Chapter 264

Chapter 264 Chapter 264 ས 83%

23 They had previously heard rumors that Vincent had taken on a final apprentice, but they never thought it was Elysia. And she never mentioned it before. Everyone simultaneously turned their attention to Elysia.

Initially, Berenger and Odalyn had been thrilled at the prospect of meeting Vincent. But now, only shock filled their minds.

Vincent was a master in the world of painting, with very high standards for selecting his apprentices. The fact that Elysia had caught his eye was proof enough of her remarkable painting skills. Just how remarkable they were remained unknown.

It turns out that outstanding people just keep excelling. Being known as the Arcanum Master was clearly not enough; now Elysia was also Vincent’s apprentice.

Compared to everyone else’s shock, Logan seemed relatively calm. He was already accustomed to the disruptions these surprises caused.

Besides, apart from her known identities, he knew another secret of Elysia’s–her other identity as Rowan. If he hadn’t promised Elysia to keep it a secret, he would have already revealed it.

A smile appeared on Logan’s face as he couldn’t wait to see their reactions when they found out that Elysia was Rowan. It was going to be incredible.

Elysia stood up from the couch and walked over to Vincent, instantly becoming much more polite. “Mr. Hartley, you and Grandma are talking, and as someone younger, I didn’t want to interrupt. I thought I’d wait until you’re done chatting before coming over to say hi.”

Vincent wasn’t actually upset with her; he had just been pretending earlier. Now, seeing her like this, even if he had been angry, he couldn’t stay that way. “You’re such a clever little thing,” Vincent said, giving her a sidelong glance, his voice filled with affection.

Elysia smiled warmly before turning to the others and explaining, “We didn’t have the right opportunity before, but now, we do.

Allow me to introduce you: this is my mentor, whom you may already be familiar with, and next to him is my senior, Faelan.”

Upon hearing this, everyone finally snapped out of their astonishment. Olive nodded repeatedly, reflecting on how she initially knew only that Elysia had been raised in obscurity. Listening to Jim describe her, she had assumed the girl was plain and ordinary.

Olive didn’t look down on Elysia; she simply felt guilty. If they had realized sooner and brought her back, she wouldn’t have been left out there for so many years.

At that moment, she decided she must make amends to Elysia. Even if she didn’t achieve great success, the Evans family would stand by her and protect her from any bullying.

Yet, Elysia truly surpassed Olive’s expectations. Compared to the children who grew up in the Evans family, Elysia had a less privileged upbringing and education. Yet, she still managed to shine brightly, which was truly admirable.

“Elysia, come here,” Olive called, waving her over. Elysia walked over and sat down.

Olive took her hand, her eyes misting over. “My dear Elysia, you’ve been through so much hardship over the years, haven’t you?”

Elysia’s heart fluttered a bit. She didn’t think so. She had loving seniors who treated her like their own, providing her with the best education and teaching her various skills.

Although she didn’t have parents or siblings, Jack and the others filled the void with their immense love. How could that be considered suffering?

If the Rosewood family hadn’t recognized her and if she hadn’t met the Evans, her life might have continued with Jack. Even 1/3 Wed, 12 Mar Chapter 264 if she never knew her origins or biological parents, it wouldn’t have mattered. She had the ones who loved her the most.

Elysia looked at everyone present, her eyes sparkling. She now had so many family members, all striving to be good to her. With all these people who loved her, life was far from hard. She was living a life happier than many others.

Gently holding Olive’s hand, Elysia said softly, “Grandma, I’m not suffering at all.”

Elysia was sincere, but Olive felt uneasy hearing her words. She reached out and held Elysia’s hand tightly, saying, “From now on, as long as I’m here, I’ll take care of you”

As she said this, her voice wavered. Elysia quickly patted her back gently and comforted her, “Grandma, too many tears aren’t good for your eyes. You have to promise me, no more tears from now on As she spoke, she raised her hand to wipe away the tears streaming down Olive’s face.

Even though Edward’s heart was heavy watching Olive cry, he still managed to suppress his sadness and comforted her, “Mom, today is a day worth celebrating, no crying allowed.”

Only then did Olive stop crying, her voice sounding weary, “Okay, I’ll listen to you all. I won’t cry “Grandma, is there anything else?” Elysia asked.

“Anything else?” Olive raised her eyebrows slightly and then smiled, “Alright, I’ll listen to my dear Elysia, no more tears from now on.”

“That’s good.” Elysia chuckled.

Just as Elysia finished speaking, Jack walked in, his face lighting up with joy when he saw Vincent. “Vincent, I heard you were here, so I came to check, and indeed, you are!”

Seeing Jack, Vincent couldn’t suppress his smile. “Jack, when did you get here? Did Leo and Max come too?”

“They do, but they just wouldn’t budge, so I’m here alone,” Jack said as he leaned closer to Vincent. “This time, let’s seize the moment–raise our glasses and enjoy the drinks. If they hadn’t interrupted us last time, we could’ve talked for longer.”

“To be honest, Jack, that’s exactly what I was thinking,” replied Vincent.

Jack still bore a smile as he surveyed the room, yet he sensed an unease in the atmosphere.

Elysia, perceiving Jack’s thoughts, offered a soft smile and gently urged, “Jack, Mr. Hartley, Faelan, and Zane, please, have a seat.”

At her words, they finally took their places. However, the mention of “Zane” seemed to evoke a peculiar sensation among the Evans brothers and Logan.

Logan appeared to grasp the Evans brothers‘ sentiments. Even though he was unaware of the specifics of Zane and Elysia’s relationship, he could discern that there was something unmistakably unusual between them.

As twilight descended around seven in the evening, the Evans residence shone brightly. Luxurious cars lined its perimeter, and guests adorned in elegant attire moved gracefully in and out.

Clutching wine glasses and wearing polite smiles, they mingled and toasted, engaging in social discourse or whispering about someone.

Two women were talking. “I’ve heard that Ms. Evans hailed from humble beginnings, with rough manners and a cou girl’s appearance. How could such an esteemed family hold a reunion for such a daughter without worrying about the reputation?”

2/3 Ved, 12 Mar Chapter 264 The other replied. “So what if she grew up in the countryside? Honestly, when did the Evans family acquire a sixth child? We’ve been in Jorlandia for years and never heard of such a thing. Did they perhaps adopt a stray somewhere?”

A lady in a purple gown chanced to pass by, catching their conversation, and couldn’t suppress her laughter. I must say. aren’t you both from esteemed families? Why such narrow minds? Be cautious that your words don’t lead to trouble”

This angered them. “Who do you call narrow–minded?”

“Isn’t it evident?” The lady in the purple dress cast them a disdainful glance. “It’s true that Mrs. Evans gave birth to twins in her fifth pregnancy, but few were aware of it.”

She warned them, “I caution you against recklessly branding anyone stray. Consider whether your family’s influence can match the Evans family’s.” With that, she flashed a sly, confident smile.

At that very moment, Edward ascended the stage. The previously lively hall fell silent as all eyes turned to him.

Edward said, “Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to attend my daughter Elysia’s welcome home party. I now yield the floor to my daughter.”

Having spoken, Edward glanced toward the top of the staircase on the second floor. The guests, following his gaze, also turned their heads to look.

AD