Chapter 531 An Awkward Family
"Man, at first, I thought tying the knot with a guy like Seb would have you on cloud nine, but I didn't expect life with the Andersons to be such a drag," Andrew muttered from behind.
Susan's brow furrowed at Andrew's words. She spun around, glaring at him. "What are you getting at?"
Whatever it was, Susan was sure Andrew wasn't up to any good.
Andrew just shrugged, looking at her. "No hidden agenda, just calling it like I see it."
Susan scoffed. "Andrew, my business ain't your business. Worry about your own mess!"
Her tone was icy. Ever since they crossed paths again, she couldn't stand Andrew.
Andrew glanced at the kitchen door, making sure Kathy wasn't back yet, and then said, "Carol's the real boss in the Anderson family. You're on her bad side; good luck finding your place here."
Susan rolled her eyes. "I married Seb, not Carol. As long as I can hold my ground at home, the rest of the Andersons can buzz off!"
Andrew looked at her, stunned. "You can't tell me you didn't marry Seb for his money."
Susan shot back, "You think I'm like you? Selling out for cash."
Andrew's face reddened. "Susan, drop the act. If Seb had picked you back then, you would've dumped me in a heartbeat and jumped into his arms!"
Seeing Andrew's eyes flare up, Susan knew she hit a nerve. Andrew had been with Rylee for the Andersons' money and status.
"Don't judge me by your own low standards," Susan snapped.
Andrew was about to retort when Seb walked in from the kitchen. "Susan, are the dishes ready? Mom's here!"
Both Andrew and Susan froze, caught off guard.
Seb noticed their weird vibes and asked, "What's going on with you two?"
"Oh, Andrew just spilled some food. He got all flustered, and I told him it was no big deal. He's probably just not used to our place," Susan quickly covered.
Even though she and Andrew were history, she didn't want Seb knowing about their past. If Seb found out, he'd probably be uncomfortable, and she didn't want to add to his stress.
"Yeah, I'm just a klutz, can't do anything right," Andrew said, playing along with a sheepish look.
Susan's disdain for him grew even more.
Seb chuckled, patting Andrew on the shoulder. "Looks like we need to have you over for dinner more often!"
"Thanks, Seb." Andrew knew better than to cross Seb, so he always played nice.
"Alright, let's get moving. Dad's already calling for us," Seb said.
"Alright." Susan nodded, then turned back to the dishes, but her mind was all over the place. She had no clue what Andrew was hinting at earlier, but one thing was clear that she needed to steer clear of him and keep their interactions to a minimum.
Taking a deep breath, Susan walked out of the kitchen. She hadn't seen Carol in over a month. She wasn't scared of her, but she was a bit on edge and didn't want any drama today.
Entering the dining room, Susan saw Carol handing her bag to Kathy while chatting and sitting down next to Todd. "Ugh, today was the worst. Played eight rounds of cards and lost a few grand. Never been this unlucky!"
Andrew quickly chimed in with a smile, "Mom, you win some, you lose some. You'll definitely win tomorrow!"
Carol smiled, pointing at Andrew. "You always know just what to say!"
Seeing this, Susan felt a pang of worry. Andrew had already charmed Carol, and his intentions were clear. She needed to warn Seb about him, but she wasn't sure how to do it without making Seb suspicious.
Everyone had taken their seats by now. Seb grabbed Susan's hand, looked deeply into her eyes, and signaled her to sit down.
Susan felt Seb's concern and saw the comfort and encouragement in his eyes. He must've noticed her anxiety around Carol too.
As they sat down, Susan looked up and met Carol's cold, piercing gaze.
Carol raised her chin, staring her down. Susan hated that judgmental look, but since Carol was an elder, she couldn't let her emotions show.
Todd spoke up. "It's been a while since we all sat down for a meal together. Even if some of us don't get along, let's at least be civil and not act like enemies!"
"Grandpa, who in our family is enemies with whom?" Hayden suddenly asked, all innocent from his chair.
"Hayden, don't talk nonsense!" Susan quickly scolded him.
Seeing Susan's stern look, Hayden lowered his head, looking all sad. "Oh."
Susan knew Todd's words were aimed at her and Carol. She respected him a lot, and Carol was Seb's mother, an elder after all. They'd have to see each other again in the future.
So, Susan took the initiative and called out to Carol, "Mom!"
"Hmm." Carol hummed through her nose, drawing out the sound.
But to Susan, this was already a win. At least Carol wasn't being outright nasty.
Todd then said, "Let's eat. After dinner, I have something important to announce!"
Hearing this, everyone noticed Todd's serious expression and couldn't help but feel curious.
"Dad, what's the big news? Why not spill it now?" Rylee said with a smile.
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