SWNOVELS Chapter 976
Brittany was blindsided when Yuri broached the topic of divorce at dinner. She certainly had never imagined that Leila had been having affairs with other men all these years. For the first time, Saskia didn't immediately follow Leila out of the room. Instead, she sat still, sipping her soup with an inscrutable look on her face.
Gabriel wore an odd expression, yet he managed to keep his composure until he left the Lynette Mansion.
"Saskia, are Mom and Dad really getting a divorce?"
If they did split, what would Saskia stand to gain? And what about the collaboration between the two families?
Saskia knew exactly what was on Gabriel's mind. "Gabriel, even if they divorce, Dad will always be my dad. He won't treat me any different."
Gabriel appeared affectionate and tender on the surface, but deep down, his mind was a maze of self-interest.
Compared to Gabriel, Jonathan might be a deadbeat, but his affection for her was genuine.
As Saskia thought of Jonathan and Ophelia, a twinge of jealousy crept in.
Even if it was something she discarded, she couldn't stand the thought of someone else claiming it.
Back at the Brandt residence, Gabriel ascended the stairs and announced the impending shake-up.
Mrs. Brandt had never been keen on Saskia, and the news of turmoil within the Lynette family made her slightly uneasy. "Are they really going to get a divorce?"
"It's clear as day. Leila crossed a line that can't be uncrossed."
"Let it be. Even if they get divorced, Saskia is still part of the Lynette family. It won't affect her much."
After all, there was still Holden to consider; Yuri wouldn't let his children down.
Gabriel, somewhat placated, realized he might have been a tad too mercenary.
"Saskia's been down in the dumps lately. Let's not bring this up now."
"Right. You and Saskia have been married for a while now. It's time to think about having kids."
Marriage meant contemplating the next generation.
Gabriel saw the logic. "I understand."
Saskia was well aware of the Brandt family's machinations, but her face remained a calm sea. Gabriel apologized that night, swearing he didn't look down on her status, but was simply blindsided by the sudden news. Saskia scoffed inwardly. If she really was biologically related to the Lynette family, she wouldn't even end up with Gabriel.
"It's alright, Gabriel."
Gabriel loved Saskia's gentle and considerate nature more with each passing day. He felt more in the wrong and, in a grand gesture, transferred the deed of a property to her as a peace offering. Saskia accepted with grace.
...
When Yuri brought up divorce again and followed through, it caught the Lynette family completely off guard.
Leila cried all night and by morning rallied the entire Lynette family, hoping public pressure would make Yuri reconsider.
The Lynette family was in an uproar over the divorce. A throng of relatives made a beeline for Lynette Mansion and filled the living room by daybreak.
Brittany had stayed over at the Lynette Mansion. Descending the stairs, she was startled by the crowd.
The Lynette faces were a mix of emotions.
Leading the pack was Yuri's uncle, Dylan Lynette, a pillar of the family in years past. Yuri had always provided for him and treated him with respect.
Brittany had met Dylan before and had a fairly good impression of him.
"Great-Uncle Dylan, what brings you here so early with such a crowd?" she asked.
Dylan stamped his foot with a force. "Your father's getting a divorce. Did you know about this?"
Brittany glanced at Leila and understood her role in the gathering.
"I did."
"What do you think about it?" Dylan didn't particularly like or dislike Brittany. A newly found relative hadn't shown her worth yet, not worth his emotional investment. "Great-Uncle, it's Dad's own business. As his daughter, it's not my place to comment."
"Well said. But who knows how you've been stirring the pot behind the scenes? If it weren't for your arrival, he wouldn't be in this mess."
"Exactly! Ever since you came back, Uncle Yuri's been doting on you, and Aunt Leila has worked her fingers to the bone for the Lynette family for decades, all for naught because of you."
"I heard you were living it up in Imperial City. Why even come back?"
Most of the younger Lynette family members were no fans of Brittany.