Ch. 911..920

Chapter 911

"You're opening a store locally?" inquired Genevieve with a raised eyebrow.

"The store I opened in Feston last year is doing pretty good. The one I'm going to open in Jadeborough this year will be located in a mall owned by Specter Corporation. Do offer me a discount on the rent," replied Johanna.

"Which unit do you want? I can have my brother gift it to you."

"That's not a good idea. I'm not the only one who owns this brand, and I can't have the others pocketing the extra money because of the free rent," responded Johanna, pouting.

Amused, Genevieve chuckled as she poked Johanna's cheek playfully.

Amanda rushed over to hug Genevieve's leg as soon as she heard that her mother was going out, begging the woman to take her.

However, Genevieve dared not take the children with her because Steven was not around.

Before Genevieve left, Amanda quickly called Armand and complained, "Daddy, Mommy's going out with Aunt Jojo, but she's not taking us with her. Poor us...'

Genevieve snorted at the little girl with her arms akimbo. "Poor you? Am I torturing you or something? Didn't I just take you out yesterday?"

At that point, Amanda felt even more aggrieved. "Did you hear that, Daddy? Mommy just scolded me."

The girl had turned on the loudspeaker, so she and her mother could hear Armand's deep chuckle. "Forget about Mommy. I'll send a cook over so he can make you the best beef burger and your favorite strawberry cake. What do you say to that?"

"Hurray! I love you, Daddy!" shouted Amanda happily, her frown immediately turned upside down.

Genevieve then snatched the phone from her daughter and complained, "I only texted you because I didn't want to disturb you, yet you have the time to comfort your daughter on the phone. Furthermore, how can you afford a private cook when you've given me all your assets?"

"I can't, but Mr. Sutton can. The cook will bill him," answered Armand shamelessly.

"So you're comforting our daughter with my brother's money. You're despicable!" sneered Genevieve.

"Where are you going with Johanna?" inquired Armand. "Maybe I can join you guys later for a free meal."

"We're not sure yet. I'll send you our location later." Genevieve blew the man a kiss over the phone when she saw that Johanna was ready to go and hung up.

Johanna then gave Genevieve a disgusted look. "Do you guys have to be so lovey-dovey? Armand just left this morning."

"Are you jealous?"

"Why should I be? It's not like I'm still single." Johanna rolled her eyes while grabbing her handbag before walking out with the woman.

"You and Timothy getting remarried?" asked Genevieve after they got into the car.

"Nope." Johanna fastened her seatbelt before continuing, "If we get remarried, he'll have a share of my wealth and our daughter's. There's no way I'll let that happen." "It's not like you're filthy rich," mocked Genevieve. "You just want to string Timothy along."

"If not him, then who?" joked Johanna with a chuckle.

Johanna took a fancy to a branded women's clothing store on the fourth floor at Paragon Mall, so she informed Cooper and had him make the necessary arrangements.

The barbecue place was just beside the mall, so the two went straight to it after checking out the store.

It was already dark then. The cars on the road were almost just as many as the people on the street, and among them was a black Chevrolet waiting for the traffic light to turn green. In the back seat, a man lowered the car window to reveal a pair of cold purple eyes.

The person stretched his long, slender fingers as he glanced at the two lean figures exiting the mall along with the crowd.

Chapter 912

When Zephyr's eyes stopped on the woman in a sleeveless dress, a glint of interest flashed across them.

Zephyr's driver followed his gaze to the mall entrance before reporting, "I found out that several people were looking into the staff members and the guests of the cruise ship. Armand's subordinates are pretty capable; they managed to find our people. I learned that one of the Zeiglers' housekeepers, who owed Sylvie a favor, poisoned General Zeigler and framed Genevieve for it. Hence, people put all the blame on Sylvie. I've already withdrawn our men from Jadeborough in case Armand gets suspicious."

The driver then glanced at Zephyr through the rearview mirror before inquiring in a lowered voice, "Mr. Zephyr... Genevieve didn't bring any bodyguards with her. Should we make a move since she's defenseless now?"

Zephyr simply followed the two women with his eyes as he asked, "Who's the woman beside Genevieve?"

"I think that's Johanna. She and Genevieve are pretty close," replied the driver after looking out the car window. Genevieve was the reason he and Zephyr came to Jadeborough, so he did not pay much attention to her friend.

However, the driver soon sensed something in his employer's tone. "I'll do a background check on her."

Zephyr then nodded at his driver before casually placing his arm on the car door and smiling. "We're not making a move just yet. Jadeborough is an interesting place, so I think I'll spend a little more time here." "The President seems to know that Ms. Quinn is in Chanaea, but he didn't say anything about it," informed the driver after nodding back at his employer.

"Just because he didn't mention it doesn't mean it didn't cross his mind." Zephyr only leaned back lazily after the women had left his sight.

The driver was glad that Mia was already dead. Otherwise, things could get even more troublesome.

"Have those around the President tell him everything about Ms. Quinn's death and the people responsible for her car accident a few years ago," ordered Zephyr while stretching his fingers again. "Yes, sir." The driver stepped on the accelerator when the traffic light finally turned green.

After entering the barbecue place, Genevieve, along with Johanna, was about to follow a waiter to their table when she suddenly heard someone call out to her.

It was Harry sitting beside a divider screen, so Genevieve waved the waiter off and went to the young man's table with Johanna.

"What are you doing here in Jadeborough? Don't you have to go to school?" inquired Genevieve.

"The school has advanced our holiday by a few weeks," answered Harry. “I came to Jadeborough for a horse race, and the horse I betted on just happened to win, so Jesse and I decided to have a meal here.” Jesse, seated just across from Harry, waved at the two women.

Harry wore a white T-shirt that day, showing his strong, tanned arms. A long knife scar was clearly visible on one of them. Genevieve's eyes immediately softened when she noticed the scar. "Why didn't you undergo surgery to remove the scar?" "Why bother? It's not as if I'm a girl," voiced Harry with a bright smile. "The scar tells people that I'm a real man." "Even without it, I'm sure people can still tell with your clothes off," joked Jesse.

Harry ignored the man and rose from his seat instead. "Is it just you two, Genevieve? You should join us. I'm buying." "Sure." Genevieve did not want to turn down Harry, so she and Johanna joined the men.

Harry then beckoned a waiter over so the women could place their orders. He also served the meat slices onto their plates.

Chapter 913

Johanna kept observing Harry. Suddenly, she huddled up close to Genevieve and muttered, "Armand's mother is incredibly gorgeous. It's no wonder all her three children are so handsome."

Genevieve stared daggers at her, worried that Harry might overhear her comment.

"Fine." Johanna dropped the topic.

When Harry served Johanna a glass of water, he asked curiously, "What did you say, Jojo?"

Being called her nickname made Johanna, who was already a mother, feel like she was still a college student. She smiled while cupping her face with her hand. "I was telling Genev that you look hot. You were my epitome of an ideal boyfriend when I was eighteen; tall, handsome, one who knows how to play basketball, car racing, surfing, and more! What a cool dude! If I were still in my teens, I'd definitely write you a love letter and confess my feelings for you."

"Oh, please don't." Genevieve shot her a look. "You're doomed if Timothy hears this."

Johanna scoffed, "He had his share of love stories. When we first got together, he was still thinking about his first love from school. Did I comment on that?"

Knowing that she could not win the argument with Johanna, Genevieve ignored her and looked at the menu instead.

As Johanna continued scrutinizing Harry, an idea suddenly dawned on her. "I'm going to open a shop for my fashion label in Paragon Mall. Coincidentally, we need a male model. What do you think about working as a model at my studio for a five-digit hourly wage? If you're worried about exposing your identity, you can wear a mask during the shoot. We just need to photograph your body."

"That's a very high hourly wage!" Harry's eyes lit up with excitement. "Sure!" he agreed right away.

Subsequently, Johanna whipped out her phone and exchanged numbers with Harry.

As soon as the waiter left their table, another one came with a stalk of white rose. He bent down and asked politely, "May I know which one is Ms. Joule?"

Johanna arched her brow and responded, "This is she. What's up?"

"A man gifted you this rose." The waiter handed the flower to Johanna and added, "He wishes you a good time with your friends."

Stunned, she stared at the rose blankly until her lit phone screen caught her attention.

Timothy texted: Darling, I'll go pick you up when I knock off in about half an hour. Love you.

What a pleasant surprise! He knows my whereabouts? I suppose he got help for this.

Johanna waved the rose at Genevieve and giggled. "See? This is what a man does. He wants to be romantic, yet he sent me only a stalk of rose. Does he think I don't have the energy to carry a big bouquet?" Genevieve chuckled. "Perhaps he thought that it's inconvenient to keep a bouquet when you're eating out."

As she reached for her phone to check the time, Armand's message came in, informing her that he was in Room 303.

"It's so noisy here. Let's get a private room," Genevieve then suggested.

With that, the four of them moved to a private lounge. A man was already sitting there, barbecuing some high-quality beef. There were plenty of dishes placed on the big round table.

At that moment, Genevieve did not know how to react.

When he was masquerading as Bruce, we couldn't meet up during the day. Now that he's working for the government, it's still equally challenging for us to sit together and have a meal in public. Genevieve strode across the room and took a seat beside him. "I thought you needed to work past eight o'clock?"

"I managed to finish early. Hence, I'm here to keep you company." Armand swept a glance at Harry, who entered the room last. However, he withdrew his gaze very quickly and served Genevieve some beef. "Mr. Faulkner, I'll despise you if you're only going to grill meat for Genev." Johanna was brutally honest.

"Whatever makes you happy." Armand was not bothered by her remarks at all.

Johanna rolled her eyes at him and sat down beside Genevieve. "Genev, you still love me, right?" she said in a child-like voice.

Feeling rather helpless, Genevieve fed her a piece of beef.

Chapter 914

Johanna smirked at Armand smugly as she chewed her food, but the latter did not say anything to her.

At that instant, Johanna knew that she would be at the receiving end of Armand's murderous glare if Genevieve did not get to eat at all. Thankfully, the thoughtful Harry volunteered to grill some meat for her with the excuse that she should not dirty her hands.

Johanna was touched. "Kiddo, you're too kindhearted. I'll remember to give you a good rate when we sign the contract. An hourly wage of thirty thousand! How about that?"

"Whoa! Thanks, Jojo," Harry responded obediently.

Genevieve had eaten some when they were sitting in the main hall. Hence, she felt full after munching another few small pieces of grilled meat in the private room. Moments later, she headed to the restroom, and Johanna followed her.

With that, three men were left behind in the room, and the atmosphere became so thick that one could cut it with a knife.

Initially, Jesse wanted to seize the opportunity to puff at a cigarette. Right when he lit one, he caught Armand staring at him across the table.

The man narrowed his deep-set eyes, and his gaze pierced through Jesse. Though the former remained calm, Jesse felt as though Armand was tightly clenching his throat, intending to suffocate him.

Jesse had been around the underworld for a very long time. He had seen it all, and death could not hold him ransom. However, he was terrified by Armand's penetrating stare. It sent a cold chill down his spine. He swiftly removed the cigarette from his mouth and stubbed it out in the ashtray.

Then, Armand stood up and approached Harry, who was about to enjoy a slice of watermelon.

He greeted Armand with a pair of innocent eyes. "Mr. Faulkner-■"

Before he could utter another word, Armand clasped his neck and lifted him from his chair.

He dug his fingers deeper into the young man's skin and watched his face turn purple.

The panic-stricken Jesse hurried over and knocked down a chair on his way. Instinctively, he reached for his front pocket but froze when Armand shot him a fierce look.

He was aware of all the rumors that warned people not to trifle with Armand. However, he had never had a personal encounter with him.

Their meet-up that day was quite an experience for him. Though they did not exchange a single word, the two intense stares received from Armand were sufficient to give Jesse the heebie-jeebies. He could not help but succumb to Armand's domineering aura.

Suffocating, Harry tried to push Armand's hand away. Tears welled up in the corner of his eyes, making him look downright pitiful.

"I can see through you and your little tricks, Harry. I know the game that you're playing." Armand lowered his head and looked at the young man grimly.

"I don't know..." Harry used all his might to string his sentence together. "What you're talking about..."

Hearing that, Armand tightened his clasp on Harry's neck. "You've attempted to make Genevieve see me with Sally and tried to sow discord among us. I can't believe that a young guy like you is more wicked than Jack."

Subsequently, he pulled Harry closer and stared at his face, which had turned blue. "You eavesdropped on our conversations with Charice," he stated firmly.

Harry tried to gasp for air and said nothing.

"Don't play tricks on me and think you have the upper hand." Armand warned coldly, "I don't want to kill people. However, if you continue to brew delusional thoughts about my wife, I'll let you experience being kidnapped once more, just like the one you had when you were a child."

When he saw Harry shudder with fear, Armand smirked. "I will know what I want to know. Remember, I can make a dead man talk."

His aura was so imposing that even Jesse felt like he could not quite breathe.

Afterward, Armand flung Harry away. Jesse quickly went up and held the latter to prevent him from falling.

Harry was abducted by Hans Group and locked inside a metal bucket, which caused him to be claustrophobic. From what Armand said, there seems to be more to the story...

Chapter 915

Armand turned around and picked up a hot towel from the serving plate to clean his hand.

Just then, Genevieve pushed the door open and announced, "We ran into Timothy on the way back, so Jojo left with him..."

"Are you all right, Harry?" She went up to him and asked in a caring tone when she saw him curled up in a fetal position.

"He's fine, just coughing a little." Jesse passed a glass of water to Harry. Then, he smiled at Genevieve and said, "Ms. Rachford, why don't you go ahead and leave first with Mr. Faulkner if you've finished eating? We'll get the check."

"I don't like owing strangers a favor," Armand uttered indifferently. He grabbed Genevieve's handbag and walked across the room to hold her hand.

Before leaving, Genevieve glanced at Harry and reminded them, "Be careful on the way home."

"Sure!" Jesse nodded.

He knew that Harry bent his body down in order to hide the marks on his neck from Genevieve. As soon as she had exited the room, Jesse wanted to say something, but Harry shoved him aside and proceeded to vomit in the trash can.

Stunned, Jesse held back his urge to regurgitate. He quickly handed Harry another glass of water. "Did his vice-like grip make you feel nauseous?"

Harry did not say a word. He rinsed his mouth with the water, his hand clasping tightly around the glass until his knuckles turned white and the veins on his hand bulged.

Jesse had goosebumps when he detected Harry's murderous intent.

"How dare he threaten me?" Harry stared at the floor coldly as he broke the glass into pieces with his bare hand. Jesse was shocked to the core when he witnessed that.

I know that Harry has a loose screw, but the person he's up against is Armand, who knows all of his tricks. He's not Armand's match, for sure!

Meanwhile, Armand planned to pick up the two children and return to Swallow Garden. However, Genevieve asked if he would be busy the next day because she wanted him to accompany her to visit Herbert in Baykeep.

Meeting up with the elder was undoubtedly a priority. Hence, they decided to put up another night at Johanna's.

The following morning, Armand called his boss to apply for a day's leave. Since it was not a good idea for him to go high profile, they bought regular flight tickets to get to Baykeep.

After boarding, Genevieve browsed her phone while waiting for the plane to take off. Suddenly, a catchy headline caught her attention.

She grabbed Armand's arm at once, leaned toward him, and whispered, "I thought you just became the Deputy Minister. Why did you get promoted again?"

"Are you implying that I must hold the current position for another year or so before I could advance further?" He chuckled.

The man stroked her hair and explained, "Everybody knows that this is just a protocol. I go from one department to the other in preparation for a smooth transition to take over Robert's position in the near future. I don't feel good when I can only go to places with very few people with you all during the day."

He used to be so busy that he had no time for Genevieve and their children. Now that he had more spare time, he still could not bring Amanda to the theme park and take lots of pictures with her. Genevieve was well aware of what Armand was thinking. He's just a staff who serves the Zane family.

"It's okay. You can keep us company at night. It's all good." She slid her palm into his shirt and touched his heart.

"Are you sure you're okay to take the flight?"

"Don't worry about my heart. I'm basically fine." Armand gazed at her. "You're being cheeky, aren't you?"

Genevieve giggled as she ran her fingers across his skin. "It feels tight. Keep it up, Sir. I won't like it if you ever grow a beer belly," she teased him. Armand took her hand out and interlocked it with his fingers. "I won't be able to control myself if you continue to be playful with me. Take a rest." Humming, Genevieve buried her head against his chest and sniffed his fragrant scent as she shut her eyes.

Before boarding, she sent Yuvan a text message to inform him of their arrival time. The latter went to the airport an hour earlier to wait for them. As soon as he picked them up, he drove them to the Zeigler residence.

Chapter 916

The Zeigler family intended to hide the truth from Herbert. Therefore, he was only aware that a virus had broken out in Baykeep. Knowing that everything was kept under control within a short period of time, he felt so proud of his second son.

When things got settled in Baykeep after the virus episode, Phineus took a few days off and stayed at the Zeigler residence.

Right then, Herbert was playing chess with his eldest son in the living room. He was thrilled when he heard that Yuvan was on his way home with Genevieve.

Herbert gave a hearty guffaw when Genevieve arrived with a tall man.

"It's been a while since you last visited me, Genevieve."

"I've been wanting to come sooner, if not for the lockdown due to the virus." Genevieve pursed her lips. "Anyway, I'm here now as soon as the lockdown is lifted."

"You must stay longer this time and read the entire 'Her Tearoom' for me," requested Herbert.

Genevieve nodded. Subsequently, she introduced the man whom she had brought along. "This is my husband, Armand Faulkner. I think you two have met before." "Old Mr. Zeigler," Armand greeted him.

Phineus, who sat opposite Herbert, stood up and shook Armand's hand.

Then, they proceeded to the living room.

As Herbert took his seat, he asked Yuvan to bring out the moonstone tea set gifted to him by Genevieve.

She smiled and said, "It's just a regular tea set. There's no need to keep it in a special place, so please use it often."

"No way." Herbert got all serious. "Tea made in that pot tastes the best. I don't want to simply share it with others. Who knows, they might waste my premium tea leaves too?" Genevieve blushed at Herbert's never-ending praises for her.

When Yuvan returned with the moonstone tea set, Genevieve brewed tea skillfully. Soon, an aromatic earl grey scent wafted through the air and filled the entire living room. Herbert took a sip, and the furrow in his brows relaxed at that instant.

Genevieve chatted with him for a while. Then, she took out two photos from her bag to show him. "I came here today to show you these."

When Herbert saw the little girl in the photos, his hands started to tremble uncontrollably.

After a long pause, he lifted his head and asked frantically, "Genevieve, I don't remember taking these photos for Juliana. Where did you get them from? Have you seen my dear Juliana?"

"Yes, I have." Genevieve patted his back to console him, just in case he collapsed due to breathing difficulty. "The little girl in the pictures is my mom."

"What?" The news came like a bolt from the blue for Herbert. He was not able to process it immediately.

Phineus hurried over to see the photos, and he recognized the little girl at one glance. It was his younger sister who went missing when she was six!

He shot Genevieve a cold glance and questioned, "Although I don't go to Jadeborough often, I do know a little bit about your family. Your mother was the daughter of Old Mr. Quinn. How was it possible that she looked exactly the same as my sister?"

Seemingly perplexed, Herbert checked the photos again. "That's right. Why did my daughter look identical to your mother? That's impossible!"

"Yuvan!" Phineus shouted at him, and his face was grim. "What are you youngsters up to?"

Phineus spent nearly every single day of the year in the army. With his high position held in the military, his imposing aura was deemed intimidating by the veterans. It was needless to say that Yuvan felt the same way too.

His scalp tingled from the hostility of his father. With that, Yuvan quickly passed him a paternity test report and said, "Please have a look at this yourself."

Phineus scoffed as he snatched the report away from Yuvan's hand, only to realize a piece of shocking news-Genevieve was biologically related to Herbert!

"What on earth is going on?" Phineus waved the report at his son.

"Everything's stated clearly in the report. Genevieve's mother was your sister who went missing." Yuvan shrugged.

Herbert widened his eyes in disbelief and grabbed the report from Phineus' grip.

He skimmed through it and checked the results. Then, his gaze fell on Genevieve. He stroked her cheek and shared, "You've found favor in my eyes the very first time I saw you. I also like chatting with you. At first, I thought that it was because of your vibrant personality. Who knew it was because we were related by blood..."

Herbert continued with a pair of glistening eyes, "Your eyes are just like your mother's..." He was resolute. "Yes, you're my granddaughter! I'm sure of it."

Chapter 917

Genevieve gazed at Herbert's full head of gray hair and craggy face. She could tell just how much he had lived in suffering all these years upon learning that his daughter was gone.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she went up to him and gave him a hug. "Granddad," she addressed him formally.

Herbert sighed as he patted her on the back.

Though Herbert was Genevieve's new-found kin, Armand was jealous of him for hugging his wife for too long. He approached them surreptitiously and gently separated Genevieve from Herbert's embrace. "Don't get too worked up, Granddad. Your health is our utmost priority." Armand took two pieces of tissues and wiped Genevieve's tears away.

Herbert's mind went black for several seconds. He was taken aback by Armand's unexpected change of the term of endearment for him.

However, he was quick to realize Armand's hidden agenda. Hence, he pulled a long face and left him with some sour remarks. "You call me your granddad, but deep down, you're calculating how long I've been hugging my granddaughter. We've just found each other. What's wrong if I wanted to have a moment with her?" The older, the wise indeed.

Armand collected himself and replied calmly, "She gets teary easily. I was afraid that her tears would wet your shirt."

Genevieve secretly pinched Armand's waist and escaped from his arms. "Granddad, he always bullies me. That's why I cry a lot. You should stand up for me and teach him a lesson."

She tugged Herbert's arm and acted all cute.

"How dare you bully my Genev!" Herbert glared at Armand immediately.

Armand peered at Genevieve helplessly, whereas the latter arched her brow smugly and mouthed a victorious line at him. I've got my strong backing now. What are you going to do about it? She's fast in switching sides!

Armand did not utter a single word and let Herbert reprimand him. Yuvan tried to suppress his laughter upon seeing the former's defeated expression.

Who could have imagined that a renowned big shot was willing to stoop so low before his wife's grandfather and endure criticism spoken to him?

Genevieve knew that she had already won the battle. Hence, it was time to call it a day. She then passed a peeled apple to Herbert and said sweetly, "Take a rest, Granddad. Don't get so upset." Herbert was over the moon. While feeling blissful, he enjoyed the fruit given to him by his precious granddaughter.

Although Phineus was glad that his father had found Genevieve, he was still dubious about the whole situation and had lots of unanswered questions in his head.

He glanced at Genevieve and said in a deep voice, "My sister was lost when she was six. Since then, we've been keeping in touch with all the police stations in the country in order to get yearly updates with the hope of finding my sister. We even aired her photo on national news during the first two years. It was not cheap to buy a television at that time. Anyway, Old Mr. Quinn was doing very well in his business back then. I bet he earned enough to own a fridge, colored television, and other electrical appliances at home."

Herbert sipped his tea and said nothing despite wanting to find out about the same thing too.

"I visited Old Mr. Quinn's house not long ago. The old housekeeper, who had been serving the couple since they got married, told me Old Mr. Quinn was always busy with his business. He hardly had any time to watch the news. Similarly, Mrs. Quinn had her hands full with the kids and seldom watched the television." Genevieve kept her composure and responded calmly.

"Even if they rarely followed the news, why didn't they report to the police when they found the child?" Phineus asked solemnly.

When Juliana went missing, the Zeiglers contacted the police and provided her photo for a nationwide search.

Had Old Mr. Quinn sent her to the police station earlier, we would have reunited with Juliana.

"They thought about it, but..." Genevieve hesitated as she lowered her gaze. "The old housekeeper shared with me that my mom hurt her head and lost her memory. She also had other illnesses. When she sensed that Old Mr. Quinn wanted to leave her, she would cry hysterically and throw tantrums. The more she cried, the more often she would pass out. Old Mr. Quinn and his wife felt so sorry for her. Thus, they decided to keep her with them."

Chapter 918

"Genevieve did not lie," Yuvan said in an attempt to voice out for her.

He passed a document to Phineus and said, "I've sent someone to the hospital to find out more information. Aunt Juliana once suffered a head injury and also a minor asthma attack."

"Granddad, Uncle Phineus, I know that you guys have experienced a lot of hardships trying to locate my mother," Genevieve said.

She circled Herbert's arms and leaned on his shoulders as she continued, "But after Old Mr. Quinn brought my mother back home, he has treated her as one of his own and has taken good care of her." After parsing through the documents, Phineus went silent for a moment before he said to Genevieve, "I remember the accident involving your parents. Cooper had single-handedly planned it all." "Someone had exploited him. Cooper was misled to think that my father had caused his family's death," Genevieve explained. "The person who had exploited him is already dead. Uncle Phineus, I hope that you can overlook Cooper's mistake in the matter."

Phineus said nothing.

Genevieve tugged at Herbert's arm and said, "Cooper knows he is at fault too. He will compensate for his mistake for the rest of his life. I was brought up by him too. In fact, I am indebted to him... Granddad, I love you very much. If you miss me, just give me a call. I will immediately head over to Baykeep to accompany you."

Herbert patted his granddaughter's hand and sighed. "All right. Stop tugging. I'm getting so dizzy."

Then, he turned to Phineus and stated, "Let's move on from the past. I am truly happy to be reunited with Genev, and I have nothing more to ask."

Phineus knew that his father was asking him to quit pursuing the matter.

Herbert's health was deteriorating, especially after having survived multiple near-death incidents. As his son, Phineus did not wish to upset him. Hence, Phineus agreed.

Herbert told Yuvan to invite everyone in the Zeigler family who were in Baykeep to join them for dinner that night.

The members of the Zeigler family were startled by the sudden notice, for they assumed that they were only summoned because Herbert was on his deathbed, and that they were to gather to listen to his last words. Hence, they immediately took leaves from work and rushed back home to visit Herbert.

In just a matter of hours, the living room of the Zeigler residence was packed to the brim with members of the family.

Felix, who was swamped at work, set aside his work and rushed back home too. He was stumped at the sight of Armand in the living room. Nevertheless, he approached the latter to shake his hand. "Thank you for the call the other day," Felix said.

He had been suspended from work then, and it was difficult for him to investigate anything. If it hadn't been for Armand, Felix would have suffered a major blow to his reputation following the slander. "We are family after all. You're most welcome, Uncle Felix," Armand said with a smile.

Uncle Felix?

Felix was stunned.

Herbert took Genevieve's hand and introduced everyone to her, and Genevieve addressed her cousins accordingly as Herbert introduced them to her one by one.

Her cousins were shocked when they were told by Herbert that Genevieve was Juliana's daughter.

Someone asked pointedly, "Another one? Grandpa, Aunt Juliana died young and most probably did not live to marry and have children of her own. So, don't just go around claiming everyone to be your granddaughter."

Herbert shot daggers at the brazen grandchild and chided, "Brat, I dare you to utter such nonsense again!"

Meanwhile, Zayne took over the document that was handed to him by one of his cousins. He took a look at the DNA report of Herbert and Genevieve, as well as the photo of Juliana when she was young. One could easily deduce Genevieve's identity just by looking at the photo, as Genevieve was the spitting image of Juliana.

Zayne lifted his head and transfixed his gaze at Genevieve who was seated by Herbert's side with a cold, hard look in his eyes as he fisted the document in his hands.

He was reluctant to believe that Genevieve was his cousin.

After everyone was starting to come to terms with Genevieve's identity, Zayne suddenly said angrily, "Grandpa, ever since Aunt Juliana went missing, you had been looking for her by posting advertisements and even broadcasting the news on TV. However, Old Mr. Quinn had the cheek to claim Aunt Juliana as his own. Have you forgotten that Grandma had only passed away because she was overcome by the sorrow of losing Aunt Juliana?"

Chapter 919

Yes, it is a happy occasion that Grandpa is reunited with Aunt Juliana's daughter. However, if Old Mr. Quinn didn't claim Aunt Juliana as his own daughter, Grandma would not have died. Zayne's remarks reminded everyone of their grandmother's early passing, and they grew resentful.

The air grew thick with tension. Armand's calm and composed voice rang as he said, "Zayne, your father is back now. You should ask him if you have any questions in mind." Only then did the Zeiglers notice Armand and cast glances in his direction.

He was sitting on the same couch as Felix and wearing a shirt of the same color as Genevieve's dress. Though his sculpted features were cold and hard, he looked quite calm and amiable.

Then again, he also gave off a formidable aura that would make people think twice before approaching him.

Even Felix, a seasoned politician who was senior to Armand by many years, could not help but feel intimidated by the young man.

Thus, the other younger members of the Zeigler family dared not utter a single word in front of Armand.

Herbert was not pleased that Armand had taken such a strong stance in his presence, as he felt the latter was challenging his authority in the family. Then again, the old man knew that Armand was merely being protective of Genevieve.

If Herbert was not around, Armand would not have only uttered two polite sentences to Zayne.

"I have summoned all of you here today not only to introduce Genev to all of you but also to tell you guys that since my granddaughter has been reunited with me, I am glad to announce that I wish to move on from past grievances. So, do not blame me for being ruthless to those who insist on going against my wishes!"

Herbert used to be a commanding general, and he was a well-respected man for his leadership. Though he had retired, he had not lost the cadence in his voice. He scanned the room, making all the younger members of the Zeigler family tense up in response.

"Do you hear me?"

"Yes," Phineus replied first. Then, he looked at his children and said, "Did you guys hear what Grandpa said?"

Yuvan and the others nodded.

However, Zayne was still unwilling to yield. Phineus gave him a kick in the shin as a warning, and he finally relented.

Just when they were in the midst of the conversation, a housekeeper came into the living room and invited all to have lunch in the dining room.

Herbert asked Genevieve to sit by his side and continued chatting with his granddaughter. The old man also kept picking out Genevieve's favorite foods for her while wearing a toothy grin.

Some people were still doubting Genevieve's identity and wanted to put her in a difficult position. They attempted to put her down by comparing their grandmother with Genevieve's mother, mocking that the latter was only a trophy wife, while their grandmother had been the official translator of Lumonburg.

Genevieve was not at all offended. Instead, she replied to her cousin's snide comment by saying with a smile, "Well, some traits could be inherited intergenerationally, and I believe that I have inherited some of her best traits."

Then, she spoke eight or nine languages fluently to showcase her talents.

Even though there were many intelligent people in the world, and learning a new language was not an arduous task for them, some of her cousins had read on the news that Genevieve was already fluent in multiple languages when she was still in middle school. It had not taken her a lot of effort to pick them up either. It was as if Genevieve was born with an innate talent for multiple languages.

In addition, their grandmother had learned to play the violin from a very young age and was a renowned violinist worldwide.

Genevieve had learned to play the violin when she was young too. However, she had only treated it as nothing more than a hobby and did not continue practicing it. Even so, she had a perfect pitch, and the song that she produced managed to go viral online.

The parallels of talents that Genevieve shared with their grandmother and the photo of her mother convinced everyone that Genevieve was indeed Juliana's daughter. Hence, no one raised concerns about her identity anymore.

All the members of the Zeigler family had been summoned on short notice, and they had work to attend to. Hence, they left right after having lunch.

Genevieve wanted to accompany Herbert some more. However, the old man waved his hands to dismiss her. "Phineus is on leave today. It's good enough to have him around. Why don't you take Armand out for a spin?"

Then, he cast a glance at Armand and said, "I'm afraid that he will take you right back to Jadeborough if you continue to ignore him for the rest of the day."

Chapter 920

Armand cleared his throat. "Granddad, I'm not a petty person."

"Pfft! I've seen through you since a long time ago." Herbert snorted and stuffed a credit card into Genevieve's hand. "Genev, go and get yourself some more nice clothes. Swipe my card, okay?" Feeling amused by Herbert's authoritative tone, Genevieve giggled. She then leaned over and kissed the old man's cheek before holding Armand's arm and stepping out of the residence. Once they were out of the Zeigler residence, Armand suddenly bent over and leaned closer to her.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you getting jealous of my granddad?" Genevieve was utterly speechless. Holding Armand's face, she gave him a huge kiss, too. "Is this enough?" "Yep." Satisfied, Armand held her hand as they headed toward the open-air parking lot.

Damian, Herbert's driver, was assigned to give them a ride. "Ms. Genevieve, where do you feel like going with Mr. Armand? If you plan to shop for nice clothes, Greenery Mall is an ideal place. There are various branded boutiques over there."

"Okay! Send us to Greenery Mall then," Genevieve replied cheerfully.

She took Armand's hand and fiddled with it before asking abruptly, "If anyone takes our pictures on the streets, do you think my current identity will affect your advancement in the political sector?" Damian chimed in, "Of course not. I bet Mr. Armand's career path will be smooth all the way as long as General Zeigler is around."

Undeniably, Armand was competent, and he did not need Herbert's help as he had connections in the military and political world. Now that the Zeigler family was backing him up, it would be a certainty that nobody would have the guts to spell him trouble.

Genevieve chuckled and leaned against Armand's shoulder, teasing, "Mr. Armand, how does it feel living off your wife?"

Armand arched an eyebrow and responded, "Not bad."

Upon reaching Greenery Mall, Genevieve asked Damian to take a spin elsewhere before dropping by to fetch them at half past five later that day.

It had been a while since Genevieve last went shopping. As a fashionable woman, she was interested in the new series of clothes displayed by various boutiques, so she dragged Armand along to visit boutique after boutique, asking for his opinion after trying on the clothes.

Armand kissed her ear, murmuring gently, "My gorgeous wife looks good in anything. Buy them all."

No words could describe how envious the salesperson felt. "Miss, your boyfriend really pampers you. He waits patiently for you while you're in the fitting room and even squats down to help you put on your heels. The other clients' boyfriends are a stark contrast to him. Right after they enter our boutique with their girlfriends, many are stuck on the couch without moving at all. It's as though they have lost every bit of their energy in a split second."

"He's not my boyfriend. He's my husband." Genevieve lifted her chin with a hint of pride and blissfulness written all over her face. "I agreed to be his wife just because he pampers me." After looking around in a few boutiques, Genevieve felt a little tired.

Armand whipped out a pair of cozy slippers he had bought previously for her to change into. After that, he thought of taking her for some desserts so she could have a short break. However, Genevieve suddenly dragged him into a nearby shop selling traditional gowns.

She scanned the shop and noticed about a hundred types of fabric on the display racks on both sides of the shop. However, there were not more than ten ready-made traditional gowns hung near the cashier. Only then did she realize the shop specialized in custom-made traditional gowns.

Genevieve had gotten herself familiar with the fashion world since a long time ago and would usually purchase clothes from common international brands. Therefore, she had a perspective that traditional gowns were far too old-fashioned for her and only suited women about her grandmother's age.

Surprisingly, she thought the traditional gowns in the shop were quite pretty.

The salesperson who was tidying the fabric stepped forward with a smile. "Miss, are you planning to get a custom-made traditional gown?"

Genevieve hummed in response before a light green gown caught her eye. "What's the size of this gown? Can I try it on?"

In actuality, all the traditional gowns on the hanging pole were only samples for display, but seeing that Genevieve seemed to take an immediate liking to one of the gowns, the salesperson decided to make an exception. Not to mention, the sight of Armand who was carrying handfuls of shopping bags caused the salesperson to have a hunch that he was filthy rich and extravagant in spending.

After measuring Genevieve's bust and waist sizes by eye, she took the gown down for her. "What a coincidence. This size fits you."

Next, she led Genevieve to the fitting room and poured a cup of coffee for Armand.

Armand put the shopping bags on the couch and took a seat. He had just taken a sip of the coffee before Genevieve stepped out of the fitting room in the light green traditional gown.