Justin’s girlfriend was Nora, and Nora was a Smith. What was that, if not a political marriage?
However, Joel’s voice had been very low, so the others didn’t hear him clearly. Warren asked, “What did you say, Joel?”
Joel coughed. “It’s nothing.”
Warren nodded. “Yes, our families have already agreed on the political marriage, so Justin has to take someone from the Smiths as his wife. How can he go back on his word like that? And make Yvonne wait for him for so many years in vain?”
Joel glanced at Warren when he said that, but didn’t say anything.
As for Yvonne, she lowered her head and said, “Don’t say any more, Warren. Let’s have dinner first.”
After dinner, everyone left indignantly. Yvonne was about to go upstairs when Joel stopped her. He said, “Yvonne.”
Yvonne walked up to Joel obediently and called out respectfully, “Joel.”
Joel said dispassionately, “Regarding the Hunts, I’ve already told you Justin’s stance a few years ago. You said at the time that Justin didn’t have a girlfriend and you weren’t in any hurry to find a boyfriend, and so, it dragged on just like that. But now that he has a girlfriend, what are your thoughts on the matter?”
The Hunts and the Smiths were originally planning a political marriage between Justin and Yvonne.
In fact, they had brought it up before when the two were eighteen years old. Pete didn’t exist at that time yet, but Justin had nonetheless rejected the idea.
However, because he was concerned that it would embarrass Yvonne, he had discussed it privately with Joel instead.
Joel had subsequently relayed the message to Yvonne, so that she wouldn’t waste time on it anymore.
As Yvonne hadn’t looked for a boyfriend all these years, and since Justin didn’t have a girlfriend, Joel didn’t announce the decision at home, thinking that there might still be possibilities between the two of them.
Therefore, Justin hadn’t done anything to let Yvonne down at all. It was just that the rest of the family didn’t know about it.
Yvonne’s eyes flickered when she heard him. She lowered her head and said, “I will do as you say, Joel.”
She knew that Joel had always been someone extremely protective of his own.
When she said back then that she wasn’t going to look for a boyfriend for the time being, he had immediately understood what she meant. It was just that they couldn’t force Justin into anything, so the situation had dragged on till now.
But someone had intercepted her in the end instead.
Although Joel looked as if he was always smiling, and was amicable and easy to get along with on the surface, Yvonne knew just how domineering a person he was deep down.
As long as his younger sister—even if just a titular one—was still part of the Smiths, no outsider was allowed to bully her!
Therefore, Yvonne was confident that Joel would think of a solution for her—or at least, he would break Justin and Nora up.
In the midst of her beautiful daydream, Joel instead said unhurriedly, “In that case, don’t pursue it anymore. As they say, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. You might as well use this opportunity to take a look at other people.”
Yvonne: “?”
She lifted her head abruptly and looked at Joel in disbelief.
For a while, she couldn’t quite control the expression on her face.
How did this…
Her fists balled up. It was only a moment later that she finally said, “I… I’ll do as you say, Joel.”
Joel nodded.
He stared at Yvonne for a while, which made her ask hesitantly, “Is there anything else, Joel?”
Joel retracted his gaze, a touch of disappointment flashing across his eyes. “No, there isn’t.”
Only then did Yvonne turn and leave.
After turning the corner and entering her room, at last, Yvonne couldn’t maintain the expression on her face anymore, and a savage air came over her entire self.
Joel wasn’t going to help her… Wasn’t it just because she wasn’t related to the Smiths by blood?
They painted such a nice and pretty picture for the outsiders, but at the end of it all, they didn’t treat her as family!
A furious Yvonne hurled the things in her hands onto the floor.
Someone knocked on her door at this moment.
Yvonne hurriedly sorted her emotions and opened the door to find Warren standing outside. He looked at her and asked, “Did Joel say that he’ll think of something for you, Yvonne? We can’t do anything to Justin, but it’s not like we can’t do anything to his girlfriend, either, right?”
Yvonne bit her lip. She smiled and chose not to deny his statement. Instead, she replied, “Don’t bother yourself with this anymore, Warren. Joel knows what he’s doing.”
Warren, however, shook his head. “That won’t do. I can’t just laze about and do nothing at home every day, either. Leave it to me! Hmph, just wait and see at the party! I will make Justin’s little girlfriend regret it!”
Yvonne gave him a grateful look. She said, “You treat me too well, Warren!”
“Tsk, this is nothing. I already told you a long time ago, even though we aren’t blood-related, I really see you as my younger sister. Also, since you’re a Smith, there’s no way I’ll allow anyone to bully you!”
“…”
Warren returned to his room after talking to Yvonne. Brandon’s mother, aka Warren’s wife, asked, “How did it go?”
Warren sighed. “Her eyes were all red. I knew it, there’s no way a girl won’t be affected.”
His wife sighed. “Yeah. Help your little sister out, then.”
From the previous generation onward, there were only sons in the Smiths. She knew that her husband had always wanted a younger sister, but unfortunately, his five uncles simply hadn’t had any daughters at all!
Later, Ian adopted Yvonne.
Although Yvonne didn’t interact much with the rest of the family, she was simply too popular in this sister-deprived family!
Warren sighed. “Why are Dad and my uncles such big failures? It’s all their fault that I don’t have a younger sister! The same also goes for your belly. Let’s work hard and have a daughter, dear. You don’t know how envious I am whenever I see Joel carrying Mia!”
His wife: “…”
—
In the hospital.
Joel informed Quentin about the affairs at home when he came to visit Ian.
Quentin fell silent for a while after hearing about it. At last, he heaved a huge sigh and said, “At the end of it all, it’s still because she isn’t Uncle Ian’s daughter. To think she’s actually giving the medicine to someone else as a gift instead of giving it to Uncle Ian… Rather than Mrs. Hunt, who’s in the pink of health, it’s Uncle Ian who’s in greater need of that medicine!”
This was also the reason why Joel had been displeased with Yvonne.
Although she wasn’t related to them by blood, her adoptive father was currently hospitalized. Yet, she had spent so much money to buy medicine just to show off. What was the point of doing something like that?
He cast his eyes down dispassionately. “Forget it. Let’s just marry her off and send her away.”
Quentin nodded. Then, he said, “The Smiths and the Hunts are about to work together on a collaboration project, but it’d be best if the two families can solidify their relationship through a political marriage first. Should we acknowledge our little sister at the party and bring her back?”
“What little sister are you talking about!” Joel reprimanded, “So long as Uncle Ian doesn’t say the word, that little sister doesn’t exist for us!”
Quentin curled his lips disdainfully. ‘Mr. Teen With Grandiose Delusions’ sneered, “I refuse to believe you don’t want a little sister!”
Joel: “…”
The two men’s voices were a little loud. When they turned, they saw that Ian had already woken up at some point. Just as the two of them were a little taken aback, Ian sat up and said, “Is it a birthday party? I’ll attend it, too.”
Joel and Quentin exchanged a look. Both of them had understood.
Uncle Ian had ultimately thought it through in the end—he was intending to take the opportunity to acknowledge her and bring her back to the Smiths!