Ch. 3281..3290

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3281-Game-Changing Move Rainie said, "Daddy definitely won't scold you. He'll probably praise you instead!"

Lanie shook his head and replied, "I don't want Dad to know. It's fine if you guys know."

Tommy chimed in, "Lanie just wants to act all cool in front of Daddy. No, wait, he actually wants to be as cool as Daddy! But being that cool isn't a good thing. Now, none of the girls are brave enough to give him love letters."

Rainie nodded in agreement with her younger brother, "Yeah! They think he's too cool, so they don't give him the letters. Instead, they give them to me and ask me to pass on the letters to him! Lanie, it's really stressing me out!"

Luca could not help but laugh when she heard this. "Really?"

"Yeah, they stuff all the letters meant for him into my hands!"

Lanie added, "Not all of them are for me. Half of them are for you. Don't worry, this won't last long."

"That's right. Once you skip grade, no one will know I'm your sister anymore, and they won't give me any more love letters. You won't have to deal with them either because those older girls don't like boys like you!"

Rainie was excited at the thought that after this summer, she would not be in the same grade as Lanie anymore. There was not even a hint of disappointment in her voice.

Luca laughed even more as she listened to the kids' conversation.

She had been worried that Rainie might not adjust to school without Lanie by her side, but it seemed like she was happy about it.

It made sense. Having a genius brother had to put some pressure on her.

All she wanted was to enjoy school and learn what she needed, without any extra stress.

*People as outstanding as me are always popular, no matter where we go," Lanie suddenly announced.

Luca could not help but laugh again. It seemed her eldest son had a side she was not aware of.

This little bit of vanity was definitely something he got from his father.

As Luca smiled, she noticed a waiter passing by and grabbed some juice for the kids.

"Drink up and stay hydrated. Do you want any more desserts?" asked Luca.

"No thanks, Ms. Luca. I'm stuffed!" Tommy replied with a chuckle, patting his round belly. "Okay, have some water," replied Luca as she handed Tommy a glass of water from the waiter. Tommy took a small sip, and his eyes lit up when he spotted Luke approaching. "Daddy's here!"

Luca looked in the direction he was pointing. Luke had made his way through the crowd. He sat down next to them.

Since there were no reporters around and they were surrounded by upper-class people who would not say anything, Luke did not hold back. He picked up the juice in front of Luca, took a sip, and frowned. "It's too sweet."

"It's grape juice. It's supposed to be sweet," replied Luca. She handed Luke the glass of water Lanie had been drinking. "Here, have this. It's spring water."

"Thanks." Luke drank the entire glass.

Lanie noticed and asked, "Daddy, were you really thirsty?"

Luke nodded. "Yeah, I was."

Earlier, he was surrounded by a crowd, with each person holding a glass of wine. They were all trying to make conversation with him.

He was holding a glass of wine too, but he did not really drink much. Day drinking did not seem appropriate, and all that talking had made him thirsty. He did not believe alcohol could actually quench thirst.

*Let me go grab you another glass of water," suggested Lanie as he walked over to the water station.

Rainie scooted up next to Luke and smiled brightly. "Daddy, I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" Luke looked at his daughter, his curiosity piqued.

Luca had intended to stop Rainie from speaking but could not manage it in time. "Someone was giving Ms. Luca a hard time earlier."

Luke frowned. "Who?"

He did not expect anyone to mess with Luca at Percy's wedding.

Everyone here knew she was his date. Who had the nerve to cross that line?

"It was Ms. Nina's assistant. She said Ms. Luca doesn't deserve to be with you and that only she does. She was trying to warn Ms. Luca to stay away from you," explained Rainie.

Even though Lanie had already taught that bridesmaid a lesson on behalf of their mother, Rainie felt upset.

Their mother was not some homewrecker!

She was amazing and had done so much to protect them, enduring a lot of hardship along the way. These people had no right to talk about her like that!

Luke turned to Luca.

"Our kids already took care of it," added Luca. She recalled how smug that bridesmaid had looked earlier, clearly believing her youth gave her the upper hand. Then, she added with a playful smile on her face, "It seems like you're still in high demand, Mr. Crawford!"

*Knock it off. Was it one of the bridesmaids?" asked Luke.

*Daddy, how did you know that?" Rainie jumped in. "Do you remember what the bridesmaid looks like?"

Luke shook his head. "No, I don't. I just guessed. After all, there's no one else here bold enough to talk trash about your mom, except for one of the bridesmaids."

Nina had no choice but to ask some of Brilliant's employees to fill in as bridesmaids. Her social circle was not that big, and Luca and Sue could not stand in for her.

Otherwise, she would not have had to rely on the single women from the company to be her bridesmaids.

"Daddy, you're so smart! It was the same bridesmaid who wanted to ride in our car. She even made fun of Ms. Luca!" added Tommy.

Luke's frown deepened. "Really?"

Luca shook her head and said, "It's Nina's wedding. Let's not make things awkward."

Luke let out a cold chuckle. "Looks like that assistant is out of a job."

"Yes, fire her!" Tommy agreed, nodding enthusiastically.

Luca felt helpless, feeling a bit exasperated with their reactions. "Whether she stays or not isn't something to decide right now. Look at how happy Mr. Mallory and Nina are. Let's not ruin their day over something so trivial."

She glanced over at Percy and Nina.

The couple were surrounded by guests who were taking photos with them.

*Should we go over and take a photo?" Luke realized they had not taken one with Nina yet since Luca had been busy looking after the kids.

*Shall we?" Luca glanced at him and then the kids.

Just then, Lanie returned with a glass of water and handed it to Luke. "Here, Daddy. Drink up."

*Thanks," replied Luke as he downed the water in one go. Then, he grabbed Tommy's and Lanie's hands, while Luca took Rainie's hand. They all walked over to Nina.

When Nina saw the five of them approaching, her face lit up. "You finally made it!"

"If you hadn't come soon, I was about to grab the photographer and drag you over here myself!" Nina said with a laugh, looking much more relaxed now that the ceremony was over.

The earlier awkwardness had completely disappeared, and she seemed to be enjoying the moment.

"I saw that you were surrounded by so many people earlier, so I figured we'd wait until things calmed down a bit. Now that there's no one around, we can take some photos," replied Luca as she guided the three kids to stand in front. She stood next to Nina.

Luke took his place beside Percy.

The photographer quickly clicked the shutter several times in a row.

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3282-Old Master Crawford Acknowledges Her After the photos were taken, Old Master Crawford hobbled over with his cane and chuckled. "How about the old man joins in for a picture too?"

"Of course!" Nina quickly let go of Percy's arm and helped the old man to the center.

*Luke, go stand next to Luca," instructed Old Master Crawford, Luke obediently moved to stand beside Luca while the kids remained in front. The photographer snapped several more shots.

Then, they had Old Master Crawford sit down on a chair, with the kids standing by his side and the rest of them standing behind. The photographer clicked a few more times.

After giving a thumbs-up, signaling they were done, Nina grabbed Luca's arm and said, "Could you help us take a few more photos?"

The photographer nodded and took a few shots of just them as well.

Nina then asked, "My assistant went to look for you earlier, right?"

Luca was surprised. "How did you know?"

"I noticed it. She's…" Nina heaved a sigh. "I've always had this feeling she's got a thing for Mr. Crawford, but I didn't want to make a fuss. After all, she hadn't done anything too outrageous until now. What did she say to you?"

*She said some pretty inappropriate things," Luca answered plainly, "Wow, guess I'll be hiring a new assistant after my honeymoon," muttered Nina. She did not expect her assistant's crush on Luke to be so intense that she would go so far as to say something to Luca and the kids.

What a mess!

Luca replied, "I wasn't planning on bringing this up at your wedding."

"You didn't have to. I already had my suspicions. She's fresh out of college, and it's easy to tell what's on her mind. I thought she was just trying to get close to you, but it turns out she really has no boundaries.

"Honestly, it's for the best. She's not that great at her job anyway. The last time, rumors about my swollen face spread all throughout the company, and my investigation pointed back to her. But without solid proof, I couldn't just fire her for it," explained Nina.

Luca replied in a helpless tone, "Mr. Crawford's just too popular. It's hard to avoid such things from happening."

"I get it. A lot of women in the company have a crush on him too, but they're more subtle about it. They either keep it to themselves or see him as a distant idol. Not like her. She's got her head full of ideas about getting close to him," said Nina.

Luca was about to say more, but someone else came up to Nina for a photo, so she let it go.

She glanced at Luke, who was once again surrounded by people. She decided to take the kids back to their table. Their glasses had been cleared away, so Luca asked, "Kids, do you want something to drink? I'll go grab it."

"Ms. Luca, we're full! No need," replied Tommy, shaking his head.

Lanie and Rainie also shook their heads.

They were not the kind of kids who overindulged. They would eat just enough.

*Alright. Let's just sit and chat until the banquet starts," suggested Luca.

While the kids were talking to Luca, Old Master Crawford walked over and sat in an empty chair, grinning. "Why is everyone hanging out here?"

"Great-Grandpa!" the three kids greeted the old man cheerfully.

Luca also greeted him, "Grandpa."

"Hmm, why are you all sitting here?" Old Master Crawford asked with curiosity. He was surrounded by quite a few people earlier, and if it were not for Luke stepping in to help, he would have still been stuck chatting with them.

It was tiring being the center of attention for so long.

"We're just chatting!" Tommy replied with a smile.

"Why aren't you playing?" Old Master Crawford asked the three kids.

Many guests had brought their kids along, so there were plenty of opportunities to make friends.

Tommy replied, "There's nothing fun to do, and we don't really know the other kids."

"But you know Kari and Teri!" Old Master Crawford wanted to understand why his great-grandchildren were not interested in playing with the other kids.

Lanie quickly chimed in, "Great-Grandpa, we're staying here to keep Ms. Luca company."

Luca was not officially part of the Crawford family, and some people still saw her as an outsider.

The kids were worried she might be mistreated, so they stayed by her side.

Plus, they were not the kind of kids who were overly playful.

Old Master Crawford turned to look at Luca and immediately understood why the kids had not gone to play with the others.

He nodded approvingly. "It's good to see you taking care of others at such a young age. Very impressive."

*Of course! We'll protect Ms. Luca, Great-Grandpa, and Daddy too!" Tommy declared proudly.

The child's words made the old man burst into laughter.

Luca smiled and said to Lanie, "Lanie, can you get a glass of water for your Great-Grandpa?"

"Sure!" Lanie stood up, fetched a glass of water, and respectfully placed it in front of Old Master Crawford. "Here you go, Great-Grandpa."

"Good boy!" Old Master Crawford was very pleased with how Luca had raised the kids.

"Grandpa, would you like some snacks?" asked Luca. He had been busy talking to people, so she figured he might be hungry.

Old Master Crawford shook his head. "No, I'm not hungry."

"Alright." Luca nodded.

They sat together until it was nearly time for the banquet to start. Luca helped Old Master Crawford up, and the three kids followed closely behind as they headed to the banquet hall.

Many people noticed Luca assisting Old Master Crawford.

Some of the guests could not help but whisper to each other, "Looks like he approves of Luke's choice of partner." "Of course. If he didn't, do you think she'd be here at the wedding?" replied another person.

"I told you to strike up a conversation with her earlier, but you refused because you didn't think she had the right status. Now, look. If Old Master Crawford himself acknowledges her, are you still going to say she's not good enough?" a man teased his wife.

"How was I supposed to know?" retorted the woman. "She was just sitting there with the kids, looking all isolated. No one was talking to her, so why should I?"

Use your brain! Her status might not be official, but she's a pharmaceutical professor, for heaven's sake. Haven't you seen the reports? That medicine she developed has saved so many lives. Hospitals are using it for treatments, and it's much more effective than regular drugs!

Another person overheard their conversation and could not help but chime in with a little information.

He had not spoken to Luca either.

It was simply because his company had nothing to do with pharmaceuticals.

If he were in that industry, he would have jumped at the chance to network with her. These people were so focused on the fact that Luca was Luke's girlfriend that they completely overlooked her impressive capabilities! The man scoffed at their narrow-mindedness.

"Is she really that impressive?" The woman who had been looking down on Luca just moments ago could not help but gasp in surprise.

"She is. The project she's working on now is being watched closely by the whole industry. Everyone's waiting for her to finish developing the new drug.

"Even if it doesn't turn out as groundbreaking as her last one, she has already made a name for herself. As long as nothing major goes wrong, her career is only going to keep soaring," explained the man.

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3283-Daddy Is Into Good Looks The moment the man finished speaking, several people showed a hint of regret on their faces.

They only knew that Luca was Luke's lover. They had no idea she had such capabilities, or that Old Master Crawford had already accepted her.

*There's something else you all don't know," said one of them, and everyone's attention shifted to his face.

"What is it?" a woman asked. "Is there something else that's amazing about her?"

"That woman is something else. Do you remember Jack Norman's wife? She fell ill, and it was Luca who figured out what was wrong and prescribed the treatment that helped her recover.

"My relative, who's a nurse at the hospital, said her dry needling technique is different from everyone else's, but it's more effective. The thing is, she rarely treats anyone. If you don't have a connection with her, she won't even acknowledge you," explained the man.

He was not just making this up. Luke had made the arrangements.

It was time to let these people know what Luca was capable of.

If she kept staying low-profile, people would still gossip even after she revealed her true identity.

It would be better to shut them up now before that happened.

"She's really something else!" murmured the woman. "If I had known, I would've made small talk with her. Maybe she could treat my father's illness!"

*Exactly! Your dad's been sick for so long. She might really be able to help him recover," someone else chimed in. Everyone then entered the banquet hall.

Luca sat down with the children at the seats that had been arranged for them.

Percy and Nina had made sure to place her close to the front. The moment she sat down, she could feel people looking in her direction.

Perhaps they were not looking at her directly, but they were definitely glancing her way.

Luca felt uncomfortable. It was not like she was not used to being stared at, especially with Old Master Crawford sitting nearby, who naturally drew attention.

However, when they were outside in the reception area, they had not been sizing her up like this. Now, all of a sudden, everyone seemed to be watching her. She had a feeling something was about to happen.

"Ms. Luca, so many people are staring at you," Tommy whispered in her ear.

"Are they really looking at me?" questioned Luca.

"Yes, they're all looking at you," Tommy confirmed confidently.

Luca could no longer sit still anymore. She rose to her feet and said to the three kids, "I'm going to check on the bride in the dressing room. Stay here and behave. Don't wander off."

"Got it, Ms. Luca," the three kids replied in unison.

Luca smiled at Old Master Crawford and Mr. Griffin, then hurriedly left, feeling like she was escaping.

It was not until she stepped into the bride's dressing room that she felt the prickling stares disappear.

"Luca?" Nina glanced at her from the side.

Luca came back to her senses and smiled warmly. "You look gorgeous!"

"It's nice, but why do I have to wear all this jewelry again?" Nina was on the verge of tears. She had to wear all these heavy accessories when she left the house and during the ceremony.

Even though they were beautiful, wearing them all at once made her look overly luxurious, almost like a show-off.

"Well, you've got to let everyone see how much your in-laws adore you at the banquet, right?" Luca walked behind Nina and took over the job of helping her put on the jewelry from the stylist. "I'll handle it."

The stylist nodded and stepped aside.

Luca carefully placed each piece of jewelry on Nina, one by one.

Nina could feel the weight on her gradually increasing.

*This is the burden of being spoiled." Nina let out a sigh, touching the jewelry adorning her neck. There were a few gold necklaces and a few encrusted with diamonds and other gemstones.

"Give me your hand," said Luca, picking up the bracelets and bangles.

"My wrists are about to snap under all this weight," replied Nina, looking at her delicate wrists, which were now carrying more than they could bear.

After fastening everything. Nina asked, "Why did you suddenly come in here?"

"I just wanted to check in on you."

"But you looked a little flustered when you came in." Nina had taken notice of that.

*Alright, I'll be honest. The people who were ignoring me were suddenly staring at me. Some were looks of curiousity, others were scrutinizing. I couldn't take it, so I came here to hide," Luca answered honestly.

She had, indeed, come to escape.

*They're probably just noticing how much attention you're getting!" Nina guessed.

Luca slipped the rings onto her fingers. "Well, your room is a good place to hide for now."

"You'll have to go back out there eventually," Nina reminded her. Avoiding it would not solve the problem.

"When I go out, you'll be coming too. Everyone's eyes will be on your jewelry collection, and they'll forget all about me," replied Luca.

Jewelry was far more captivating to people.

To men, it represented value. To women, it symbolized status.

Nina stuck out her tongue playfully.

Once Luca had finished helping her put on all the jewelry, she sat down to chat with her for a while. It was not until a hotel staff member came in to remind them the wedding banquet would begin in ten minutes that Luca finally left.

She returned to her seat. By then, the wedding host was already on stage, asking everyone to quiet down.

*Ms. Luca, why were you gone for so long?" Tommy whispered.

"I was chatting with the bride," answered Luca. It would be a little embarrassing to admit she had been hiding out with Nina and only came back just before the banquet started.

Hence, she left that part out.

As she spoke, she glanced sideways at Luke, who was sitting a seat away from her.

He had a faint smile on his lips.

Luca blushed. He must have known that she had been hiding.

She cleared her throat and took a sip of juice.

Tommy leaned in again and whispered, "Ms. Luca, while you were gone, that bridesmaid came over to talk to Daddy again."

Luca raised an eyebrow, glanced at Luke, and said nonchalantly, "You sure have a lot of admirers, Mr. Crawford."

"Right back at you," replied Luke.

Tommy added, "But Daddy didn't even give that weird lady a single look."

"Weird lady?" Luca asked with curiosity.

"I've seen a lot of people try to strike up conversations with Daddy, but very few do it over and over like that," explained Tommy. He had the authority to comment on such matters as Luke's son.

Luca replied, "Actually, there are others."

Tommy immediately thought of someone and nodded in agreement. There were others, but…

"That lady isn't even attractive. How can she be so confident? Doesn't she know Daddy is into good looks?" Once he finished speaking, his chubby face was instantly pinched by Luke.

*Tommy, where did you leam such language?" questioned Luke. He was clearly speechless at being commented on like that by his own son.

"Daddy, it hurts!" Tommy's big eyes looked innocent as he complained.

Luke reluctantly released his grip. "I didn't pinch you hard."

Tommy grinned and replied, "But it's still embarrassing…"

He added, "I learned it at school! A lot of girls say they're into good looks and only like good-looking guys!"

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3284-A Lifetime Of Love And Happiness Rainie heard her little brother and shook her head.

Tommy noticed and asked with confusion "Rainie, did I say something wrong?"

"Yes, yes you did!" replied Rainie. "Someone who's into good looks likes anyone who's attractive, but our father is very loyal, so he's not one of those."

"Oh, I get it now." Tommy was suddenly enlightened.

Luke felt a bit helpless. Kids these days… Did they really know everything?

Sometimes, he could not even understand what they were talking about.

Luke glanced at Luca, feeling a bit lost. Were they getting old? Why did they not understand half of what the kids were saying?

Luca caught his gaze, smiled, and said, "Rainie's right."

Luke felt a little disoriented, realizing that maybe he was the one getting old, not Luca.

The wedding banquet had officially begun.

Nina, wearing a pristine white wedding dress, opened the doors and slowly walked toward Percy as the music played. All eyes were on her.

Several bridesmaids followed behind her.

Luca noticed one of the bridesmaids glancing in their direction. It was the same person who had tried to provoke her earlier.

Luca smiled and did not pay the bridesmaid any mind, focusing instead on the couple on stage. She wished for Nina's happiness.

She had also fulfilled the promise she made before. Even if she was no longer using Bianca's identity, deep down, she was still the same person.

A lot had changed, even her temper, but some things would never change.

She wished Nina and Percy a lifetime of love and happiness.

After the banquet, the guests began to leave.

Luke and Luca helped Old Master Crawford into his car and then returned to their own.

Just as Luke was about to drive off, that same bridesmaid suddenly stepped in front of the car, blocking them.

Luca teased, "Mr. Crawford, some admirers just can't be shaken off no matter what you do."

This was her first time encountering someone this persistent.

The reason why Luca thought the bridesmaid was so persistent was that she had never seen anyone try to get close to Luke so many times in just one day.

It was not unusual for someone to be undeterred after being rejected by him, but for her to make so many attempts in such a short time? That took courage.

Luke stared at the woman standing in front of the car. His expression darkened.

He had no intention of getting out of the car and just glared at her through the windshield.

This woman had no sense of self-preservation.

The three kids in the back watched the scene unfold while whispering to each other.

"Daddy hasn't dealt with someone this difficult in a long time."

"Yeah, they usually run off after Daddy scares them a little."

"Doesn't this lady understand what 'no' means? Daddy has already turned her down…"

Luca could not help but chuckle when she heard them chattering.

The bridesmaid, in her pink and purple dress, stood her ground, clearly not planning to leave unless Luke got out of the car.

*Maybe you should go talk to her?" Luca suggested with a smirk.

"I've already turned her down." Luke picked up his phone to call Percy.

"Yeah, I can back him up on that! Daddy has made himself very clear!" Tommy chimed in from the back.

Luca listened to Luke talk on the phone and stayed quiet.

After a moment, the bridesmaid, noticing that Luke still was not getting out of the car, shot Luca a nasty glare. It was as though she had stolen her spot.

Luca heaved a helpless sigh.

A while later, two security guards came over and said something to the bridesmaid standing in front of the car. Luca overheard bits and pieces. They were basically asking her not to cause a disturbance to others.

However, the bridesmaid insisted that she was not causing a disturbance but pursuing her true love.

The guards glanced into the car. They saw that Luke already had a wife and kids. They could not help but wonder what she said about pursuing her true love. Some people were just unbelievable.

Iwas When the guards realized that the bridesmaid was not listening, they simply said, "Sorry about this." The next moment, they lifted her and carried her away.

With no one blocking the car anymore, Luke drove off.

As they approached the venue's gates, Luca noticed Anna and Jean were still standing outside. She frowned and said, "They're still here."

Luke glanced over. "Inform Percy."

*I'll do it. You focus on driving," replied Luca. If Percy's wedding car came through the main gates, there was a chance these two would cause a scene by rushing to block it.

That would not look good.

Luca grabbed Luke's phone and called Percy.

The call was answered quickly. "The bridesmaid hasn't been dealt with yet?"

Percy assumed Luke was calling again about the bridesmaid issue.

"No, Mr. Mallory, it's Luca. I just saw Anna and Jean outside the main gates.

Maybe you should take a different exit when you head back."

The security guards were keeping them out. Therefore, they could not enter.

However, it was clear Anna and Jean were not giving up as they were waiting outside.

Since they did not enter the venue and were not causing any chaos yet, there was not much the guards could do.

"Got it. Thanks." Percy's tone grew heavier.

After hanging up, Luca noticed they were already driving away. She placed the phone back and let out a sigh."

What a mess…"

"They're probably broke," commented Luke.

"Huh? You know something?" Luca was curious.

"I've heard bits and pieces," said Luke.

"After getting the money, Jean kept pestering Anna for it to start his own business, She finally caved and gave him a million. He used it to buy a low-end bar. Besides selling alcohol, he got involved in some shady dealings. The police came after him multiple times."

Luca immediately understood what those shady dealings might be.

"Did he ever get arrested?" asked Luca.

"No, he's gotten pretty clever about covering his tracks. The police didn't detain him, but he got fined a few times. Word is, those fines added up.

His bar isn't exactly high-end, so he wasn't making much money to begin with.

"What little he earned went straight to paying fines. During that time, it seemed like every time the police made a bust, Jean was pretty much filling half their quota," explained Luke.

Luca heaved another sigh. "Why can't he just run a proper business?"

Luke shook his head. "Well, eventually, he realized things weren't working out.

He wasn't making much money to begin with, and the fines were eating away at whatever little profit he had.

"So, he decided to go legit. But legit businesses don't bring in as much as the shady stuff, so he started watering down the drinks and selling fake liquor."

Luca was rendered speechless. Fake liquor could seriously harm people!

Was Jean trying to get himself thrown in jail?

Tommy asked, "What happened after that, Daddy?"

"What happened? Well, no one died from the fake liquor, but the bar's reputation went down the drain. No one wanted to go there anymore. In the end jean had ho choice but to sell the bar at a huge loss," continued Luke. As Luca listened, she thought back to the Jean she knew from when they studied abroad. Back then, he did not seem like this kind of person. She never would have imagined he would end up like this.

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3285-Are You Really The Bride's Family?

Tommy asked, "Daddy, would you say this is a case of wasting a golden opportunity?"

"I'd say so," replied Luke. Even though two million dollars might not be much to them, it was a lot of money for an average family.

If Jean had decided to turn his life around, find a job with his degree, and use that two million as a foundation, he could have lived comfortably.

Luca was still a bit puzzled. "But didn't Mr. Mallory give them more than a million?"

"Chances are, the rest was squandered away," answered Luke.

Luca's eyes widened. "How did he blow through that much money?"

"He's always been reckless with money, and with Anna spoiling him, it wouldn't take long to spend the rest," replied Luke.

Luca thought he had a point and said nothing more.

After seeing off all the guests, Percy settled the bill with the hotel and walked into the bridal suite.

Nina had already changed into a red dress, with all the heavy jewelry removed and packed away.

"Are all the guests gone?" Upon seeing Percy enter the room, Nina smiled and asked.

"Yes, all gone. Got everything packed?" asked Percy.

"Yeah, the dress and jewelry are in these suitcases. Once they're loaded into the car, we can head out," answered Nina.

"Alright, let's go," Percy responded as a few bodyguards came in to carry the suitcases.

These were priceless items, so Percy hired security to handle them.

As they left, Nina noticed they were not going through the same gates they had entered earlier. "Why are we leaving this way?"

"It's easier," explained Percy. "The main gates are crowded with guests."

"But the bodyguards went that way." Nina noticed that. Then, something clicked in her mind. Frowning, she asked, "Is Jean at the main gates?"

"Honey, it's our wedding day. Let's not worry about people who'll spoil your mood." Percy gently squeezed her hand.

Nina smiled. "So, it's true, then?"

Percy felt helpless. He truly did not want her to be bothered by this.

Nina continued, "I'm not upset. I already knew what was going on, and I know Luca handled the issue for me from the start."

"You knew?" Percy was surprised. Who told her?

"Of course, I knew! Even though you and Luca didn't say anything, some guests mentioned it, and I overheard. They tried to make a scene at the reception, didn't they? They claimed to be my mother and brother even though they didn't have invitations.

"If I hadn't warned the staff ahead of time, they might've let them in. I'm just surprised they're waiting outside after being kicked out."

She did not think Anna and Jean were the type to have that much patience.

Unless they ran out of money, they would not stick around and waste their time like this.

However, it had only been a few months since the last incident. Had they blown through all their money so quickly?

*Jean is a spender. He can't get anything right and wasted all the money," said Percy. He had been keeping tabs on them for a while.

However, those were Jean's choices, and he did not intervene.

Some people were like that. Even if he stepped in and tried to help, they might listen for a while, but could they really listen forever?

The answer was no.

Jean was the type who did not take advice.

Nina was about to say that since Anna valued money so much, she should not have let Jean waste it.

However, she then realized that Anna only had Jean as her child. People who favored their sons often excessively pampered them.

Given that, it did not seem so strange anymore.

With Anna spoiling Jean so much, of course, Jean would end up taking advantage and getting whatever he wanted with just a few sweet words.

Nina felt helpless, but it did not really affect her mood.

Even though she knew Anna and Jean were around, they did not make a scene in front of her, so it did not bother her.

Everything that had happened over the years, combined with their family issues, had made her numb.

As long as Anna and Jean did not cause trouble directly in front of her, she would feel indifferent.

Now that she had cut ties with them, the only remaining connection between them was their blood ties.

That blood relation had worn thin over the years, so it had little emotional impact left.

"There's one more thing," added Percy when he saw that she was in a better mood. He decided to share everything.

"What?" Nina came back to her senses, having been lost in her thoughts.

"Marie is still clinging to Jean," continued Percy.

His subordinates were always keeping tabs on Anna and Jean, so they reported every detail.

Nina frowned. "He actually accepted someone like Marie?" She thought Jean was out of his mind.

Marie was such a terrible person. Still, Jean was willing to be with her? He blew all his money, so he could not get any other woman?

*Some things are just bizarre. When Jean had money, he would never have looked at Marie. But now that he's broke and all his previous women have left, he's willing to be with Marie since she's clinging to him." Percy was puzzled as well.

Jean was relatively well-off previously. How could he settle for someone like Marie?

Was he so desperate that he could not stand being alone?

Nina asked, "What about Anna? Is she okay with it?"

"If she could oppose it, would Jean have squandered all that money?" questioned Percy.

Nina nodded. Anna would probably be driven mad by Jean.

However, all the things between them had already been settled. The rest was no longer her concern.

On the other hand, Jean's and Anna's legs were aching from standing.

They watched luxury cars leave one after another but did not see the main wedding car. They could not help but frown.

When the guards confirmed the last car had left, they closed the gates.

Jean hurried over, pulling out a cigarette and offering it to the security guard. "Hey, why are you closing the gates already?"

The guard did not take the cigarette and replied calmly, "There's no one left inside. Of course, we're closing the gates."

"How could there be no one? The main wedding car hasn't come out yet," Jean replied with his brows furrowed together.

The guard rolled his eyes and said, "In a hotel this size, the fire department wouldn't let us operate if we didn't have multiple entry and exit points."

Jean felt as though he had been struck by lightning.

Did that mean Nina had already left through another exit?

That was impossible!

"Are you messing with us?" Jean asked skeptically. Still, he had never been to such an upscale place, so he was not entirely sure.

"Why would I mess with you?" The security guard frowned. "Are you really the bride's family? Why are you being treated so poorly?"

Jean did not answer. He walked over to Anna, looking dejected, and said, "That damn Nina left through another exit."

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3286-Blown All The Money

"What? There's another exit?" Anna's eyes widened. "Is he messing with you? Maybe we should bribe him so that he'll let us in?"

*Do we even have any money left?" Jean kicked the wall in frustration.

The security guard inside overheard and warned, "Don't kick the wall! If you break it, you'll have to pay for it."

Annoyed, Jean ran his hand through his hair. His legs were numb from standing too long. He wanted nothing more than to sit down right there.

However, their clothes were rented, and if they got them dirty, they would have trouble returning them. He heaved a sigh and said to Anna, "Let's go home."

"We're just leaving like this? What about the money?" Anna glanced inside, clearly unwilling to give up.

"We'll have other chances to get the money," replied Jean.

*Today was the best chance! They'd want to avoid any trouble at the wedding, so they'd give us the money more easily." Anna pouted, clearly displeased.

That had been their plan. They knew no one would want a scene at the wedding.

If they asked for the money now, they were sure to get it.

"Let's go. Our rental time on these clothes is almost up." Jean reminded her.

Anna looked at her dress. There was a hint of reluctance in her eyes.

It was such a nice dress, and she rarely had the chance to wear something like this.

Even after they got that money from Percy, she did not splurge on nice clothes. Instead, she chose to put it into a savings account for the interest and to help Jean find a good wife.

However, after she found a suitable person, Marie shamelessly wormed her way in.

On top of that, Jean had blown all the money.

Anna felt like she had not had a single good day for herself. Now that things ended up like this, she was bitter inside.

"Let's go," urged Jean, worried that they would be charged extra if they were late with returning the clothes.

*Fine." Anna reluctantly followed him.

After returning the clothes, they both headed home, looking dejected.

As soon as they walked in, Marie excitedly stood up and asked, "So? Did you get the money?"

"Money, money, money! All you ever think about is money!" Anna shot her an angry glare.

Marie was startled but quickly understood. They did not get the money, and Anna was taking it out on her.

Her eyes immediately welled up with tears as she looked at Jean, feeling wronged. "Jean, did I say something wrong?"

Jean did not bother responding.

Desperate to figure out what went wrong, Marie asked, *Jean, tell me what happened. Maybe I can help you figure it out? You never know, we might still get the money."

Still, Jean stayed silent.

Marie clenched her teeth and said, "Are you telling me they'd give up their pride for a little money? How stingy can

they be? And Nina, seriously? She's willing to throw away her pride and ignore her own mom and brother for some cash?

"You know what, we should take this online and post it everywhere! Let the internet take our side. Maybe we'll even go viral. And if we do, we can make money from that. No more begging Nina for money!"

*An influencer? Are you dreaming?" Anna looked at her with pure sarcasm. "You think you could be an influencer? Don't make me die laughing!"

"What's wrong with me?" Marie snapped back, feeling defensive. Back in the day, people lined up down the block just to get a chance with her.

*I've never seen an uglier influencer," Anna shot back. Her bad mood fuelled her sharp tongue.

"You!" Marie's eyes turned red with anger. She wished she could slap Anna across her face, but she held back. After all, she was still living here and could not afford to completely fall out with her.

*Not all influencers are good-looking. Some get popular by playing the victim. Everything I'm saying is for Jean's sake, so why are you coming at me?"

"For Jean's sake?" Anna's eyes reddened too. Marie was nothing but bad luck!

Ever since Jean got involved with her, nothing had gone right!

His life had gone downhill. He could not succeed at anything, and they even lost a house.

If it were not for Jean insisting on letting her stay, Anna never would have allowed her in their home.

"You-"

Anna started to say something, but Jean cut in, feeling irritated, "Enough! Is bickering all you two are good at?" Anna fell silent, glaring at Marie with hatred.

Marie shot a glare right back.

"You've been home all day. Did you make anything to eat?" Jean, having stood outside for so long, was hungry.

Marie was startled for a moment. "No, I thought you'd get the money and we'd all go out to celebrate."

"Yeah, you wish," scoffed Anna. She had planned to kick Marie out the moment they got the money.

If Jean had money, he would drop her in a heartbeat.

However, it seemed Marie had other plans now.

If this whole failed business venture had not been unrelated to Marie, Anna would have used that as an excuse to kick her out already.

"You!" Marie wanted to clap back.

Jean interrupted, "Enough. I'm hungry. Go make dinner."

Marie reluctantly rose to her feet. The only reason she came crawling back to Jean was for his money, but after getting close again, she realized his business had flopped.

At least, he still had the house.

Feeling frustrated, she secretly cursed Jean as a loser in her head and headed to the kitchen to cook.

Once she was out of earshot, Anna leaned closer to Jean and whispered, "What are you thinking? Why haven't you kicked her out yet?"

Jean lazily shrugged his shoulders and said nothing.

Anna slapped his arm and said, "I'm asking you a question. What's so good about that woman? We don't even

have money right now, and we've got another mouth to feed. I can't keep doing this."

*She doesn't eat that much," replied Jean, still lounging. "Besides, you have someone to do the chores now. You don't even have to lift a finger. Isn't that nice?"

Sure, having someone do the chores was nice.

However, Anna could not stand the thought of keeping someone around who constantly mouthed off and irritated

her.

*Do whatever you want. That woman has messed you over so many times, and you still haven't learned your lesson." Then, Anna walked into her room and slammed the door shut.

She was completely against Jean letting Marie stay.

However, her son had his own ideas these days. Even if she did not agree, what could she do?

There was nothing she could do about it!

Jean did not pay any attention to what Anna said.

After prepping the ingredients and putting them into the pot, Marie walked out of the kitchen and asked in a low

voice, "Where's your mom?"

"She's in her room," Jean answered lazily.

He lay on the couch, reminiscing about the good old days.

He really missed those days...

Back then, he had money, women, and people constantly flattering him, calling him "Mr. Langdon".

It felt amazing.

Jean could not get used to his current situation at all.

"What are you going to do if you can't get the money?" asked Marie.

"What else? We'll just keep asking for it," replied Jean, lounging with his eyes half-closed. He was confident that

he could get back to those glorious days.

"I don't think this is working," replied Marie. "I remember you bought two accident insurance policies before. Maybe you could get some cash out of that?"

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3287-Whose Family Is She Visiting?

Jean narrowed his eyes. "What are you getting at?"

*That insurance policy you got for your mom. You can figure out a way to get the company to pay out. At least that'll help get us through this rough patch, right?" Marie thought she was giving him a brilliant suggestion. *You must've lost your mind!" Jean exploded in anger. "How dare you even think about targeting my mom?!" To commit insurance fraud, Anna would need to get hurt. If there was no injury, there would be no payout. Even though Jean had fallen on hard times, he would never harm his mother. After all, Anna's pension was barely enough to get by, and it was the only thing keeping them afloat.

If he wanted the wealth and success he once had, he would have to ask Percy for money.

Marie looked hurt. "I'm just trying to help you. We've got no money left. Don't you want to start a business again and be the boss?"

Jean stayed silent. Of course, he wanted that!

As the thought ran through his mind, he cursed under his breath, "Screw it, I'll go to Percy's place tomorrow and ask for some money!"

Seeing him finally come to this conclusion, Marie nodded in satisfaction.

After all, she had been the one to push him into causing a scene at the wedding.

Originally, neither Anna nor Jean had planned to stir up trouble. They had not even intended to go.

If it had not been for her persuasion, they would still be sitting around doing nothing.

"What's that burning smell?" Jean suddenly asked.

"Oh no!" Marie yelped and ran to the kitchen. She had not noticed that the water had dried up in the pot, and now, the food was burnt and stuck to the bottom.

Jean followed her into the kitchen and saw the mess. He scolded her, "You can't even cook a meal right!"

"I was just too caught up in talking with you," Marie tried to play it off by using a bit of a flirty tone to soften the mood.

However, Anna came out of her room when she smelled the food burning. She stormed into the kitchen and yelled angrily. "Marie, what's wrong with you? You can't even cook a meal without burning it? Are you trying to kill me and Jean?!"

A dark look flickered in Marie's eyes, and she silently cursed Anna, You old hag!'

Still, she only dared curse in her mind. Out loud, she quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I was just talking to Jean and didn't notice."

*Hmph!" Anna snorted coldly. "You think a simple apology is gonna cut it? Or maybe you did it on purpose, hoping no one would notice until you burned us both alive?"

Marie's expression darkened. "Hey, that's not fair! I love Jean. I'd never do something like that!"

"Love? Your love is all about money. You only came crawling back because you thought Jean still had potential!* Anna let out all her frustration from the day on Marie.

"Well, Jean doesn't have any money now!" Marie snapped, losing her patience.

Jean's expression fell.

Realizing she had said the wrong thing, Marie quickly backpedaled. "I didn't mean it like that. I came back because I know he's capable, and I believe in him. I want us to get through this together."

Anna was not buying it. She knew this was just Marie's sweet talk, and only Jean would fall for it!

"Keep making up stories," mocked Anna, cutting her down. "I've been around longer than you, and I see right through your little schemes. Now that my daughter is married to Percy, you think she won't let us struggle. That's why you're clinging on.

"Let's be real, Marie. It's not Jean or me you're after. It's the Mallory family's money!"

Marie's face went pale. Anna had seen through her completely, leaving her no room to hide her real intentions.

A wave of anger stabbed her. Then, she heard Anna say, "With what you've got to offer, how could you think of spending the Mallory family's money? Let me tell you something, that's never going to happen! Once we get the money, I'm kicking you out!"

Anna snorted, turned around, and walked out of the kitchen.

When Anna saw Jean was still standing there, she added, "Jean, don't just stand there. The smell of burnt food is in the air, and standing here is bad for your health. Let's not bother waiting for her to cook tonight. We'll go out for dinner."

Jean glanced at Marie and said, "Clean up the kitchen. I'll bring you back some leftovers."

Marie watched the two of them walk out. Her eyes were filled with resentment.

They did not treat her like a human being!

When Jean said he would bring her food, it was always just the scraps they left behind, and it was never enough to fill her up.

*Jean, you'd better get that money soon, or I won't wait any longer," Marie muttered under her breath.

She was desperate, itching to cash out big from Jean and leave.

However, since he was broke right now, she had no choice but to stick around and endure.

The next day, Jean dragged Anna out of the house first thing in the morning.

They went straight to the neighborhood where Percy and Nina lived, but before they even got close, the security guards stopped them.

"We're the mother and brother of the homeowner," explained Jean.

*The mother and brother of Mr. Mallory?" The guard frowned, sizing them up. "Mr. Mallory doesn't have a brother. And we've seen his mother before. She doesn't look like you. Quit playing games, or I'll call the cops."

*Not Mr. Mallory, It's Ni-I mean, Mr. Mallory's wife!" Jean emphasized. "I'm Mrs. Mallory's older brother."

"Oh, I see. Well, you'd better leave," replied the guard.

"Why? We're here to see her! You won't even let us ring the bell?" Jean protested.

"You two liars are still talking? Let me tell you something. Mrs. Mallory went to visit her family today. If you were really her mother and brother, what are you doing hanging around here? Isn't that a joke?" questioned the guard.

He knew all about Percy and Nina's wedding yesterday. Percy had left a generous number of gifts for the security office. They were mostly expensive gifts like liquor, cigarettes, and some sweets. Everyone at the guardhouse thought highly of Percy now.

Hence, they were well aware that the couple had gone to visit Nina's family today.

"Oh right, today's that day." Anna recalled that it was a local tradition of A City after the guard said so.

However…

"Nina doesn't have a real family to visit. Where would she even go?" asked Anna, feeling puzzled.

*Maybe she's trying to make peace with us and didn't want to tell us, so she secretly paid a visit?" Jean wondered as he pulled out his phone. "Let me call Marie and see if Nina took Percy to our place."

Anna thought it was possible but not very likely.

According to the customs in A City, a lot of preparations were required for a family visit after the wedding.

Nina was not likely to be planning any surprises. Sure enough, after Jean made the call, it was confirmed that Nina and Percy had not come by. He furrowed his brows together.

"Whose family did she visit, then?" Anna asked with frustration.

The security guard overheard their conversation and found it amusing. He took note of it, planning to mention it to Percy later. These people were trying to cause trouble by pretending to be Nina's relatives.

*Please leave. You're blocking the entrance. This is a gate for luxury cars, and if you damage someone's vehicle, you won't be able to afford the repairs." The guard chased them away.

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3288-What Kind Of Parents Are You?

Anna and Jean knew there was no way the guard would lie to them, so they awkwardly left.

Percy was indeed taking Nina for a post-wedding visit. However, this visit was taking place at Crawford Manor, not Anna's house.

Old Master Crawford had put on a perfectly pressed suit early in the morning and was now sitting on the couch, eagerly waiting for his godson-in-law, Percy, and Nina to arrive.

As he watched Mr. Griffin and the maids busy with the preparations, Old Master Crawford was beaming with delight. His smile stretched from ear to ear.

*Old Master Crawford, please have some tea," said Mr. Griffin, bringing a cup of freshly brewed tea.

"When will Luke and Luca be here?" asked Old Master Crawford.

*Master Luke and Ms. Craw should be arriving soon, and so will Master Louis," replied Mr. Griffin. He had already checked the status of their arrivals ten minutes ago.

Even though Nina was only acknowledged as Old Master Crawford's god-granddaughter, Old Master Crawford loved the lively atmosphere. It was a great pleasure for him to host such a joyous event at the old residence.

"Okay." Old Master Crawford took a sip of his tea.

Since there was such a celebration at Crawford Manor, they had also hired a hotel chef to cook. Old Master Crawford also invited everyone in the family to join the meal.

Susan returned last night.

Susan heard Old Master Crawford's question as she came downstairs and coldly remarked, "Even my own grandchildren don't get this treatment, but a god-granddaughter and her husband do? Old Master Crawford, if others find out about this, it'll be hard to explain."

Old Master Crawford glared at her. "What do you know?"

Susan's expression changed. She then heard him say, "This godson-in-law is highly beneficial to the Crawford family and T Corporation. You, as a woman, shouldn't talk nonsense if you don't understand!" Old Master Crawford harshly rebuked.

If Percy were not from the Mallory family, no matter how Old Master Crawford was fond of Nina, he would not have gone to such lengths.

Aside from feeling indebted to Nina, her marriage was valuable to the Crawford family.

Susan understood his point and responded coldly, "Percy fell out with the Mallory family to marry Nina. Father, don't think that just because Percy is managing the Mallory family now that everything is settled. The Mallory family has more than just Percy and Pierre as heirs.

*I heard that Daryl has several kids abroad. Not all of them are outstanding, but picking one as an heir is certainly possible. Your relationship with Old Master Mallory isn't great now.

"The relationship between the Crawford and Mallory families is still decent because of Percy. But what if one day, Old Master Mallory changes the heir?"

She had gathered this information from Karen.

After she ran into Karen that day, they chatted for a long time, and Susan learned many details about the Mallory family, including the number of kids Daryl had abroad.

Susan had subtly hinted to Karen to bump into Luca.

Susan thought her hints would not work, but she did not expect Karen's mental state to be so poor that just a small nudge from her would make her actually go through with it.

This really took her by surprise.

Old Master Crawford calmly took another sip of tea and gave Susan a cold stare. He asked, "How do you know so much about the Mallory family?"

Susan was taken aback for a moment and answered instinctively, "Isn't this common knowledge?"

*You seem to know quite a bit about Daryl's kids abroad." Old Master Crawford pointed out sharply.

"I just heard some things," replied Susan, nervously fiddling with her skirt.

"Is that so? Old Master Mallory is very disappointed with his wayward son and never talks about Daryl's situation abroad. How do you know so much? Did you have someone investigate Daryl? And what does his situation have to do with you?" Old Master Crawford pressed on.

Old Master Mallory was known in the circle for being quite conservative.

It was especially when it came to lineage and family heritage.

That was why he could not accept that Daryl had an affair with someone else, nor could he accept the kids from that affair.

This was also why he opposed Percy marrying Nina.

Nina came from a humble background, and Old Master Mallory felt that such genes would not lead to outstanding descendants, which fueled his opposition.

Susan was rendered speechless by Old Master Crawford's questioning. As a daughter-in-law of the Crawford family, it was indeed inappropriate for her to investigate someone else's family.

Moreover, Daryl was not connected to the Crawford family.

"I just heard it by chance," answered Susan. She was worried that Old Master Crawford might start suspecting things.

Over the years, she had endured loneliness for her own benefit and for Louis' sake. She stayed in the Crawford family without involving herself with other men.

She did not even meet them secretly.

It was all to protect her own interests.

What about Old Master Crawford? He kept disappointing her, and Susan harbored resentment but dared not speak out.

If she offended the old master, she would be the one suffering in the end.

*Old Master Crawford, Master Luke and Ms. Craw have arrived," said Mr. Griffin as he entered the living room. Susan sarcastically commented, "Inviting family is one thing, but why invite an outsider?"

She was referring to Luca.

Old Master Crawford glared at her and said, "Luca is not an outsider."

*Not an outsider? Are you planning to have Luke and Bianca divorce and find a new granddaughter-in-law?"

Susan exaggerated.

*Back then, you never allowed your grandson to be fickle in relationships, and you would scold Louis whenever he changed girlfriends. Why is it that when it comes to Luke, you're not criticizing him?"

Old Master Crawford found her exaggerated tone grating and felt a headache coming on.

It was like dealing with a nagging, quarrelsome creature.

"Madam Susan, please stop," said Mr. Griffin, noticing Old Master Crawford's growing displeasure.

Susan shot him a disapproving look. It was as though she was blaming him for interfering.

Another maid entered and announced, "Old Master Crawford, Master Louis has also arrived."

The moment she finished speaking, Luke and Louis walked into the living room, accompanied by Luca, Yuri, and Thea.

Thea bounced over to Old Master Crawford, cheerfully greeting him, "Good morning, Great-Grandpa."

After greeting Old Master Crawford, she turned to Susan and said, "Good morning, Grandma."

Old Master Crawford affectionately patted the little girl's head and said, "Good morning, Thea. Why didn't you go to school today?"

Yuri answered, "Grandpa, Thea has had a bit of a cold and a cough these past few days, so we decided not to send her to school to avoid spreading it to the other kids."

"Oh dear, poor Thea is sick?" Old Master Crawford asked with concern.

Yuri explained, "Thea kicked off her blanket while sleeping at night and didn't realize it. That's why she caught a cold."

Susan, who had been listening, let out a cold snort. She said, "I told you I wanted to stay with you all so that I could help take care of Thea. If I had been here, the child wouldn't have gotten sick, but you didn't want that.

"Now look, Thea has fallen sick. What kind of parents are you?"

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3289The Bride Visits Home Before Louis and his wife could respond, Old Master Crawford said, "The child used to be frail, so it's normal for her to get sick sometimes. Look at her now. She's full of energy and much more cheerful than before. Was she ever like this when she was living with you?"

Louis nodded in agreement with the old master.

When Thea lived with Susan, she was timid and had poor mental health.

However, ever since they moved out, Louis noticed that Thea was getting happier by the day.

Originally, Louis thought it was because he and his wife were too busy and had neglected their child, which caused her emotional issues.

Now, he finally realized it was Susan who had been pressuring her all along.

Without that pressure, Thea was thriving.

Even her psychologist was amazed by the rapid progress she had made and praised them as good parents. However, Louis knew the truth.

The reason Thea was doing so well was that he had firmly insisted on taking her out of that environment. Even Susan had to admit Thea looked much better now and seemed happier. If it were not for the occasional cough, one would not even know she was sick.

Still, Susan did not think Louis and his wife deserved any credit. She stubbornly explained, "The psychologist said she was almost better anyway, Isn't it normal for her to be doing well now?"

Louis could not be bothered to argue with her. He knew why Thea had improved, and there was no need to air it out in front of everyone. It would only embarrass Susan, and he would end up being the one caught in the crossfire.

Old Master Crawford rolled his eyes, well aware of Susan's thoughts.

The child only improved after leaving her.

Was that not enough to prove that something was wrong with Susan's way of raising her?

Louis exchanged a glance with Luke, who gave him a slight nod.

Neither Luke nor Luca said a word. Luca checked her phone and said, "Mr. Mallory and Nina are almost here."

"They're almost here?" Old Master Crawford's face lit up with a smile.

"Yes, Old Master Crawford," replied Luca.

The old master stood up with the help of his cane and asked Mr. Griffin, "Mr. Griffin, have you opened the doors to the ancestral hall?"

Even though Nina was only his god-granddaughter and not a blood relative of the Crawford family, the custom in A City was that when the bride visited her home after the wedding, the family had to pay respects to the ancestors.

Old Master Crawford followed the traditions closely.

When Susan heard that the ancestral hall had been opened, she frowned.

The ancestral hall was something the old master treasured deeply.

No matter how mischievous the kids got, he never allowed them to play near it, insisting that they stay away to avoid disturbing the ancestors' peace.

Now, he had opened the hall for this so-called god-granddaughter?

"Well, well. She's not even a real member of the Crawford family, and she gets the ancestral hall opened for her. Looks like this god-granddaughter is really something special," Susan commented sarcastically, but no one paid her any attention.

The Crawford family all knew why Nina was being given such importance.

It was all because of the Mallory family.

There was no point in bringing it up.

Still, Susan, lacking tact as usual, just had to mention it.

If it were not for the sound of a car pulling up outside, Old Master Crawford would have said something to her. Percy walked in, holding Nina's hand. He first exchanged a look with Luke and Louis, greeting them silently. Then, he turned to Old Master Crawford and called out, "Grandpa."

He followed Nina's lead in calling the old master 'Grandpa'.

With the Mallory family's grandson-in-law joining the Crawford family, Old Master Crawford was practically glowing with pride. Even Percy, the pride of the Mallory family, was now calling him 'Grandpa'. It was a boost in reputation.

"Grandpa," Nina called sweetly.

"You're both such good kids. Come inside and sit," said Old Master Crawford, beaming with joy.

Mr. Griffin brought over two cups of tea, and Percy and Nina presented them to Old Master Crawford as a sign of respect. In return, the old master handed each of them a gift.

Then, the whole group made their way to the ancestral hall in the backyard.

Old Master Crawford was the first to offer candles to the ancestors, then he gestured for Percy and Nina to do the same. Once that was done, they reported the joyous occasion to the ancestors.

This was followed by a traditional ceremony.

It took over two hours to complete.

Nina was deeply moved. She thought Old Master Crawford's approval meant they would just have a place for her to return to and share a meal.

She did not expect him to go all out. It was a heartfelt blessing for the newlyweds.

When the ceremony was over, it was time to eat.

Mr. Griffin approached and informed them that lunch was still being prepared and would take about another half an hour. Hence, everyone gathered in the living room, drinking tea, eating snacks, and chatting.

Nina turned to Luca and asked, "By the way, is there something you haven't told me?"

"Huh?" Luca paused for a moment, trying to recall if there was anything she had not mentioned. She suddenly remembered the incident at the wedding venue yesterday.

She smiled and replied, "You've already figured it out, no? It wouldn't have made a difference whether I told you or not."

"I guessed as much," said Nina. "Thanks for helping me out again."

"We're friends. That's what we do for each other. No need to thank me. By the way, when are you and Mr. Mallory going on your honeymoon?" asked Luca. Even though they had been together for a while, the usual post-wedding traditions still applied.

A honeymoon would be next, and no matter how busy Percy was, he would definitely take Nina somewhere. "We're leaving tomorrow, but he hasn't told me where we're going yet. He said it's a surprise," answered Nina. *A surprise sounds wonderful. Who knows, maybe after your honeymoon, there'll be another piece of good news?" said Luca. She smiled and glanced at Nina's stomach.

Nina's face turned red. She touched her belly and said, "Oh, stop teasing me."

"We're just going with the flow now. I don't feel that urgency to have a baby like I did before. Sometimes, the best surprises come when you're not expecting them," Nina said with a smile.

"It's great that you've found peace with it," replied Luca.

*Yeah, some things just can't be rushed," said Nina.

Meanwhile, Susan had been watching Luca the whole time.

She was puzzled by how close Luca and Nina seemed to be.

Was Nina not close friends with Bianca back then? Now, she was just sitting by while Bianca's husband was getting stolen? She was not even reacting?

Was that what a good friend did?

If Bianca knew her 'good friend' was acting like this, would she not be furious?

Susan watched as Luca and Nina conversed, wondering why everyone around Luke seemed to get along so well with people in Percy's circle.

As the thought crossed her mind, she shot a glare at Yuri, who was sitting next to her.

Yuri was peeling fruit for Thea.

*All you ever do is eat. Don't you know how to work on your social connections?" Susan muttered under her breath.

Yuri froze for a moment, realizing the comment was directed at her.

She followed Susan's gaze toward Nina.

Then, Yuri quickly looked away. Back when Nina was not as important, she had not bothered to be friendly with her.

If she acted all warm and nice now, would that not be strange?

Yuri replied, "Mother, I'm peeling this for Thea. She's hungry."

Twins In Her Womb: Sir President Please Be Gentle Chapter 3290-A Bunch Of Good-For-Nothings!

Susan glared at her. "You're always using the child as an excuse. Now that the Crawford family and the Mallory family are on good terms, why don't you go chat with Mrs. Mallory? The others might think you don't like her!"

Yuri was getting frustrated. She had no desire to talk to Nina, and she was afraid it would look like she was trying to suck up to her.

She nudged Louis with her elbow.

Louis had been chatting with Luke and Percy, but after his wife nudged him, he turned to look at her.

Yuri shot him a look, signaling for him to deal with Susan.

Louisunderstood, but there was nothing he could do.

If only he could actually deal with Susan…

Susan's stubbornness was something no one could handle.

"You both are a bunch of good-for-nothings!" Susan noticed their glances at each other and got really upset.

She was doing this for their own good!

Louis was so insistent on running his own company, was he not? If they could form a good relationship with the Mallory family, it would benefit his business.

Also, even if he returned to T Corporation one day, it would still help.

How could Yuri not see that?

Louis ignored her and went back to chatting with Percy.

Occasionally, Old Master Crawford would join in on their conversation.

Meanwhile, Yuri continued feeding Thea. The only person sitting in awkward silence was Susan.

She wanted to be engaged in conversation, but even Yuri could not be bothered to talk to her, let alone anyone else.

Susan felt out of place. She was part of this family, but she had somehow turned into an outsider. How did that even happen?

Luckily, the awkwardness did not last long. After a while, Mr. Griffin came over and announced, "Old Master Crawford, lunch is ready."

"Good." Old Master Crawford nodded. With Mr. Griffin's help, he rose to his feet. "Today is the day my god-granddaughter visited home after her wedding. Even though we're not doing a full banquet, I still had the hotel's chef come over to prepare a meal.

"So, consider this a feast. Shall we all head to the dining room?"

"Sounds good," replied Luke. He stood up and took Luca's hand. The others followed suit, making their way to the dining room.

The long dining table they usually ate at had been replaced by a round one, symbolizing reunion.

The chef had prepared ten dishes, and each one was made to the highest standards.

Once again, Nina felt touched by the Crawford family's thoughtfulness.

She exchanged glances with Percy.

She never thought she would experience the full traditional wedding customs, but Old Master Crawford had made sure she did.

After the old master took his seat, everyone else followed suit.

Susan looked around and noticed that everyone had a partner. Old Master Crawford even had Mr. Griffin by his side to assist him. She was the only one sitting alone, and a sense of loneliness crept over her again.

If only Zachary had not cheated.

If he had not cheated, he might not have gotten into that car accident.

There would not be anyone trying to take her son's place as the heir.

The Crawford family would be smaller but definitely much happier and more united than it was now.

As she thought about this on such a joyous day, her eyes reddened. Over the years, she had suffered so much because of Zachary's affair. She had to endure countless hardships and heartache.

She could have been the respected lady of the Crawford family, but instead, she had to share her title with another woman and fight for what should have been hers alone…

Susan's heart was full of resentment.

Luca, who was sitting diagonally across from her, noticed her expression and whispered to Luke, "Madam Crawford doesn't look quite right."

Thanks to her reminder, Luke glanced over at Susan.

Her eyes were red. Was she about to cry?

Crying at a time like this would definitely upset Old Master Crawford.

However, there was not much Luke could do, so he pretended not to notice.

Meanwhile, the chef and the maids were bringing out one exquisite dish after another, filling the table with a feast that made everyone's mouth water.

Old Master Crawford smiled and said, "No need for formalities today, everyone. Just eat and drink to your heart's content."

Then, Mr. Griffin poured them all some red wine.

Old Master Crawford added, "It's a special day, but I don't want red wine. Go get me a bottle of whiskey."

Mr. Griffin advised, "Old Master, your health isn't suited for drinking whiskey."

"Why not?" Old Master Crawford, ever the stubbom man, insisted. "Red wine is for the younger crowd. I'd like to have some whiskey."

"Grandpa, your health can't handle it," Luke chimed in, shutting down the old man's request.

Mr. Griffin shot Luke a grateful look. The old master was as stubborn as a mule. Without someone stepping in, he would have insisted on finishing a whole bottle of whiskey.

"My health is perfectly fine! You should all join me in drinking whiskey instead of that red stuff," Old Master Crawford said defiantly.

At that moment, Luca spoke up gently, "Old Master Crawford, drinking a glass of whiskey would undo a whole month's worth of your health regimen."

Old Master Crawford's eyes widened. "It's that serious?"

Luca nodded. "Yes. All the herbal medicine you've been taking and those nightly foot soaks you've been doing would be for nothing."

The old master immediately shook his head. "No way! Sticking to that health routine hasn't been easy. I'm not wasting all that effort."

He let out a sigh and added, "Fine. No whiskey, then."

After a pause, he asked, "But can I still have some red wine?"

"You can, just not too much," Luca replied with a smile.

Old Master Crawford let out a sigh of relief. At least he could still enjoy a little wine. It would have felt wrong not to drink anything on such a happy occasion.

With the whiskey issue resolved, everyone relaxed. They raised their glasses, toasted, and started enjoying the delicious meal.

While the Crawford family basked in a warm and joyful atmosphere, elsewhere, Anna and Jean were frantically searching.

They were trying to figure out where Percy and Nina had gone.

Eventually, Jean got the information from an old drinking buddy. That friend worked as a waiter at a hotel. It was the very same hotel where Old Master Crawford had hired the chef.

The chef was the head chef at the hotel, so that guy knew why the Crawford family had hired him to cook He told Jean, "Your sister and brother-in-law most likely went to visit the Crawford family."

"How do you know that?" asked Jean.

"My hotel's head chef went to cook for them. He even mentioned it the day before. He said the Crawford family hired him for a banquet and that it was for the old master's god-granddaughter.

"He joked about how it was the first time he'd ever heard of a god-granddaughter." He added, "I asked him who the god-granddaughter was, and he said she was the daughter-in -law of the Mallory family. So, it's probably your sister. Jean, since I gave you all this info, you gotta give me something in return, right?"

"Sure, I'll send you a gift," replied Jean. Then, he hung up.

Anna frowned and complained, "Why are you still spending money like that? You're not a boss anymore, and here you are handing out gifts. What are you thinking?"