Chapter 1532 - 1519: Overnight Riches Are Not a Dream

Chloe Winston got up and tidied herself, then called the hotel to have breakfast delivered. Just as she finished breakfast, the Countess’s call came through.

Chloe mused that the Countess probably installed a surveillance device on her, timing it perfectly.

Since Constantine Stewart had spoken yesterday, not minding her visit to the Stewart Family, Chloe didn’t refuse the Countess’s proposal, planning to go to the Stewart Family today for a day trip.

Along the way, the Countess talked to her about the current situation of the Stewart Family: "When the old lady of the Stewart Family was young, she emigrated to France with her family and married a local Frenchman. Although the old man was French, he liked Eastern culture very much and had no racial prejudice. They had three sons and a daughter, and among the grandchildren, they liked Constantine the most. After Constantine’s father died unexpectedly, the old man felt sorry for him and left all inheritance rights to Constantine. His two uncles and aunt only received ten percent of it."

It’s not the lack but the inequality that is the issue, so the problems with the Stewart Family were quite serious from the beginning. Chloe roughly knew that Constantine’s grandparents had long passed away, his mother remarried, his father died early, and his maternal family was not close. Now, the Stewart Family had two uncles and one aunt, eyeing the family assets in France, each having established their own families.

"Although Constantine hasn’t been in France all these years, he has a strong control over the group. He had foresight from a young age, cultivating a group of trusted aides. My two uncles and aunt didn’t gain any advantage, especially when my condition improved after I remarried, they dared not make any covert moves behind our backs." The Countess saw Chloe listening intently, reached out to hold her small hand, and smiled, "Now that you’re going to the Stewart Family, there’s no need to be nervous. The three families will certainly try to win you over, as Constantine now holds their achilles heel."

Chloe smiled slightly, the reason those two uncles and aunt were living miserably and even had to win her favor as a nephew’s fiancée surely had a lot to do with the Countess over the years. The Countess high-married, being such a shrewd and forceful woman, dealing with those three branches should be effortlessly easy.

Chloe thought that these three branches had no great foresight when it happened, Constantine was only six years old. If they had any vision, they wouldn’t have sat by and let Constantine be abused by his sick mother.

"Does the Countess want me to visit the Stewart Family hoping Constantine will return there as well?" Chloe asked calmly.

"Exactly." The Countess sighed lowly, "His uncle and aunt don’t want to socialize, and it’s fine. After all, they’re people without foresight or magnanimity. But the tablets of his grandparents and father are still in the Stewart Family. I just hope he can return every year to pay his respects, don’t let himself feel like a child without a home."

Chloe was momentarily stunned, truly not expecting that Constantine hadn’t returned all these years to pay his respects. How disappointed must one be to reach such a level?

"I am quite relieved, after he returned to the Imperial City he associated with the Shaw Family, later adopted you and married you. As for the divorce, don’t blame him. That child’s character is different from ordinary people. He must have realized your importance to him exceeded his expectations, hence he got scared and wanted to sever this relationship." As the Countess spoke, her eyes reddened somewhat, "It is I who owe him."

Seeing her eyes redden severely, Chloe sighed lowly, not wanting to comfort the Countess. At this point, she didn’t think Constantine’s attitude toward his mother was wrong. The best conclusion for this mother and son is merely transforming from foes to strangers, if they want to foster affection afterward, it would be too long a journey.

The car quickly arrived at the Stewart Family’s estate, a family ancestral home under Constantine’s name. It was said to have been occupied by Constantine’s two uncles for a long time, until Constantine came of age and invited them out. Still, Constantine didn’t return to live there, with only an elderly housekeeper in charge of daily affairs.

When Chloe followed the Countess to arrive, Constantine’s two aunts and aunt were already waiting outside the estate. Perhaps thinking it was easier to converse among women, the men were absent.

Constantine’s aunt was of Chinese-French descent, very good-looking, and the two aunts, one French, one of Chinese descent, seeing the Countess and her, warmly came forward.

The Countess’s attitude was very cold, briefly introducing their identities to Chloe, then she led Chloe into the estate.

A traditional French estate, extensive grounds, and a retro castle estate, with gardens front and back, surrounded by lakes and horse farms. This area was part of the Stewart Family’s assets, Chloe was somewhat amazed, especially upon entering the castle and seeing the understated luxury inside, realizing profoundly that Constantine was very rich, extremely rich. For the three years of marriage and one year of divorce, she always thought Constantine was just an average wealthy man, but reality had harshly slapped her face.

So she now marries Constantine, then divorces, and becomes rich overnight!

The sixty-something-year-old housekeeper’s teary eyes emerged as he enthusiastically welcomed them, especially upon seeing Chloe.

Chloe was startled by the old housekeeper’s look, then saw the servants quickly layer upon layer of afternoon tea and pastries, speaking in French. She tried to guess, then realized their attitudes toward her were the most respectful, next came the Countess, then Constantine’s aunt and two aunts were last.

Everyone seemed to accept this very calmly.

"Miss Winston, Mr. Stewart said he’d pick you up after the meeting, try the house’s sweets and afternoon tea." The old housekeeper’s hair was graying but spoke fluent Mandarin. His gaze toward Chloe was passionate and earnest, making his hands shake unnaturally in his smile.

"Is Constantine Stewart coming over?" Chloe politely invited the ladies to sit together, then smiled and asked the old housekeeper.

The old housekeeper nodded, almost teary-eyed, and stated with emotion, "It’s been more than twenty years, for the first time Mr. Stewart mentioned coming to the ancestral home. If the old lady and the old man knew, they’d rest in peace below."

Upon hearing this, the Countess also smiled, finding her daughter-in-law and aunt more agreeable. If her son never returned to the ancestral home all his life, wandering alone and forlorn outside, she absolutely wouldn’t let these three families have a good time and wouldn’t let herself have a good time either.

"It’s good to return." The remaining three ladies, upon hearing Constantine Stewart finally intending to come to the ancestral home, also sighed with relief. This mother and son were formidable characters, they had clearly understood the situation over the years, let alone seizing the nephew’s assets, they’d be lucky to guard their own.