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Sitting next to him was an elegantly dressed beautiful lady, who must be in her seventies, but
looked only around fifty years old.
Her hair had also turned gray, but she looked bright and healthy.
Xenon was sitting next to his grandfather, both appeared emotionless. They look so alike. Miya thought, not just their face, but also the way they carry themselves.
Benjamin opened his eyes wide at the sight of Miya, but he quickly resumed his cold and
emotionless look. She looks just like Sol Keaton! He thought. He wasn't pleased with it at all.

Miya noticed the change on Benjamin's face and her heart sank. She glanced at senior Mrs.Uba, who looked at Miya coldly and quickly turned to
Jameson with a smile. "Jameson, i've missed you so much." She beckoned him. "I wish you could come to visit more often. Why don't we get together every week instead?"

Jameson wènt over and gave her a hug. "| I miss you too." He said gently. It was obvious that she had completely ignored Miya.

Miya hesitated. Should I go sit down? Why isn't Xenon introducing me?! Awkwardly, Miya said with a smile, "Nice to meet you, Mr. and
Mrs. Uba. I'm Miya."

Benjamin reacted as if he had not heard Miya and went on talking to Xenon about some wine they were sampling.
Mrs. Uba looked at the handful of presents Miya was carrying and said coldly, "Don't. bring any presents here. You don't know what we like. It's just a waste."

Though Miya had come with the expectation that they would not welcome her, this was too much for her to take. She frowned at them.

Xenon noticed and glanced at themaid, Ann, who understood straight away and went over to
Miya. "Thanks for the presents." Ann had a look at the bags and said to Xenon's grandmother with a smile, "Mrs. Uba, here's your favorite chocolate cookies."

Mrs. Uba glared at Ann and, frightened, Ann looked away immediately. It wasn't easy for her
to be sandwiched in the awkward situation between Xenon and his grandmother. How can I please both of them? Ann took the presents to the storeroom and. came back with a plate of
chocolate cookies. She placed them on the table in front of Mrs. Uba.

Mrs. Uba knitted her brows and commented unkindly, "I only like those from Helen's Bakery."

"it is Hellen's," Xenon said indifferently. Mrs. Uba
glared at him angrily."You mean to anger yoùr grandpa and me,don't you?"

Again, indifferently, Xenon said, “Not at all. I told Miya once that you love the chocolate cookies
from Helen's and she remembered and bought some for you." He beckoned Miya, and she went and sat down next to him.

As soon as Miya sat down, both Mr. and Mrs. Uba's face grew stern. Just as she was
wondering what to say to change the awkwardness, there came a familiar voice saying, "Is Xenon back? Come, I've made Buka chicken stew specially for you!"

Miya turned around to see a perfectly beautiful face at the kitchen door. It was Sophia Moore,
wearing an apron, looking at Miya with a triumphant sneer.
Seeing that Xenon made no response. Mrs. Uba looked annoyed and said to Xenon, "Xenon,
Sophia is speaking to you. I invited her over for dinner, but came with a big bag of ingredients, saying she's preparing your favorite dish for you. What a sweet girl she is!"

Sophia smiled proudly and said. cheerfully, "I've taken some cooking lessons to learn properly.
Please come try and see if you like it."
Xenon didn't even take a look at her. He said plainly, "I prefer Ann's cooking."

The smile on Sophia's face was replaced by a hurt look. Mrs Uba quickly interfered, "Sophia has made it especially for you. You are a lucky man. You should be grateful."


"I have prepared it with love. Even Ann says my cooking is fantastic now. Won't you please come and sample?" Sophia said pitifully.

Mrs. Uba smiled at Sophia and spoke gently, "Sophia is the. Sweetest girl." Then she turned to
looked at Xenon and said rather seriously, "She's done so much for you, Xenon. I would love to have her as my daughter-in-law. lf you marry her, you will be so happy, and so will I."

Xenon made no comment. Jameson passed a cookie to Mrs. Uba and said playfully, "If it wasn't Xenon that Sophia was in love with, I would have married her. Grandpa and grandma would be happy, and I would have a beautiful and supportive wife."

Xenon looked at Jameson and said, "ls that so? Aren't you still seeing Maggie Taylor? There are plenty of good girls, but you prefer the filthy type."

Maggie Taylor was the daughter of Jack Taylor and one of his mistresses. Maggie's mother
worked at a club and got disease later on, possibly from the sort of work she did. When she was dying, she sent her daughter, Maggie, to Jack Taylor. Jack had no choice but to take Maggie in. Same as her mother, Maggie was
a stunning beauty and a tameless, intemperate one. People called her and Sophia Moore the two most gorgeous Women of City X, but they have also nicknamed her The Slut of City X. It was said that she had numerous partners. The. respectable families in town, including the Uba’s and the Moores, despised her.
Jameson frowned a little bit but quickly resumed his smiley face and defended, "It's nothing
serious. It was just for fun, and I took grandma's suggestion and dumped her long ago."


"Have you really? I'm impressed. Nice one." Xenon sneered and raised his glass to Jameson.

"Cheers."
The family seemed to get along well despite the fact that they often disagreed with each other.
Miya sat there quietly, feeling like an outsider. Sophia was also left ignored in the kitchen.
Reluctantly, Mrs. Uba changed the subject and said,

"'Xenon, why don't you introduce your friend Sophia?" She emphasized the word 'friend'
intentionally.