Heiress' Househusband is a Secret Billionaire - Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Her Vicious Self Behind the Demure Mask
The family meeting with the Elshers was indeed tense but, it didn’t bother Lariette much, fortunately. Aside from being disinterested in them, Chairman Delaney’s presence also helped her.

Lariette and Ruediger stayed quiet most of the time as Samantha narrated about family unity for Stephanie’s wedding and whatnot. Alaric chimed in from time to time.

Everyone was present aside from Jonathan. He was still in the middle of a conference video when the family meeting began.

They gathered in the dining room of the Elsher family’s beachfront villa. The place was around ten minutes from Chairman Delaney’s property.

The distance was decent enough to give both estates privacy.

“Conduct yourself well, Lariette. Don’t humiliate us like how you did during that dinner. Aren’t you ashamed behaving so unruly like that?”

Samantha’s sharpened gaze was locked on Lariette who sat on the far end of the dining table. Ruediger accompanied her there. Both looked unfazed by the former’s chiding.

“Only if someone doesn’t play a trick on me,” answered Lariette without looking at Samantha. Her sapphire eyes stared at the reddish brown tea in her cup.

“Lariette!”

“Mom, enough. You don’t have to shout at Lari. There’s no need for that. Please, stop repeating your nagging too.”

Declan interjected, sounding a little exasperated. His gaze on Samantha evidently showed he was not pleased with what his mother was currently doing.

Samantha clicked her tongue, dissatisfied with Declan when she tried putting Lariette into place. She didn’t know why her eldest son seemed to defend that lass more often as of late.

“Mom, Dec is right. Stay calm, okay? Aren’t today and tomorrow good and happy days for us?”

Stephanie leaned closer to Samantha, gently patting the middle-aged lady’s back. Her voice was soft and warm, showing a stark contrast to Lariette’s frosty tone earlier.

Samantha’s frown lessened as Stephanie continued to comfort her. This beloved and precious child of hers was really her one and only daughter.

“Yes, my dear Phanie. Mom shouldn’t get too worked up, right? I don’t want to ruin your wedding.”

“You won’t ever ruin my wedding, Mom,” Stephanie softened her voice further, acting chummy with Samantha by leaning her head on her mother’s shoulder, “I know you just want the best for me.”

Lariette almost scoffed as she heard Stephanie buttering up to Samantha. She also couldn’t help but think how hideously two-faced the blond was.

Lariette didn’t notice the weird way Declan looked at her before his eyes drifted to Stephanie. His mind seemed to be burdened with something; a matter complicated enough that some of his thoughts darkened his countenance.

Thud.

Everyone collectively looked at Chairman Delaney who had just put down his cup rather loudly than usual. His subtle action commanded them to pay attention to him.

Sitting at the head of the dining table, Chairman Delaney could see both sides.

His old eyes lay on Lariette at the end of the table before darting to Samantha and Stephanie. The two ladies sat near him.

Parting his lips, Chairman Delaney’s gruff voice verbalized his discontent with the situation. His sharp gaze fell on Samantha, his foolish daughter.

“Samantha, you’re still trying to blame Lari for what happened last week? Have you forgotten how that trash Damien acted toward her?”

Samantha flinched, cowering under the pressure exuded by Chairman Delaney. She lowered her chin, feeling ashamed to be told off by her elderly father.

“Dad, I just reminded her. Who knows what…”

“Enough is enough. You keep blabbering about an unrelated topic. Didn’t you say you just want to focus on Phanie’s wedding being perfect?”

Samantha clammed her mouth shut, getting the hint that she shouldn’t push her luck further. Her father had been displeased with her since last week already.

Seeing the murky look on Samantha’s face, Stephanie patted her back before saying to Chairman Delaney. She kept her voice mellow.

“Grandpa, please don’t be mad at Mom. She’s just worried about my wedding.”

Clenching his jaw, Chairman Delaney narrowed his eyes. He couldn’t forget the sense of betrayal he went through once he confirmed Lariette’s suspicions just yesterday.

Acting all harmless and coy, no one would ever expect that Stephanie would try to shame Lariette during her ceremony tomorrow.

The granddaughter who he watched growing up from an infant into a young lady, turned out hiding her vicious self behind her demure mask.

Chairman Delaney never treated Stephanie differently after finding out the lady was not his biological granddaughter. He only blamed Samantha and Jonathan for being biased.

Until the crisis kept happening to Lariette who had no one else aside from him to defend her. He had to step up when her parents and siblings failed her.

Really… it was surprising to know someone he viewed as harmless actually held a different side.

What else had Stephanie concealed from all of them?

“Phanie, being worried about your wedding isn’t an excuse to treat Lari harshly. Especially when she did nothing wrong in the first place.”

Stephanie’s smiling face almost cracked. Shivers ghosted down her spine as she noticed the frost in Chairman Delaney’s eyes. His voice was laden with sheer disappointment.

“Grandpa, actually Mom…”

Chairman Delaney shook his head, letting out a heavy sigh.

“No need to defend your mother, Phanie. I’ve made myself clear. It’s immoral to push Lari to marry that cheating bastard just because your mother was afraid of her stealing Matthias from you. Doesn’t it sound absurd?”

Samantha flinched, realizing the weight of disappointment and suppressed anger in her elderly father’s voice.

Stephanie said nothing, unable to come up with a good response to Chairman Delaney.

“It’s absurd, indeed. So ridiculous.”

Rafael chimed in for the first time, his eyes wandering from Samantha and Stephanie.

“Let’s call this quit, shall we? Mom, don’t keep bringing up the past. Don’t you want a perfect wedding for Phanie? So why do you bother yourself with this?”

“Ray! Don’t be rude to Mom,” Alaric frowned, glaring at his younger brother, “You…”

“Shut up, Eric. You know nothing.”

Rafael retorted without giving Alaric a chance to finish his remark. His action made the latter seethe.

Sitting quietly at the end of the table, Lariette enjoyed the chaos unfolding without her having to say anything.

Wouldn’t tomorrow be more interesting?

She couldn’t wait to find it out.

Stephanie was seething inside upon seeing how unfazed Lariette was as if she thought she was the winner. Fridah had already reported what happened at the port this morning to the former.

“Why did that bitch suddenly change, huh? She acted so high and mighty just because she got that Alvord outcast?”

Fridah, Amber and the others voiced their dissatisfaction with Lariette all because the lady no longer acted meekly like before. They actually hoped to see her quiver under their taunt.

Stephanie calmed them down by saying Lariette would receive retribution for her arrogance soon. All of them knew what the former planned to do.

The plan was simple but, perfect because Lariette had no one she could really ask about the invitation.

Nothing would go wrong with Stephanie’s plan, that was what the others had in mind.

Also…

Wouldn’t Lariette be discouraged because once again her birthday was inferior and lacked importance to Stephanie’s?