Chapter 354 I Have the Capital to Be Arrogant
Maud mulled it over and still thought that Super VIP card was the real deal, no scam.
She grabbed the cup on the table and stuttered, "Maybe she hasn't gone far. You can still catch her."
Elaine stomped her foot. "Aunt Maud, you really messed up this time. Nova was just trying to figure out what you like. She probably wanted to use the VIP card to impress you, maybe even gift it to you."
Maud was taken aback. "Did she really say that?"
Elaine kept a stern face. "She was asking about your preferences, but you came in all cold and suspicious. Now you've scared her off. How's she supposed to impress you now?"
Maud's face fell, a hint of regret creeping in. That Super VIP card had always been a sore spot for her. As Mrs. Maud Abbott of the Abbott family in Lindwell, she didn't even have a Super VIP card from DivineDynasty. Maria wouldn't let her get one before, and now Aaron wouldn't allow it either.
She felt frustrated and had to pretend she valued Maria's frugality to save face.
But just now, Elaine said Nova would use the Super VIP card to please her. Did that mean she had missed something?
Maud felt a bit regretful and thought she shouldn't have acted so impulsively based on Vivian's words.
Lvy chimed in, "Nova looks a lot like Susanna. To someone who doesn't know better, they could easily be mistaken for each other. Nova's background is still a mystery. Being Aaron's mom, you could dig a bit more, right? Nova's got a bit of a fiery temper."
Maud felt a bit wronged. "Yeah, I just asked a couple of questions. Anyone would be shocked to see that face. Why does she have to look like Susanna?"
As Aaron's mom, she was used to people trying to please her.
Elaine, feeling anxious, ignored the designer bag in her hand. "Aunt Maud, I'll go after her and clear things up. Just have someone return these items to me later," she said.
Maud felt a pang of dejection as she looked around the room filled with luxury items. Money wasn't an issue, but missing that one coveted luxury item stung. If only she had it, Mrs. Thompson would be so jealous.
Lvy's eyes sparkled as she looked at the luxury items. "Maud, even though Nova looks like Susanna, she's so generous and has a Super VIP card from DivineDynasty. She must be an heiress from a wealthy family in Novaria. Regular folks can't get that VIP card; it's the real deal."
Maud's expression dimmed a bit. "But what should I do now? I can't take back what I said."
"It's not a big deal. As long as Nova wants to marry Aaron, she'll definitely come to appease you," Ivy reassured.
Maud finally smiled. "That's true."
Over the years, the young women vying for Aaron's affection had always presented themselves respectfully in her presence. Well, except for that Susanna from the past!
Outside the café, Susanna, clutching her designer bag, stormed away in frustration. Glancing back, she purposefully slowed her pace, expecting Elaine to come out and explain.
She hadn't expected to meet Maud today, and Maud's demeanor and tone were exactly as she had guessed.
Back then, as an ordinary person marrying into the Abbott family, she had to endure a lot of pain. Thinking of this, a cold glint flashed in Susanna's eyes. She was no longer the person who could be bullied.
"Nova, wait for me."
Before the elevator opened, Susanna heard Elaine's voice. She slightly curled her lips, then immediately put on a stern face and said, "Elaine, let's leave it at that for today. I'm going home."
"Nova, don't be mad. Aunt Maud's just all about that money and status. She wants Aaron to marry some rich heiress who won't outshine him. That's why she said those things; she doesn't really doubt who you are!" Elaine explained.
Susanna kept a stern face. "But I've never been treated like this before."
"Nova, you don't have to worry about Aunt Maud. Aaron's the one who calls the shots in this family. As long as he's got your back, you don't need Aunt Maud's approval. With your family's support, Aunt Maud can't touch you."
Elaine was scared that this generous Nova might break up with Aaron, which would mean no more free gifts for her in the future.
Hearing Elaine's words, the mockery in Susanna's eyes deepened. She continued, "But I didn't expect that after just one meeting, Maud would treat me like this. It's really disheartening."
"Nova, Aunt Maud's just not thinking straight. She's always looking for a rich daughter-in-law to boost her ego," said Elaine.
Susanna couldn't help but chuckle at Elaine's words. On one hand, Maud wanted a wealthy daughter-in-law, but on the other, she couldn't handle a fiery temperament.
Susanna sighed and looked at Elaine. "Elaine, I thought we could become a family and was planning to give this card to Maud as a gift. But I didn't expect her to dislike me so much. A relationship not approved by parents makes me lose confidence."
Hearing this, Elaine quickly said, "Nova, don't give up so quickly. You gotta have faith in Aaron. We will definitely become a family. You don't need to worry about Aunt Maud. I'll make sure she apologizes to you."
Susanna's expression softened. "We'll see. I'm leaving now."
"Nova, will you still take me to that private DivineDynasty show you mentioned?"
"Of course, I'll take you. I'm not that petty." Susanna walked into the elevator, and only after the doors closed did the smile on her face disappear.
A glint of mockery flashed in her eyes. Elaine was indeed a very useful pawn. Just a few shopping trips were enough to easily manipulate her.
Susanna walked to the underground parking lot, where her assistant was already waiting. "Ms. Jones, your encounter with Maud didn't go well. This seems different from your original plan."
"Just the sight of Maud irks me. Who taught her these bad habits?" Susanna shrugged indifferently. Pleasing the Abbott family was far from her mind—it was all just a charade. Even without her memory, she disliked Maud so much. It showed how much she must have hated Maud before.
She looked at her assistant. "For the luxury items prepared for Elaine later, use high-quality replicas. There's no need to buy the real thing."
She had no plans to keep showering Elaine with extravagant gifts. With Elaine's complete trust secured, the switch to high-quality replicas could go unnoticed for a while. When the truth eventually surfaced, the need for pretense would have long faded.
That evening, when she got home, she received a call from Aaron. "Are you free tomorrow?" he asked.
Susanna's lips curled slightly. "Yeah, are you done with work?"
"Yes, and everything you bought for Elaine today will be charged to my account. I'll have the store refund you," said Aaron.
Hearing this, Susanna smiled. "Mr. Abbott, these are just small expenses. You don't have to be so polite with me."
"Elaine is immature. You don't need to buy her so many things in the future."
Upon hearing this, Susanna tactfully remarked, "I ran into your mother at the mall today. We didn't exactly see eye to eye."
