Chapter 233 Family Bonds and Resilience: Ava's Journey Beyond Adversity
Ava could tell her grandmother suspected something was up. Scarlett was sharp; sometimes, just by looking into someone's eyes, she could discern what was on their mind.
Ava tugged at the corners of her mouth, "Nothing interesting, Grandma, you know, I'm not working right now, so..."
"Speaking of jobs, have you considered working at the bank? Since you studied finance, it would be right up your alley."
If Ava took that job, Scarlett would rest easy, glad that someone would be there to look after her and prevent her from being bullied. Although Mia could be a bit cold, she wasn't a bad person.
"I..." At that moment, Ava Anderson didn't want to have anything to do with a company affiliated with the Mitchell family.
She was happy to visit her grandmother often and keep her company, but when it came to the rest of her life, she wanted to steer clear of the Mitchell family.
Seeing Ava's hesitant look, Scarlett's smile faded slightly, "What's wrong? Are you not willing?"
"Grandma, I'll figure out the job situation on my own, you don't have to worry about me. Do you really think I can't find a job without your connections?"
Ava pouted, clearly unhappy.
But her unhappiness was just for show.
Scarlett quickly explained, "That's not what I meant, dear. I know you're the smartest. I just want to help you, to make things easier for you."
"Grandma, I'm not suffering, I'm really happy. Thank you for taking care of me all these years, I'm doing well now."
That was the honest truth.
She couldn't let her past romantic entanglements with Alexander Mitchell overshadow the kindness her grandmother had shown her for a decade. She managed to keep the two separate in her mind.
"Ah," Scarlett let out a sigh, "You are such a kindhearted child. Strictly speaking, your parents’ accident was also because of SK Corporation's chemical plant malfunction. Yet, you never blamed us."
"Grandma, it was an accident," Ava said, "No one would wish for such a thing. It was just fate. I believe my parents are in heaven now where they have no worries."
"Yes," Scarlett mused, "Your parents were good people. If it weren't for them, many more would have been harmed. And you're a good child. Your aunt, on the other hand, is heartless—spending all the compensation meant for your parents and then abandoning you. Who would have thought she was capable of that?"
Back then, Ava was just ten, and the compensation from SK Corporation couldn’t be given directly to a child.
Per the regulations, the money was to be managed by her guardian.
At the time, many distant relatives came forward, wanting to be her guardian for the sake of the money. But in the end, it was her aunt who became the guardian, as she was the closest family Ava had.
"Sigh," Scarlett lamented with a hint of guilt, "It's grandma's fault for not investigating thoroughly and rushing to offer compensation. If I had known what kind of person she was, no matter how troublesome, I would have definitely adopted you directly. You wouldn't have had to live with your aunt and watch her squander your parent's settlement money. You must have suffered a lot, and she surely wasn't kind to you."
Ava forced a small smile. "It was alright, I guess."
Living with her aunt for a year, Ava truly did suffer. Her aunt had a gambling problem and a nasty temper, often lashing out at her. Ava practically played the role of a maid, cooking, cleaning, and laundry were all up to her, not to mention the frequent outbursts she had to endure.
Sometimes, when her aunt drank too much, Ava would feel terrified. She'd retreat to her room, lock the door, and her aunt would bang against it furiously in her drunken rage.
