Chapter 522 Brooklyn Returns to the Kingsley Family for Battle
The white Maybach rolled up to the Kingsley Villa, and Brooklyn glanced out the car window at the courtyard bathed in the sunset's glow, a slight smile tugging at her lips.
It had been a while.
The car stopped, and the villa's double doors swung open. The butler approached, bowing respectfully. "Welcome home, Mrs. Brooklyn Kingsley."
He opened Brooklyn's car door, his smile polite and humble, a testament to the Kingsley family's knack for reading the room.
Brooklyn's smile widened, her face radiant in the twilight. "It's been a long time."
The butler bowed his head, avoiding direct eye contact. "Please come inside, Mrs. Brooklyn Kingsley."
Brooklyn's smile deepened. Though she wasn't sure what awaited her inside, the butler's behavior suggested that the Kingsley family had planned a rather pointed and uneasy dinner for her tonight.
Brooklyn stepped forward, her long legs and slender ankles peeking out from beneath her skirt as she moved gracefully.
"Brooklyn!"
She paused at the sound of a familiar voice behind her. Turning, she saw a black Mercedes parked behind her car and Quinn walking over, twirling her keychain.
Quinn looked like she had come straight from the office, her face full of energy and her smile as bright as ever, without a trace of the usual office fatigue.
Quinn beamed at Brooklyn. "Brooklyn, it's really you! What brings you here? I mean, it's great that you're here! Haha!"
"Working late?" Brooklyn asked naturally, her tone gentle and caring, befitting her role as the elder sister-in-law.
Quinn shrugged happily. "Yeah, Sebastian's on a business trip to Averlake, so I've got a ton of work on my plate. The pressure is huge. You should really praise me!"
Quinn's playful demeanor was that of someone who didn't quite understand the gravity of things.
Brooklyn adjusted the bag on her arm, her bright eyes looking at Quinn. "Praise? I'm not great at that. But if you're feeling unwell from all the work, I can give you a shot or prescribe some medicine. My shots don't hurt, and the medicine isn't bitter. Want to try?"
Quinn choked a bit, quickly dropping the playful act and taking Brooklyn's bag from her shoulder. "You're the one who's been working hard! Come on, let me help you."
Brooklyn smiled wryly. "So eager to help, what's the catch?"
As they walked inside, Brooklyn's elegant black high heels clicked on the path, the villa's lights illuminating her profile beautifully.
Quinn chuckled. "No catch, just showing my appreciation for your visit. No hidden agenda!"
Brooklyn nodded. "In that case, I can refuse any requests for help you make later, right?"
"Don't be like that, sis! Brooklyn, you're too sharp. Can't you just play along for once?" Quinn was frustrated that Brooklyn saw through her so easily.
Brooklyn laughed, her expression full of wisdom and insight. "Alright, let's pretend I didn't say anything."
Quinn pondered for a moment, unsure of what she meant.
They reached the front steps of the villa, both of them sobering up. Brooklyn's face turned cool, and Quinn cleared her throat.
A servant opened the door, bowing respectfully. "Mrs. Brooklyn Kingsley, Mr. Quinn Kingsley."
Quinn grinned. "Brooklyn, change your shoes."
He took the slippers from the servant and placed them by Brooklyn's feet, even preparing to help her take off her shoes.
Brooklyn hadn't expected Quinn to put on such a show in front of the Kingsley family. She smiled, glancing at the reactions of those in the living room.
As expected, their reactions were quite telling.
"Quinn! Come here."
Brian's authoritative voice cut through the silence of the living room, his face showing barely contained anger.
Quinn, still crouched, looked up slightly and smiled. "Dad, Brooklyn's had a long day at the hospital. It's rare for her to come home, so I should take care of my brother's wife."
Jennifer remained silent, but Amarantha couldn't hold back, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Quinn is so considerate of Brooklyn. Anyone who didn't know better might think they were the couple. How enviable!"
Quinn laughed. "Amarantha, she's my brother's wife, someone to be respected like a mother. What's wrong with me treating her well?"
Quinn was sick of seeing Amarantha's face every day.
Brooklyn, of course, wouldn't really let Quinn take off her shoes. She changed into the slippers herself and walked gracefully into the foyer, her smile poised and elegant.
Amarantha suddenly laughed. "Quinn, comparing her to your mother makes her sound old, doesn't it? Haha."
Quinn gritted her teeth but heard Brooklyn's soft laugh.
Brooklyn stood gracefully, smiling. "You're right, Amarantha. Quinn did make me sound old. By the way, Amarantha, I almost forgot, how many years older are you than I?"
Amarantha's mouth twitched, unable to respond.
Donny laughed. "Brooklyn, it's rare for you to visit. Come, have a seat!"
Brooklyn's gaze swept over the people in the living room, smiling and greeting each one.
Brian's eyes were cold, and he didn't respond. Jennifer smiled. "Brooklyn, come sit by me."
Herschel praised, "They say Sebastian's wife is both beautiful and talented. Today, I finally see it for myself. It's not easy! Brooklyn, I hear you work at a hospital. Being a doctor must be very busy!"
Brooklyn nodded. "Yes, I work at Aucester Hospital."
Donny smirked. "If you weren't so busy, you might have had time to have children by now. Jennifer and her husband have been waiting for a grandchild for years. Haha!"
Quinn clenched his teeth, but Brooklyn was already smiling.
Brooklyn's fingers traced the rim of her teacup as she looked at Amarantha. "Donny, it's our first meeting, and I don't know where your and Amarantha's child is. Where's the baby? I'd love to see."
Donny's face tightened. "Brooklyn, you're joking. Amarantha and I don't have children yet."
Brooklyn nodded thoughtfully. "I see... Is Amarantha too busy with work? At your age, you should have had children by now, right?"
Amarantha bit her lip, her smile stiff. "I can't compare to you. You're a career woman, and I'm just a housewife."
Brooklyn sipped her tea. "A housewife? You must be very diligent in managing the household and raising children. But with so many servants in the Kingsley family, you must be quite the leader!"
Amarantha had taken over the role of the Kingsley family's matriarch without any real qualification to do so.
Jennifer laughed. "Amarantha just moved back and hasn't settled in yet. She's staying with us for a few days."
Brooklyn responded softly. "I see. Donny, when you left Aucester, you cleared everything out so thoroughly that you didn't even leave a house for yourself. Now that you're back, you should be living in your own home, not cramped here. I really feel for you."
Donny and Herschel's faces changed simultaneously! Brooklyn's words were like a slap in the face, leaving no room for dignity.
Quinn sat quietly, enjoying the show. Listening to Brooklyn's sharp wit was truly satisfying!
He chimed in, "Donny, when do you plan to have children? People are having their second kids already!"
Donny quickly replied, "We're advocating for late marriage and late childbirth. We're not in a hurry!"
Brooklyn said, "Late marriage and childbirth shouldn't be this late, should it? It's one thing if your dad isn't eager for grandchildren, but having children later in life carries more risks. Don't you think?"
Brian had expected Brooklyn to suffer a silent defeat tonight, but instead, she had left everyone speechless. He said coldly, "Enough. Can arguing fill your stomachs? Inform the kitchen, it's time for dinner."
Brooklyn smiled and looked at Amarantha. "Amarantha, did you cook tonight? I remember you telling Sebastian that you'd cook if I came home. What special dishes did you make tonight?"
Amarantha gritted her teeth. "Haha, I didn't have time today! I didn't know you were really coming. I heard you're hard to get a hold of, like a specialist appointment."
Brooklyn chuckled softly. "Well, I guess we'll have to settle for the chef's cooking tonight. Maybe next time, Amarantha."
Jennifer interjected, trying to ease the tension. "Let's all sit down and enjoy the meal. It's not often we get to have Brooklyn with us."
As they moved to the dining room, Brooklyn's eyes met Quinn's, and they shared a knowing look. Tonight was just beginning, and Brooklyn was ready for whatever the Kingsley family had in store.
"No worries, Amarantha. I'll be staying for a week. By the way, what dishes can you make? Write up a menu for us to enjoy. Oh, and if you ever feel unwell, you can see me without an appointment. But I usually handle severe cases, so you wouldn't want to see me, right?"
Quinn nearly burst out laughing. "Brooklyn, are you really ordering food?"
Jennifer forced a laugh, trying to change the subject. "Brooklyn, Amarantha is a great cook. She'll make something different for you every day."
Brooklyn's eyes twinkled with a faint smile. "You've praised her so much, her cooking must be excellent. I wonder if she's willing to cook?"
Amarantha clenched her skirt, glaring at Brooklyn with a look that could kill. "Of course, I'm willing!"
Just then, the servants began bringing the dishes to the dining table.
Brian suddenly changed the topic, his eyes sharp as he looked at Brooklyn's calm face. "Brooklyn, I heard some major things happened at the Mitchell Group recently. I'm not fully aware of the details. Can you fill me in?"
Brooklyn's eyes sparkled. It seemed tonight wasn't just about a spat between sisters-in-law.
"What do you want to know?"
So, Brian wanted to stand up for Donny? Because of the factory issue?
Brian snorted. "Tell me about the pharmaceutical factory. As far as I know, Sebastian gave the factory to the Mitchell Group without Donny's consent. How do you explain that?"
Brooklyn suddenly looked shocked, her face pale. "Oh no! Is that true? I thought the factory was something Donny offered to help me with. Sebastian told me Donny had an empty factory and gave it to me. Is that not the case?"
She quickly pulled out her phone, looking apologetic. "Donny, I'll call Sebastian right now to clarify. If it's true, I'll return the factory to you immediately."
Donny, hearing her mention calling Sebastian, quickly stood up. "No! No need! I... I remembered wrong. I forgot to explain to Uncle. The factory... I offered it to you."
Donny gritted his teeth. This move had backfired, teaching him a lesson instead of hurting Brooklyn.
Brooklyn put her phone away and smiled. "I thought so. You're not that petty. By the way, did you forget to give me the deed to the factory? You can hand it over today. There is no need to make another trip."
What?
Giving her the usage rights was one thing, but she wanted the deed too? Sebastian hadn't even asked for the deed!
Herschel's face turned dark, his voice cold. "Brooklyn, that's not appropriate. Donny lent you the factory in an emergency, and you're not grateful. Now you want the deed too? Do you know how much that land is worth?"
Brooklyn feigned ignorance, her brows furrowing. "Are you asking me for money?"
Herschel's eyes narrowed. "It's not about the money. It's about respect and understanding. You can't just take advantage of family generosity."
Brooklyn's smile didn't waver. "Respect and understanding go both ways, Herschel. If Donny offered the factory, it should be clear and straightforward. If there's a misunderstanding, we should clear it up now."
Brian, sensing the tension, intervened. "Enough. This isn't the right time or place for this discussion. Let's enjoy our dinner."
Brooklyn nodded, her expression serene. "Of course. Let's eat."
As they settled into their seats, Brooklyn's eyes met Quinn's again, and they shared a silent understanding. The evening was far from over, and Brooklyn was ready for whatever came next.
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