SWNOVELS Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Her long hair covered her shoulder, making Alexandra charming.
Wearing kitten heels, she walked in slowly and steadily.
The beige dress perfectly revealed her graceful and perfect figure.
The thin swan necklace glittered and set off her long, fair neck.
Her skin had already been gorgeously fair. With the makeup, her delicate features and sharp angles were shown.
Surprisingly, the luxury goods worth more than 200 thousand didn’t render her weird.
Her elegance surprisingly matched the dress well.
Just then, however, Julian suddenly felt the tension around him.
Perhaps Grandma was boiling with anger.
Josephine had gone downstairs first.
Julian was following her.
Honestly, Peter was breathless with anxiety.
Seeing Mrs. Josephine come to him, he stepped forward with a smile and said. “Mrs. Josephine, you look fine these days. I brought you some ginseng to boost your energy and add more nutrition.”
Margot then handed the high–class gift box containing the ginseng to the maid and greeted Mrs. Josephine with a grin.
After shifting her eyes from Margot to Peter, Josephine frowned at the sight of the strange young lady in front of her.
Peter also noticed Mrs. Josephine’s cold stare at Alexandra and had a bad feeling
Following Mrs. Josephine’s stare, Caroline shifted her eyes to Alexandra’s beautiful face, amazed by her striking looks.
And she arched her eyebrows and said smilingly, “Is this Miss Veronica Doherty? You are not only a celebrated pianist and at good–looking lady! Jule is really blessed to marry you!”
Hearing the stressed words “Veronica Doherty” and “pianist, Peter and Margot both froze.
Mrs. Josephine, who had been silent, turned sullen with her face abruptly darkened.
Alexandra sensed the strange atmosphere as well.
Subconsciously, she darted a curious glance at Julian and met his gaze. It seemed that he wanted to convey something to
her.
Alexandra smiled radiantly, walked to Mrs. Josephine, and said tenderly, “Mrs. Josephine, my name is Alex. Veronica is my sis and father’s adopted daughter. After hearing about the marriage, my father took me back here. We are glad to visit you today.”
“You are not Veronica Doherty?” exclaimed Caroline with exaggerated surprise. Josephine, isn’t this Miss Veronica Doherty? Isn’t the daughter of the Doherty family the pianist Veronica Doherty?”
The exclamation brought Peter out in a cold sweat.
Alexandra looked at Caroline’s shocked expression and muttered in her heart, “She is really a drama queen!”
She then responded to Caroline firmly with a sweet voice, “Mrs. Caroline, you are right. I’m not Veronica Doherty. I’m Alexandra Doherty, Peter Doherty’s real biological daughter. If Julian does not marry me, would the Ranford family like to have a fake daughter as Julian’s wife?”
Margot was rendered speechless.
Hearing Alexandra’s explanation, Julian quickly echoed, “Mom, sorry for not telling you in time. Actually, Alex is my fiancee. Grandma has known about it before.”
Josephine glared at Julian, who was using her as a preemptive measure to silence his stepmother Caroline.
Julian pretended not cying the glare.
He then made eye contact with Alexandra again. A trace of excitement appeared in Alexandra’s bright eyes.
Julian dared lie to his grandma and stepmother!
“He is fantastic and brave!” Alexandra thought.
Right now, not only the Doherty family and the Ranford family were present. There were some maids as well. All of them were listening to the conversation keenly.
Josephine was, in essence, the matriarch of the Ranford family. Even though she felt angry at being cheated by Julian at this point, she was reluctant to make things difficult for him in front of the crowd.
Caroline’s mouth slid into a smile. She spoke with Josephine to smooth things over, “Aha! That’s it! Although Ms. Alexandra Doherty is not a pianist, after she marries the Ranford family, she can get you VIP tickets if you want to listen to Miss Veronica Doherty’s concerts! Does it make sense?”
Margot hurriedly echoed, “Yes, Mrs. Josephine! 1 didn’t know you were Ronnie’s fan until now! When Ronnie comes back, I will definitely ask her to visit you and play the piano for you!“
Caroline said, “Josephine, are you satisfied now?”
Watching the scene, Alexandra muttered in her heart, “I didn’t expect Margot Doherty and Caroline Ranford to sing the same tune! They look as if they were siblings!”
Although she had only come to Ranford Mansion a few minutes, Alexandra had figured out the relationships between members of the Ranford family.
Presently, Mrs. Josephine served as the matriarch of the Ranford family.
Julian appeared to have a close relationship with Mrs. Josephine.
Of course, Alexandra wasn’t sure about it.
After all, everyone in this wealthy family was not easy to deal with.
Julian’s stepmother appeared generous and decent, but Alexandra could quickly tell that she and Julian were actually at
odds.
The few of them then entered the living room and took their seats.
Alexandra kept wearing a decent smile, glad that she had acted naturally.
For Alexandra, tonight’s dinner party was her official “job.”
Eight thousand dollars was slowly flying into her pocket.
For the large sum of money, she certainly tried to behave herself.
Keeping a faim smile all the time, Caroline sat next to Josephine and asked Alexandra with excitement, “Alex, which college did you graduate from? Did you also study musical instruments like your sister?”
Peter’s hands began to sweat again.
Alexandra blinked and gazed expectedly at Julian as if asking him if she could lie.
Margot, sitting beside Alexandra, spoke up, “Alex has not felt well since childhood, so she spent a large amount of time asking famous doctors all over the world to cure the disease these years. And she had little time and energy to study. She spent one year at college in Adanrica and returned due to the marriage.”
With a guilty conscience, Alexandra swallowed silently.
To be honest, she was a high school dropout and had never continued her study or attended university.
And she looked down, not daring to meet Julian’s eyes now.
Julian saw through Alexandra from the start at a glance.
She might be feeling guilty and embarrassed for not going to college.
Mrs. Josephine chimed in, “There are many degree mills. They are paradises for those uneducated, rich kids to muddle through and get a decent diploma.”
The smiles on everyone’s faces froze. Obviously, Mrs. Josephine meant to mortify Alexandra.
Margot licked her lips and forced a smile.
Peter bit his lower lip, not knowing what to say.
Caroline broke the silence. “Mom, look at what you’re saying! Alex is still young, and her education can still be promoted!”
“Yes, Mrs. Caroline is right!” Margot and Peter hastily echoed.
But Julian looked at Alexandra, who had just raised her head, and said coolly, Grandma, you’re right. There’s just no way out of a degree mill. Fraser University, where I graduated, was also listed as a degree mill by some famous national websites, so I could only go back to muddle through in our own company.”
Julian’s speaking for her left a glow in Alexandra’s heart.
It was like all the spotlights were on her, the clown, and Julian was the only one willing to stand by her and support her.
The crowd fell into silence.
Mrs. Josephine turned to glare at Julian, a little furious and annoyed.
Julian, however, saw the relaxed expression on his grandma’s face.
He knew why Grandma was exasperated after discovering he would marry someone other than Veronica Doherty.
It was because of her love and pity for her grandson Julian.
She was heartbroken that lie was looked down upon by the Doherty family.
The Doherty family perfunctorily asked Alexandra, who was not as outstanding as Veronica, to marry Julian to complete the marriage between the Ranford family and the Doherty family arranged decades ago
Although Josephine was annoyed, she felt slightly relieved seeing Julian speak for Alexandra.
Looking at Alexandra up and down once again, Josephine found the girl good–looking, not inferior to Veronica.
And Alexandra seemed to be clever and flexible.
Additionally, she didn’t appear to be a timid and insightless girl.
Anyway, Josephine found Alexandra kind of adorable.
Meeting Josephine’s gaze, Alexandra tilted her head, moved up the corners of her mouth, and said gently, “Grandma Josephine, if you like the piano, I can accompany you to the concert. I can also learn to play the piano for you.”
Alexandra’s tone was gentle and lovely. The sweet word “Grandma” surprisingly moved Josephine.
Margot pouted secretly and turned her face sideways to hide her contempt.
“How dares a girl raised in the countryside say she can learn to play the piano?
“Doesn’t she know that one should start learning piano at the age of three?” There was a short, derisive laugh in Margot’s heart.
Caroline probably had the same thoughts as Margot. She smiled and said, “It’s rewarding that Alex is willing to please you.. Josephine, you see how understanding Alex is, and she has offered to learn piano for you!”
Having lived for a long life. Josephine could see anyone through.
The initial surprise and anger in her heart faded. Josephine realized that Alexandra was not treated well in the Doherty family.
Alexandra might have lived a hard life before.
Unknowingly, a touch of sympathy for Alexandra grew in Josephine’s heart.