Chapter 220 Do You Only Read Half of the Book?
Ivy kept her smile, "No manners, huh? You don't know how to respect the elders?"
Katniss shot back, "I don't think you're someone worthy of my respect."
Ivy's smile started to fade. She heard that Katniss used to be an assistant and now she's a tutor.
Before meeting her, Ivy figured someone who used to grovel in a job like that wouldn't even dare to look her in the eye.
Katniss seemed all gentle and refined, the type to get flustered and upset when faced with trouble. If she couldn't handle it, she'd probably run to Tristan and cry.
But Ivy didn't expect her to be so quick-witted, not backing down an inch.
"Is this the woman you brought back?" Travis slammed his knife and fork on the table, glaring at Tristan, "No manners!"
Katniss fired back, "What are the Forbes family's manners? Insult the younger generation at will or bully them for fun?"
At least Ivy was having a back-and-forth with Katniss, but Travis didn't even give her a chance, "This is not your place to talk."
Adelaide snorted, "Whose place is it then? People who know would say I'm your mother; people who don't would think you're the boss. Why the attitude?"
"Mom!" Travis frowned, looking a bit more restrained.
"You've already cut ties with Tristan. Why do you care who he marries?" Adelaide clearly sided with Katniss and Tristan.
Tristan stayed cool, not saying a word, just patiently peeling shrimp for Katniss. By the time they finished talking, he had a bowlful ready for her.
Ivy tried to smooth things over, "Adelaide, that's not it. Travis runs the Forbes family now. Anyone he doesn't like won't be allowed in the family cemetery."
That was probably why Travis felt confident enough to cut ties with Tristan.
Mentioning the Forbes family cemetery, Katniss felt a chill from Tristan beside her. He took off his gloves, leaned on the chair, and shifted his body, the veins on his hand standing out.
His clenched jaw was obvious, like he was holding something back.
"The vibe's too heavy." Ivy put down her knife and fork, "Travis, you're not here to cause trouble. You're here to patch things up with your son!"
Adelaide looked at Travis, waiting for him to say something.
But since they got there, Tristan had been giving them the cold shoulder, not even calling him "Dad" once.
If Travis admitted he was there to make peace, it would be like admitting he was wrong to Tristan. He just snorted and turned away, saying nothing.
"Like father, like son. Both too stubborn to admit their mistakes," Ivy said, patting Eudora. "We're here to show our stance, not to force Tristan to marry Eudora. He can marry whoever he wants."
Katniss glanced at Eudora, who nodded back at Ivy's words.
"Family harmony is key, and Sam will be back soon. He's closest to Travis. I'm just advising Travis to set a good example for Sam," Ivy said, both stating a fact and boasting about Travis and Sam's relationship.
The reason why they were trying to reconcile with Tristan was that Travis wanted to set an example for Sam.
Katniss felt a pang in her heart. She looked at Tristan, who had already lit a cigarette. People said Tristan was unapproachable and ruthless in business. But she knew he was kind and principled. Beneath his cold exterior was a passionate heart.
She placed her hand on the back of his, her fingers gently tracing his veins.
Tristan switched the cigarette to his other hand, letting her cover the back of his hand.
"Tristan, you and your father haven't seen each other in years. You should catch up. As the younger one, you should take the initiative. How long has it been since you called him Dad?" Ivy threw the ball in Tristan's court, which implied that he should apologize to Travis first.
Adelaide said nothing, looking at Tristan with a mix of unease and expectation.
After a while, Tristan took the last puff of his cigarette, extinguished the butt on the table, and the sparks instantly went out. It was like the stars in his eyes suddenly disappeared. He raised his deep eyes and stared at Travis. "He doesn't deserve it."
As soon as he finished speaking, Travis abruptly stood up, the dishes in front of him clattering. "Say one more word! No manners. How did I end up with such a rebellious son like you!"
His anger and judgment didn't faze Tristan, who still sat lazily in his chair.
The contrast between father and son was stark.
Tristan was much more composed than Travis.
"Alright." Ivy patted Travis's chest and pulled him back down, "He's your only son. Why get so worked up? Let's eat. Remember, we have a press conference later. The Forbes family has been a laughingstock long enough. It's time to change that."
'The only son?' Katniss frowned at that. She didn't think Ivy misspoke.
If Tristan was Travis's only son, then what about Sam, who supposedly had a great relationship with Travis?
No one said anything more. Travis didn't touch his food, but Ivy ate quite a bit and even served Eudora a lot.
"Oh no." Eudora accidentally splashed some sauce on her clothes.
Ivy's face turned cold. "What are you doing? So careless. Go upstairs and change."
"Okay." Eudora got up and headed upstairs.
Eudora's room was at the corner of the third floor, where she had stayed before going abroad after joining the Forbes family.
After returning, Adelaide didn't let her stay, so she had to find a place elsewhere. But her things were still here, with countless new clothes in the walk-in closet.
She grabbed a dress and put it on. A figure quickly slipped in, standing at the closet's entrance and whispering, "Miss Savoy."
Eudora responded without turning her head, "What's up?"
"I overheard Mrs. Forbes and Katniss talking." The servant, a woman in her thirties, looked timid.
Eudora finished changing, turned around, and stood in front of the full-length mirror, fixing her hair, "What did they say?"
"It seemed to be about some agreement, something about marriage and divorce. They spoke very quietly, and I didn't dare get too close, so I didn't hear clearly. It seemed like they were debating whether to tell Mr. Forbes." The servant replied.
Eudora paused, frowning as she pondered the meaning of these words.
She knew Tristan's first marriage was arranged by Adelaide.
Could it be that the woman wasn't content and came back for money, and Adelaide and Katniss were discussing what to do?
She couldn't figure it out but felt it wasn't that simple. If the woman really came for money, it wouldn't require both Katniss and Adelaide to rack their brains. And there was no need to hide it from Tristan!
"Emily Harper, keep an eye on Mrs. Forbes. Let me know immediately if there's any movement," Eudora said.
Emily nodded, "Okay, I'll go out now."
To avoid being discovered, Emily peeked outside through a crack before quietly leaving. Eudora didn't know exactly what Adelaide and Katniss were talking about, but she knew they were hiding something from Tristan.
After the meal, Travis and Ivy left with Eudora.
The food on the table was barely touched. A waste of a delicious meal.
Since they arrived, Tristan had been surrounded by a cold aura, speaking very little.
Adelaide sighed deeply and said, "What's wrong with calling him Dad? Your mother still hasn't been buried in the Forbes family cemetery!"
"She won't be," Tristan said decisively. "He doesn't deserve to be buried with my mom."
Adelaide moved her lips but eventually took a deep breath and gave up. "I want to take a nap. You all should rest too. I have a surprise in the bedside cabinet."
She winked at Katniss, "I've redecorated Tristan's room for you two. I planned for you to stay here. But he said you needed to take care of your mom, and you just come over occasionally."
"Thank you, Mrs. Forbes." Katniss quickly nodded in response.
Adelaide waved her hand and whispered, "Keep him company."
Katniss nodded, following Tristan upstairs.
The spiral staircase was adorned with a large crystal chandelier, reflecting the sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The dazzling light made Katniss squint, and Tristan's tall, cold silhouette was reflected in her eyes.
She pressed her lips together; she hadn't eaten much during the meal.
Listening to their conversation, she could deduce that Tristan's mother still hadn't been buried in the Forbes family cemetery.
Whether it was because Travis wouldn't allow it or Tristan wouldn't permit it was unclear.
The conflict between father and son was far deeper than just Travis disapproving of her marrying Tristan. And Ivy's phrase "the only son" was something Katniss couldn't fathom.
At the corner of the second floor, Tristan opened the door and went in first. Katniss had just taken a step when Tristan hurriedly came out, closing the door.
"What happened?" Katniss almost bumped into his back. Seeing his indescribable expression, she couldn't help but ask.
Tristan gripped the doorknob tightly, and after a moment, he said in a low voice, "Grandma said she redecorated my room, so anything inside has nothing to do with me."
Katniss was extremely puzzled, "What's inside?"
His expression made Katniss suspect that Adelaide had placed a row of inflatable dolls inside. What could be in there that made him so difficult to describe?
"You'll see when you go in." He opened the door, gesturing for her to enter.
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