Around the time when Kaylin Joan left the country and went abroad for treatment, Joan's whole family seemed to fall into an unbelievably moody and sad state. Mrs. Ernesta went abroad to take care of Kaylin, so only my father stayed at Joan's mansion. He didn't say a word to me, but the look in his eyes when he looked at me was always filled with blame and blame.
He thought that I was the daughter of misfortune, anyone near me had bad luck. Kaylin's misfortune was her own fault, but I always assumed it was because she was near me.
After nearly half a year, Kaylin has returned.
The last time I saw her was when she was at the hospital near Mount Alan and her leg injury was bad.
Now that she's back, I can't help but wonder what her condition is.
Dominic took me inside Joan's mansion. Contrary to my imagination, Joan's family seemed to have just revived, completely painless and quiet as usual. Aunt Juliet and her husband came to greet us. It turned out that Joan's house had a party today to welcome Kaylin's return.
Honestly, I didn't expect this to happen.
Usually, prestigious families just quietly bring sick family members home and let a few relatives who know about it come visit. Anyway, sickness and accidents are always bad omens, no one wants too many people to know about this.
But the Joans were different, they always seemed to be clouded by the lust for attention. Throw a party to welcome a new healer from abroad? I feel like this is really ridiculous.
"Dominic Arnold. Esther Joan." Aunt Juliet smiled gently at us. In the past few months, auntie is rarely at home, I think she is busy handling many things at Joan's company. "Everyone has gathered inside, you two come in."
As we walked into the great hall of Joan's mansion, Auntie asked us about the urgent flight back.
"Is the flight tiring, Esther?"
"A little bit, but not much. Thank you for your concern."
"Esther."
"Yes?"
Aunt Juliet took my hand and slowed down a bit, letting Mr. Michael lead Dominic inside first. My aunt and I stopped to talk privately, maybe she didn't want Dominic to hear what she was going to say to me.
"Kaylin went through a lot of hardships to have the courage to come back. No matter what happens, I hope you will accept and be patient with her."
I pursed my lips and looked at my aunt. From carrying to adulthood, Aunt Juliet is the only person who has never shown hatred or indifference towards me, even though she rarely shows affection for me. However, it was only now that I realized that my aunt always had a bias towards Kaylin Joan.
"Okay, Esther? I know you've always been a good and reasonable kid." Aunt Juliet took my hand when she saw that I remained silent. "Remember, our family has accepted you home, you must prove you are a member of the Joan family."
I looked her in the eye for a moment, then nodded slowly.
With my consent, Aunt Juliet smiled freely. Then we entered the hall together.
The guests came in great numbers. Dominic was sitting next to my father and talking about something, and when I arrived, my father's smile faded.
"Mr Curtis, I expect my engagement to Lady Esther Joan to take place soon without any hindrance." Dominic told my father.
"Of course. It's just that our oldest daughter just got back, so we wanted to cheer her up a bit with this party." Mr. Curtis smiled wryly and explained. He was keenly aware of Dominic's displeasure.
Compared to the party to welcome me to Joan's family, the party dedicated to Kaylin was really too grand. The guests came in great numbers, and the servants in the house were busy bringing champagne and wine to invite. The dishes are extremely diverse, the whole Joan mansion is lit by bright chandeliers and crystal lights.
Everything seems to be prepared just to wait for Kaylin's return. I sat down next to Dominic, and he got me some breakfast because we hadn't eaten anything all day.
I felt a gaze following me from the moment I entered the lobby. It took me a moment to realize that Garrick was in a corner of my eye. After many months of not seeing, Garrick seemed to have lost a lot of weight, he stood with his back to the wall, holding a glass of wine in his hand, not hiding his gaze, staring at me.
"Stop looking at him, look at me." Dominic put his arm around my shoulder, pushing my cheek so that I couldn't keep looking at Garrick.
"I just glanced at him." I explain. I know Dominic's personality to get jealous easily. "It's just that I found him too skinny so I was a bit surprised."
"Do you know the reason?" Seeing me shake my head, Dominic continued. "The Harvey family is having a lot of problems, especially financially. Garrick is a son and he should have shouldered the responsibility for his family. But the only thing he knows is ballet."
I understand what Dominic said. A family, no matter how big and rich, just being careless can cause them to fall into bankruptcy. Usually families, no matter how well-connected, rarely take the initiative to help, because inherently the existence of prestigious families is competing with each other for survival. If one family fails, the other clans will surely be happy.
I don't quite understand the underlying contradictions, but I do know that the Harvey family must be very lonely and in need of help when Garrick is not a businessman but a ballet dancer.
"Joan's family is very close to the Harvey family, and I think Aunt Juliet and my father would think of a way to help them."
"You're wrong. Your family won't help them."
"Hmm? Why do you think so?" I looked at Dominic in surprise.
"If Joan's great-grandfather was still alive, perhaps what you said is valid. But now your father is the one in power in Joan's family, with a slick personality and not keeping his faith like him, family affairs are not good. Harvey's collapse was more helpful to him. And your aunt Juliet is too concerned with interests, the friendship between two families is just useless to her."
I pondered for a moment, then said nothing more. Perhaps it is not natural that Garrick joined the party today while his family was in crisis. He is reaching out to Joan's family for help, but perhaps things will not go well. I feel guilty for not being able to help Garrick. If in the past I still held my great-grandfather Joan's inheritance, I would gladly give them to Garrick without thinking twice.