Chapter 629
Chapter 629 Odd Behavior
It was New Year’s Eve. This time last year, she was busy abroad, and her grandfather had flown over to celebrate the holidays
and spend New Year’s Eve with her.
However, this year, she would be spending her New Year’s Eve at the police station while her grandfather was still unconscious.
Meanwhile, it did not take long for Ainsley and Matteo to arrive at the Easton residence. Harold and Robyn wasted no time in
opening the door and greeted them early.
Robyn rolled her eyes at Ainsley the moment the latter got out of the car. Ainsley pretended not to see this and greeted
courteously, ’Happy New Year’s Eve, Mr. and Mrs. Easton.”
Just as Robyn was about to speak, Harold hurriedly stepped forward to block her view, then reached for Ainsley’s hand as he
said gently, ‘It’s been a while since you came to visit. Has this punk been taking good care of you?”
Ainsley’s heart warmed at this. She knew Harold cared for her very much. “I’m fine, Mr. Easton. Matteo has been very kind to
me.”
Robyn was trailing behind them when she overheard this and said sarcastically, “Yes, we can tell he’s been kind to you, so much
so that he moved to a new place I don’t even know about!”
“The kid’s all grown up. He can make his own decisions, and we shouldn’t interfere too much,” Harold pointed out with a chuckle.
Robyn glared at him angrily. “I only wanted to be able to visit them in my free time and check up on them. I mean, honestly,
shouldn’t parents at least know where their children are living?’
Matteo sneered, “As if you don’t know, Mom.”
Ainsley scoffed inwardly. This woman’s just playing dumb. If she truly doesn’t know where we live, then how does she keep
sending gifts over to the house?
Robyn shot Matteo a dark look but made no response.
Even though it was supposedly a simple family lunch, Ainsley was surprised to find that a feast had been laid out on the table.
There were more than a dozen fancy dishes; it was too much food for the four of them.
“Mr. and Mrs. Easton, I didn’t think you’d prepare enough food for an army!” Ainsley remarked after Harold invited her to take a
seat. Matteo sat down next to her.
They dug in after Robyn had taken her seat.
Ainsley had known from the moment they arrived that this lunch would be far from peaceful. She secretly glanced at Robyn, who
was frowning impatiently.
Sure enough, after Harold had given Ainsley helpings of several dishes, Robyn broke the silence by asking, ‘What were the both
of you looking for when you came back and ransacked the house two days ago?”
Ainsley was reticent as she gripped her fork tightly.
Matteo, on the other hand, replied perfunctorily, “I was looking for the documents I left behind.’
Robyn was silent as she helped herself to the food before her. She looked at Ainsley, then at Matteo. Suddenly, she asked,
“Matteo, how are things going with the young lady of the Glover family?”
Matteo nodded awkwardly. “It’s fine, I guess. Nothing special. I still feel bad after what happened to Waston the last time. The
poor girl was put in danger because of me.”
“That’s why you have to talk to her and get to know her more, silly. She must be so vulnerable after going through something so
terrible. You must learn how to comfort and protect her,’ Robyn encouraged.
It was only when Ainsley heard Robyn’s nagging that she understood how much the woman wanted Matteo to marry Waston.
Harold was quick to put a stop to his wife’s antics. “That’s enough. Stop pressuring the kid when he only just got home.”
Ainsley remained silent and focused on eating. She only prayed that Robyn would not turn her attention to her and start
criticizing her.
Just then, Ainsley looked at Harold and said, “Mr. Easton, I have a question for you.”
“Oh? Go ahead.” Harold put down his cutlery, ready to hear Ainsley out.
Matteo also looked at Ainsley strangely as the latter hurriedly said, ‘Harold, my father attended the Easton family’s banquet
before he passed away. Do you remember if there was anything off about him at the time?”
Harold’s expression darkened slightly. In a grave tone, he asked, “Why do you ask, Aisy?”
“I think someone was out to get my father,” Ainsley answered bluntly.
The crisp sound of clattering porcelain sounded from one end of the table. Ainsley turned to look at Robyn, who had accidentally
dropped the cutlery. The latter looked a little embarrassed, and she was more flustered when she saw Ainsley staring at her.
Ainsley did not miss the anxious look that had flickered on Robyn’s face. “Why are you panicking, Mrs. Easton?” she asked
coldly.
Robyn gulped and picked up her cutlery again, saying awkwardly, “I’m not panicking. There was a cramp in my wrist just now,
that’s all.”
Matteo could tell that something was wrong with his mother, and a terrifying thought came to his mind. His hands trembled
slightly, and his face turned pale.
Harold interjected, “Aisy, what do you mean by that? Are you saying that your father was murdered?”
Ainsley’s gaze fell on Harold once more. ‘That’s only my suspicion, Mr. Easton. I cant be sure of it yet, which is why I want to
know if anything strange happened at the family banquet that day.”
Harold fell into deep thought. After a while, he said, “I don’t remember much about what happened that day, but I recall your
father did not eat much. He just exchanged a few pleasantries and left.’
“Did he drink?’ Ainsley frowned slightly.
“Oh, yes! He did have a few drinks before he left,” Harold replied.
Ainsley lowered her gaze. Was the lidocaine in his drink, then?
At that moment, Harold sensed the shift in Ainsley’s mood and pointed out solemnly, “Aisy, if you find anything suspicious, you
must tell me at once. I might not care much about the company’s affairs, but I’m still well- respected in the business world.”
Ainsley looked at him gratefully. ’I will, Mr. Easton. But, right now, I don’t even know if my hunch is right or not.”
Suddenly, Robyn piped up defensively, “I think you’re imagining things, or maybe you feel so guilty you’ve deluded yourself that
there was a murderer whom you can pin the blame on.”
Ainsley looked at Robyn with an unreadable expression.
Robyn was acting strange today. Ainsley had already noticed that something was off about her since she dropped the cutlery
earlier. She wondered idly if Robyn knew something about her father’s death.
“What are you talking about?” Harold thundered. ‘The girl is just trying to seek justice for herself! Why must you always rain on
her parade? If you’re done with your food, go back to the room.’
Robyn fell silent at once and did not utter another word.
Meanwhile, Matteo and Ainsley exchanged a glance, and they each saw the confusion in the other’s eyes.
After lunch, they went back to their rooms to rest. Ainsley also had a room in the house, and it was larger than Matteo’s room.
However, when she lay on the bed, she felt neither familiarity nor attachment.
In the garden, Harold was taking care of the flowers he planted. All of them were rare and precious species that cost tens of
thousands of dollars.
Robyn made her way over to him cautiously for fear of accidentally stepping on the flowers. She was still frowning as her
husband tended to the flowers diligently.
She paced around for a while, but Harold did not pay any attention to her. At last, she said, “Honey, I’m scared.”
“What are you scared of?” Harold asked breezily.
“I don’t know. I’m anxious and restless. Will you please stop looking after those flowers and talk to me?” She clutched the front of
her shirt tightly and felt her heart drumming wildly in her chest.
Harold looked at her and asked softly, “What’s wrong with you today?
You’ve been acting strangely.”