Novel Full Chapter 147: Luck Is Also a Form of Strength
Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Luck Is Also a Form of Strength
Arabella Donovan was unaware of their inner turmoil. She pursed her lips, a look of disdain on her face.
’Especially the best friends in these cheesy romance novels. It’s always like, "nine out of ten are bad, and the tenth is just waiting for the right moment to be bad!" This Evelyn acts all concerned for my sister-in-law, but in reality, she’s always been jealous that Sabrina was adopted by a rich family and effortlessly started living the life of a wealthy heiress—the very life Evelyn dreamed of.’
’When my sister-in-law returned from abroad with her child, Evelyn was all "oh, you poor thing" to her face, but secretly, she was gloating. She thought my sister-in-law was promiscuous and had ruined her reputation, and that Fourth Aunt would definitely kick her out. She hoped Sabrina would end up homeless on the streets with her child, living a life even more miserable than her own.’
Sabrina Donovan was thunderstruck. ’She actually thought that about me!’
’But who would’ve guessed? Fourth Aunt was angry, sure, but she was more heartbroken that my sister-in-law had been tricked by a scumbag. That pissed Evelyn off so much she skipped dinner that night.’
The scumbag, Hugh Donovan: "..." Fine, he had to admit it. He deserved to be chewed out for this.
’But what really made her snap was when the truth came out later, and she found out the child my sister-in-law had was actually my older cousin Hugh’s. Tsk, tsk. That’s right, this Evelyn has a secret crush on my older cousin and dreams of marrying into the family to become a wealthy young mistress.’
What?! Sabrina Donovan and the others nearly cried out in shock. Then, all eyes turned to Hugh Donovan.
Hugh Donovan: "!!!" ’Wait, no! I swear my conscience is clear! I don’t have any impression of this Evelyn person at all! You can’t pin this on me!’
’Now that the little guy’s identity is out early, if those two get the news, they’ll most likely do the same thing as the original plot: run to Rowena Churchill, team up with her, and then hatch a plan to drug my sister-in-law and send her to their cousin.’
Hugh Donovan and the others: "!!!" This was absolutely intolerable! These people were depraved and inhuman. If they didn’t put this scum behind bars, they’d never have a moment of peace for the rest of their lives.
In an instant, a thousand thoughts raced through their minds, yet they managed to keep their composure.
"If that’s really the case, we have to be extra careful, especially Sabrina and the child."
Hugh Donovan immediately understood and nodded. "I’ll arrange for more bodyguards to protect them when I get back. And from now on, call me when you get off work. I’ll pick you up myself."
Sabrina Donovan also understood the gravity of the situation and didn’t argue.
Fourth Aunt chimed in, "You can rest assured about the child, too. I’ll pick him up myself."
Arabella Donovan: "???"
’Wait a minute, I’ve barely started, and it already feels like Hugh and the others have a whole strategy worked out? But then again, it makes sense. Villains are usually people close to you—colleagues, friends, relatives, they’re all prime suspects. Thinking it over, it seems like their family of four is the only group that can truly trust each other, so their plan isn’t wrong.’
Hugh Donovan’s family: "..." ’Being the main characters of a story really isn’t easy. Why does it feel like the whole world is our enemy, and anyone could try to screw us over!’
If Arabella Donovan knew what they were thinking, she would have told them with profound and clear-sighted wisdom that this was what you call "dramatic conflict."
For any proper, melodramatic romance novel, a story without villains is like a gourmet dish without seasoning. If they didn’t pop up to stir hatred and cause trouble, were the readers supposed to just watch you guys calculate your daily grocery bills?
Having sorted out the problems for Fourth Aunt’s family, Arabella Donovan turned her attention to Fifth Aunt’s family.
Fifth Aunt’s family instantly tensed up, terrified that Arabella Donovan would drop another bombshell without warning.
The first person Arabella Donovan looked at was the little one hiding behind Second Sister-in-law, hugging her mother’s thigh and peeking out at her.
The little girl was wearing a pink princess dress, her hair in two pigtails. Her eyes were as big and round as black grapes, filled with curiosity and wonder for the world.
Perhaps sensing Arabella Donovan’s gaze, the little one, like a startled kitten, scurried completely behind her mother.
Second Sister-in-law had come this time hoping Arabella Donovan could check on her child’s health. Seeing that her daughter was a little shy and wouldn’t come out from behind her, she simply picked her up, allowing Arabella to get a clear look.
’I can’t see anything wrong with this child at the moment. Could it be that since my older cousin’s baby is safe, it triggered a butterfly effect that "butterflied" her illness away, too? If so, that would be wonderful. Still, I should be cautious. For now, I won’t tell Fifth Aunt’s family anything. I’ll just suggest they take her for regular check-ups, just in case.’
The hearts of Fifth Aunt’s family hammered in their chests, but they didn’t mind that Arabella Donovan was keeping this from them.
They only hoped that, as she said, this damned leukemia could truly be "butterflied" away, and their child could be spared such suffering!
"Second Cousin, you have a bright aura about you and your eyes are sharp. I take it something good has happened recently?"
Arabella Donovan had only seen photos of this second cousin from Fifth Uncle’s family before. Even then, she had felt he was an upright and incorruptible man, exuding an aura that declared righteousness would always triumph over evil.
Now, seeing him in person, she felt even more certain of her initial assessment. With his meticulous attire, he somehow seemed even more mature and composed than the older cousin from Fourth Aunt’s family.
Hearing Arabella’s words, a flash of surprise crossed Second Cousin’s eyes, but he answered truthfully, "Beatrice’s department is collaborating with mine. The recent Jennings Plaza bombing was a major case, and Beatrice got a promotion because of it. When she came to coordinate with our department afterward, my boss happened to find out we were related, so he put me in charge of the liaison."
As mentioned before, Second Cousin was at a crucial juncture for a promotion. There were several other strong competitors in his department, any of whom would have been a justifiable choice to be promoted, and many of them had powerful connections.
The department head was agonizing over who to give the opportunity to without inviting criticism.
Just then, the matter with Beatrice Donovan came up, and Second Cousin successfully distinguished himself thanks to this subtle advantage.
Anyone could see that after this matter was concluded, Second Cousin would be taking a step up on the career ladder before anyone else.
Second Cousin hadn’t expected this long-pending issue to be resolved in such a manner. He said, with a self-deprecating smile, "In the end, I guess I just rode on my cousin Beatrice’s coattails."
But Arabella Donovan didn’t see it that way. "Don’t sell yourself short, Second Cousin. Sometimes, luck is a component of strength. Maybe Cousin Beatrice played a part, but not just anyone can handle a huge opportunity like this when it falls into their lap. You need to have the ability to seize it in the first place. It’s just as I told Fifth Aunt before: opportunity favors the prepared mind."
Second Cousin paused, taken aback. He’d been feeling uneasy lately because of some of the snide remarks in the office, but Arabella’s words surprisingly put him at ease.
’Huh? Wait a second... Second Sister-in-law is...’