Chapter 328: No Need to Be So Obviously Scared

Chapter 328: Chapter 328: No Need to Be So Obviously Scared

The Lynch family had just finished their reassurances when they heard a chilling, grinding noise.

"What’s that sound?"

They instinctively glanced around, only to discover the sound was coming from Melody Lynch’s hands.

Following the sound, they looked down to see that the small, retro, flower-shaped lamp on the table... its wrought-iron stem, from which a small flower bulb hung, had been brutally twisted into a pretzel by Melody Lynch.

*Whoa!*

The Lynches stumbled back several steps in fright. How could they have forgotten? This little ancestor of theirs had been a veritable hellion since childhood. Even Zane Lynch, during his most rebellious years, would get pinned to the floor and thrashed if he dared to upset her.

It was the kidnapping incident a few years ago that had finally sobered her up.

After recovering, she grew disheartened by her failure to find the benefactor who had saved her. For once, she had reined in her temper and focused on self-cultivation.

Then, she earned good grades and went abroad to study, which made everyone forget her "glorious exploits" from her younger days. They had actually started to think she might get bullied out there on her own.

This violent act from his sister triggered Zane Lynch’s own traumatic memories, and he decisively pulled his wife to a spot a safe half-a-room away from Melody.

The expressions on Mr. and Mrs. Lynch’s faces grew stiff. They let out a few awkward laughs. "Well, it looks like she doesn’t need our help. The girl can handle it herself."

"Yes, yes, exactly. We’ll let her blow off some steam. If she still can’t resolve it after that, it won’t be too late for us to help."

The Donovan family: "..." ’They didn’t have to be *so* obvious about being scared of her.’

’Still, judging by their reactions, this Miss Lynch must be quite a force to be reckoned with.’

’In the original story, Melody’s downfall was due to two things: first, Cassandra’s protagonist plot armor, and second, the rose-tinted glasses she wore because of that life-saving favor. Now that she knows the truth in advance, Cassandra aside, dealing with a guy like Howard Gallagher should be no problem at all.’

After a brief explanation of Melody’s situation, the Donovan family’s attention returned to the sudden development: the fact that the Lynch family could now hear Arabella’s thoughts.

"This is the first time you’ve heard our Arabella’s thoughts, right?" Hector Donovan sized up Zane Lynch, his gaze sharp and questioning. "You couldn’t hear anything the last few times we met?"

"That’s right, we only started hearing them today. Nothing like this happened the last time we were at your home for the children’s birthday party." Mrs. Lynch answered truthfully after turning to get confirmation from Mr. Lynch.

"Then what’s going on? Why couldn’t you hear them before, but you can now?" Mrs. Donovan asked, her face etched with concern.

It wasn’t that she distrusted the Lynch family. She just thought the whole thing was too dangerous.

If it was just the Lynches, it would be one thing. At least they knew them, knew they weren’t bad people. And now that they had benefited from her daughter’s secret guidance, they were even less likely to ever harm her.

But what if the restrictions were lifted for *everyone*? What if others could freely pry into her daughter’s thoughts and use that ’cheat code’ for their own malicious purposes...

As a parent himself, Mr. Lynch could understand Mrs. Donovan’s anxiety. He frowned. "Who were the people that could hear the little girl’s thoughts before?"

"Aside from her sister, Eloise, it’s basically been relatives who are blood-related to her, acknowledge her as family, are of good character, and harbor no ill will toward her."

Hearing this, the Lynches instinctively ran a mental check. ’While our family might not be saints,’ they thought, ’we’ve never done anything evil. Our character should be up to par. And as for Arabella, we adore her. How could we possibly bear her any ill will?’

’She’s also the sister Eloise acknowledges, which in their eyes made her their own little sister—or at least a junior family member. So they met the later criteria, but the blood-relation requirement alone was enough to keep them out.’

Melody Lynch spoke up. "Eloise isn’t related to her by blood, but she can hear her, right?"

Justin Donovan added, "Besides Eloise, a few of our aunts and cousins-in-law aren’t strictly blood-related to Arabella either, but they can all hear her thoughts."

"My brother’s right," Hector Donovan said. "But our aunts and cousins-in-law were able to hear her from the moment they first met Arabella. Your situation is different."

Mrs. Donovan mused, "Do you think it could be because they hadn’t reunited with Eloise yet? Perhaps they weren’t considered ’family’ and that’s why they were excluded."

"Yes, yes! Mom, what you said makes the most sense."

"No, no, no, that’s not quite right," Zane Lynch hurriedly interjected, shaking his head. "According to your theory, ma’am, we would have been considered one family right after we reunited with Eloise at the birthday party. But I’ve picked Eloise up from your house several times since then, and I’ve seen Arabella on those occasions. I’m absolutely certain that this wasn’t happening then."

"Well..." They had just worked out a plausible explanation, only to be thrown back to square one. The atmosphere in the room inevitably grew tense.

Just then, Juliet Lyons, who had been staying in the corner with Zane Lynch, suddenly spoke up. "Um..."

"What is it?" Having spent some time with her, Mrs. Lynch knew her future daughter-in-law was a bit introverted. She proactively walked over and took Juliet’s hand. "Did you think of something? Don’t be afraid, we’re all family in this room. Just say whatever’s on your mind. No one will fault you for it."

Mrs. Donovan smiled as well. "That’s right. We’re just brainstorming, so everyone should speak freely. Don’t be nervous, no one is going to laugh at you."

Only then did Juliet Lyons take a deep breath and offer her theory. "I think it might be because of the gifts."

"Gifts? What gifts?"

"The ones little sister Arabella sent for the New Year. Everyone got one, including Eason and me."

When Arabella had sent gifts to the Lynch family, she had indeed accounted for everyone, including Juliet Lyons and her son, whom she hadn’t known at the time had been welcomed back into the family. After all, the adults’ squabbles were their own affair; the child was innocent.

As soon as Juliet Lyons said this, everyone froze.

But as they calmed down and thought about it, they realized... it was actually possible.

"The gifts Arabella gave you—are you all wearing them?"

"You mean this bracelet? Our whole family is wearing one!"

Due to material constraints, aside from the Peaceful Coin specifically set aside for Henry Lynch, the gifts Arabella Donovan had prepared for the Lynch family were red string bracelets, each strung with only three small jade beads.

Although they looked plain and even a little shabby, the Lynch family was still delighted. Not only did they wear them, but they also forced a recently-returned and rather clueless Melody Lynch to wear one too.

Now that the subject was brought up, everyone instinctively showed off the red string bracelets on their wrists.

Seeing the pitifully small jade beads on the bracelets, the Donovans, who were thinking of the elaborate jewelry Arabella had painstakingly prepared for them: "..."

’To be frank, wasn’t that a bit too shabby? Too stingy?’

But on second thought, when they remembered the true purpose of those little beads, they didn’t think so at all.

’Stingy, my foot! Their Arabella had wracked her brain, pinching pennies at every turn. To be able to spare even these few beads as a gift for them was the very definition of generous!’