Chapter 336 The Brown Family
After lunch, the children went for a nap, and Sophia and Ruth sat in the living room.
"Ms. Lancaster." Sophia probably guessed what was going on.
Ruth looked unhappy. "If you agree, I wouldn't have gone through all this trouble."
Sophia didn't know how to respond.
Ruth sternly warned her, "If you dare to leave the house, you will have to compensate me ten times the penalty fee, so think carefully."
Sophia felt helpless. She didn't want to take advantage of Ruth but ended up being helped by her. The agent made up all those excuses to persuade Sophia to rent this house.
Sophia hugged Ruth like a child. "Ms. Lancaster, you are so good to me, just like my real grandma."
"Silly child." Ruth patted her arm gently. "After your parents passed away, I became like your real grandma to you. From now on, don't be polite to me anymore."
Sophia snuggled in Ruth's arms. She didn't expect that at almost thirty years old, she could still act coquettishly in front of her elders. Sophia closed her eyes and quietly enjoyed the warmth of the moment.
The Brown family warmly welcomed the family of David. Chloe was elderly but still in good health. She chatted with David, Jennifer, and Colin energetically.
The Brown family was once a prestigious family, but after Chloe's husband retired, it gradually became a shell of its former self, declining day by day. After he passed away, the Brown Group was on the verge of collapse.
Back when the Kelly Group was still around, they could manage to stay afloat. After the Kelly Group's incident, every step for the Brown Group became more challenging. However, the Brown Group ultimately did not declare bankruptcy under the resolute leadership of Logan. Providentially, a lifeline of the Brown Group emerged with the timely arrival of the Blackwood family.
Logan poured red wine for David, then raised his glass, saying, "Mr. Blackwood, thanks to the intervention of the Blackwood family, the Brown Group has weathered the storm."
Now, with the assistance of the Blackwood family, the Brown Group was flourishing, with a high volume of monthly orders that they couldn't keep up with. Even the banks were generous in providing loans to the Brown Group.
"This is the least we can do. You raised Susan and Patricia, and we don't know how to repay that." David clinked glasses with Logan.
David glanced at Madam and said, "I couldn't come last time due to some matters. I hope Ms. Smith can forgive me."
"It's okay; your family's business is understandably demanding," Madam reassured.
"I would like to know more about my sister Susan's situation. Could Ms. Smith tell me about it?"David asked.
The middle-aged woman sitting next to Logan's expression changed slightly, and both Madam and Logan's faces suddenly turned serious. After a while, Madam sighed, her gaze distant as she delved into memories. "When our family went to seek refuge with relatives in another place, on the train, my husband noticed a couple with a child who seemed suspicious, and they turned out to be human traffickers. Susan was too young then; she didn't remember where she was from or who her parents were, and she couldn't even speak clearly. My husband felt sorry for her, so we adopted her. We raised Susan carefully from a young age, educating and nurturing her as our own child. Susan was a bit rebellious, had an early romance in school, and even bullied classmates. Fortunately, we managed to educate her on her character, and she married well, but..." Madam wiped away tears at the end. "It breaks my heart that I, an old woman, had to watch her go."
Madam's words cast a heavy atmosphere. David felt as if a weight was pressing on his heart. His memories of Susan only went back to when she was two years old. Susan was so adorable, fair-skinned, like a little snowball.
"If Susan hadn't insisted on marrying into the Kelly Family, she wouldn't have passed away so soon." Ella George, Logan's wife, also wiped away tears as she spoke.
"Don't say anymore." Logan also looked deeply saddened.
David gleaned from the words of the Brown family that Susan was quite unruly within their midst, causing the Browns considerable distress.
David remarked, "Nevertheless, we are grateful to Ms. Brown for raising both Susan and Patricia; the Blackwood family shall not forget the toil of your family." Logan raised his glass once more with David.
After dinner, David became slightly tipsy. Jennifer and Colin helped him, and the trio bid farewell to the Brown family.
Logan was also a bit intoxicated. He found himself unable to suppress certain revelations.
"Mr. Blackwood, do return tomorrow," he slurred, "for there are yet more details concerning Susan that I wish to impart to you."
With a half-lidded gaze, David responded, "Very well. I shall return tomorrow."
Ella, displaying grace and charm, supported Logan gently and cordially and expressed, "Our families have indeed forged a certain bond; do grace us with your presence more often."
As David was helped into the car by Colin and Jennifer, Colin quietly slipped into the driver's seat, while Jennifer accompanied David in the back.
Ella and Logan watched as their car vanished completely from sight before Ella assisted Logan inside, depositing him onto the sofa.
"None of us were exposed just now, right?" Ella reminisced about the recent events.
"Rest assured." Logan closed eyes.
Ella said, "Fortunately, Susan's family of three has all passed away. Otherwise, we wouldn't have had the chance to reap this reward."
Logan abruptly opened his eyes and looked appreciatively at Ella. "You're smart for suggesting Patricia impersonate Susan's daughter."
"Initially, you were not in favor of Patricia undergoing plastic surgery. Now, you see the multitude of benefits in Patricia resembling Sophia, don't you?" Ella said.
Logan replied, "Yes, I was wrong."
In the car, David, who had been slouching, suddenly sat up straight, his bewildered eyes clearing up. He wasn't actually drunk; he just didn't want to drink more with Logan and was pretending to be drunk.
"I asked about Susan's situation, but the Brown family members were all complaining," David said.
They talked about how disobedient Susan was, the troubles she caused when she was young, and how much they struggled because of her.
David felt furious hearing all this. If it weren't for the fact that the Brown family had taken care of Susan and her daughter, David would have turned against them long ago. Even though Susan had passed away, he would never allow anyone to speak ill of her. It was evident to David that Susan had endured a lot of hardship in the Brown family over the years. The Brown family probably hid many things that were not good for Susan.
David thought, his eyes welling up with tears.
Jennifer sighed helplessly, "Luckily, Patricia is still alive and well. In the future, we should treat Patricia better and try to limit her interactions with the Brown family. As for the Brown family, we should provide them with more money and resources as a way of repaying their kindness."
David was still very angry. Gradually, he calmed down and asked Colin, who was driving, "What was it like when you and your grandmother first visited the Brown family to reconnect?"
Colin had returned to the country to confirm that the Brown family had adopted Susan before informing his family. Madam Blackwood was extremely anxious to return immediately.
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