little appetite, focusing their extra energy on gossip.
Old Master Forrester was seated with Old Man Linton from next door and Old Mr. King from the Grant Family’s adjacent property. Normally, these four families were relatively close, having known each other for decades, and could chat casually without particular etiquette.
Previously, at Simon Forrester’s wedding, Old Mr. King was quite curious about the relationship between the bride and Quentin Thorne. Now, sitting at the same table as Old Master Forrester, he promptly began to inquire.
"Fletcher, I want to ask you something." Old Mr. King leaned toward Old Master Forrester’s ear, lowering his voice.
Old Master Forrester responded magnanimously, "Ask away."
Old Mr. King asked, "It’s said your granddaughter-in-law was a child fostered by Dean Thorne’s relatives in the countryside...?"
Old Master Forrester took great pride in his granddaughter-in-law being Quentin Thorne’s eldest daughter. Now, hearing such a question from a neighbor, his anger surged instantly, his eyes ablaze. He slapped the chopsticks down onto the table and shouted, "Who said my granddaughter-in-law is the child of Dean Thorne’s relatives?! Huh? Who said it?"
Old Mr. King was startled by him, glanced at the neighboring table where Old Master Grant was seated, and whispered, "Grant said it."
Old Master Forrester was astounded that Old Master Grant spoke of his granddaughter-in-law to the neighbors in such a manner. Enraged, he turned and shouted at Old Master Grant, "Old Grant! What do you mean by this? Why are you saying my granddaughter-in-law is the child of Dean Thorne’s relatives?"
The previously lively and bustling restaurant fell into an immediate silence.
Everyone stared in astonishment at the yelling Old Master Forrester.
Seeing Old Master Grant remain silent, Old Master Forrester decisively stood up, stepped forward, and pointed straight at him, "Old Grant! Why are you saying my granddaughter-in-law is the child of Dean Thorne’s relatives? What nonsense are you spouting?!"
Old Master Grant solemnly eyed his irate companion, his nostrils flaring as he breathed heavily. He calmly put down his chopsticks and stood up.
"I invited the neighborhood to gather tonight, and among the topics was this," Old Master Grant, unfazed and clear-headed, stated, "back when your grandson had his wedding, Quentin served as the matron, and the neighbors were confused about this dubious princess of the Thorne Family. Are you also confused?"
The entire restaurant was so quiet one could hear a pin drop, Old Master Grant’s composed voice echoed around, and everyone held their breath, waiting for the drama to unfold.
Feeling mocked for being old and muddled, Old Master Forrester was ready to explode. However, Old Master Grant’s words were elusive, leaving him unsure of what Old Master Grant might say next, causing him to remain silent, merely glaring at him heatedly.
His silence led Old Master Grant to assume he had acquiesced, prompting him to state publicly, "The Forrester Family’s granddaughter-in-law being said to be a relative’s child of Quentin from the countryside is not accurate. Everyone knows that Quentin taught in the countryside when he was young and was acquainted with some villagers. That girl is the child of one of those families, also studied law. Her family entrusted her to Quentin’s care, and Quentin took a liking to her, thus deciding to become her godfather, and have been living with the father-daughter dynamic all these years."
Initially bewildered, Old Master Forrester assumed his friend had started spouting nonsense due to age. But upon pausing briefly and observing Quentin Thorne’s silent demeanor, he realized that the previous statement was likely agreed upon by Grant Family and Quentin Thorne beforehand.
Upon understanding, Old Master Forrester’s rage flared. He pointed at Old Master Grant, shouting, "Old Grant! Are you mad? What nonsense are you saying?"
Old Master Grant didn’t raise his voice, simply smiled at Quentin Thorne, "Quentin, say a few words! Clear things up while the neighborhood is here, stop letting people misunderstand!"
Quentin Thorne placed both hands gently on the table, his gaze full of sorrow directed at the pair of red-rimmed eyes.
Suddenly, Sylvia Langley, sitting beside Sienna Thornton, stood up and walked over to Old Master Grant, smilingly asked him, "Uncle Grant, were you aware that my daughter’s household registration is already under Dean Thorne’s? It says ’eldest daughter’ under the relationship column, did you know that?"
Unprepared for her move, Old Master Grant shot a reproachful glance at Quentin Thorne. Straightening his posture, he said, "Since she’s recognized as his daughter, it’s only natural to give her the household registration."
Sylvia Langley smiled and continued, "Did you know that children above six years old requiring household registration with their parents need to provide DNA proof?"
Astonishment swept through the crowd, murmurs and discussions began quietly.
Old Master Grant realized, caught in a dilemma, his face flushed with anger.
If he claimed Quentin Thorne arranged the registration without DNA evidence, it would essentially confirm that his son-in-law engaged in corruption, exploiting connections for illegal proceedings. If investigated further, it could equate to wrongdoing.
Old Master Grant hurriedly patted Quentin Thorne’s shoulder, "Get up and say something!"
Quentin Thorne’s thoughts were elsewhere entirely, fixated on the slender figure not far away. The figure occasionally glanced back at him, and what he saw in those eyes was determination, albeit reddened with emotion.
His heart felt a painful tug.
Guests continued whispering, while at Simon Forrester’s table, Gage Grant couldn’t contain himself. He stood up and shouted at Old Master Grant, "Grandpa, stop the charade, would you? Everyone knows Director-General Thorne is Dean Thorne’s biological child...?"
Just as he stood, before finishing his sentence, Old Master Grant waved his hand, prompting Grant Two and Grant Three to swiftly approach and escort Gage Grant away.
Sienna Thornton could no longer stand by, furiously stood and walked toward Old Master Grant. In an instant, Simon Forrester wanted to reach out to her but didn’t have time.
With reddened eyes, she approached Old Master Grant, opened her handbag, took out an envelope, and handed it to him, "Take a look at these before deciding my identity."