Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 295: Not Welcome

Chapter 295: Not Welcome

Talia decided to be careful from now on. As much as this place gives her creeps and the people working here hated her, and every fibre of her being wanted for her to run back home, she was invited by Fred’s father and she cannot humiliate him by leaving early, or exposing that his staff is acting disrespectfully to her - his guest.

She knew the staff cannot go overboard and in that case they will only shame their master. So they will only try to intimidate her, but they really cannot, unless she let’s them.

Plus, she didn’t want Fred- the hothead to get mad in his home on her behalf. He’s here after a long time and they had just learnt their father has a bad heart. Their father just wants to see his children together, being happy, before he goes for a surgery. Although Fred made it seem like the surgery is very low-risk, it still is a surgery in his heart and it should have its risks too.

She didn’t want to cause trouble.

Minty pea soup was served first as an appetizer. Everyone was chatting merrily with the exception of Roderick as he was in deep thoughts.

Talia picked up the soup spoon and as she looked at the bowl, she was stunned.

That can’t be jelly on top of the soup, right?

Talia checked other’s bowls without making it obvious, and found that, the blob was only in her bowl soup.

Someone actually spat in my soup?

Talia felt like retching and looking around the happy faces, she held back.

Arthur looked at Talia and her face looked sick and gestured her to eat and Talia nodded with a smile. She looked down, and her eyes filled with tears.

What did I do to deserve this kind of treatment in this house after being invited here as a guest?

She knew she has two options here. One is to keep silent and hope no one notices her not eating the soup. And two, making it an issue, spoiling everyone’s mood.

She didn’t feel comfortable with both. Even if she pretends to eat the soup or say something and avoids eating the soup, what guarantee is there that other food won’t be spoilt too?

And she really didn’t want to make trouble. But she had an idea who might be responsible for this. If she goes to the kitchen, she might catch the culprit red-handed.

After excusing herself pretending she has a very important phone call, she walked out of the dining hall and followed one of the serving staff to the kitchen covertly.

Arthur watched Talia walking out and he knew she lied. She would never impolitely walk out in the middle of a dinner to answer a phone call, no matter how important it is; especially here, after all the efforts she put forward for this dinner since she is meeting her future-in-laws. Plus she seemed more determinant than apologetic when she excused herself.

He was about to follow her out, but then little Catherine shouted, "Look, mum! Carl spat in Talia’s soup bowl!"

"No, I did not!" Carl refuted immediately. "Why would I do that?"

The two kids started fighting and Emily tried to convince the kids that there can’t be spit in the soup. Arthur picked up Talia’s bowl from the table and let out a scoff.

"Shut up, Kids. I know who did it." Arthur silenced the kids as gently as he possibly can. Right now he just wanted to burn everything around him to ashes. "Pa, this is a very nice way your servants are treating my wife. You think she lacks food and was here to beg?" he said gritting his teeth.

Gregory was stunned. There obviously is dirt in the soup bowl. This is monumentally preposterous! Who is that contrived to do this right in his house and that too to Jerome Brunton’s granddaughter? How many mouths were fed by Jerome and how could his granddaughter be denied food? Not to mention, she is his son’s girlfriend and she’s is such an adorable little thing.

He felt a sharp pain in his chest.

What a shame!

"Artie...mind your words when you’re talking to father!" Roderick said with a frown in his forehead. "Take them out," he raised his voice at his wife knowing everything that’s going to follow is not going to be child-friendly.

"But I’m hungry!" little Catherine whined and Emily coaxed her and brought Carl and her out to another room. She wanted to stay there to calm her husband who seemed very impatient these past few days, but she needed to feed her hungry children.

"I bet this is Wilma’s doing. You always enabled her and never minded when she treated me badly. And now she extends the courtesy to my wife. As if what she did in the past is not enough... I’m going to kill that fatty now!" Arthur with the bowl in his hand, walked towards the door.

"Heh, You’re always so vigorous when it comes to her, right? You weren’t this worried when your father told you that he is going to have a heart surgery!"

The sneering voice of Roderick made Arthur pause his steps. He turned back to look at his brother whose face was filled with some expression he wasn’t accustomed to.

" Rod, what? "

Arthur truly was stunned. Is my brother actually sneering at me?

" Is Wilma in the kitchen?" Gregory wanted to know the truth and asked a staff who was making himself the wallflower. Gregory really couldn’t see his two sons who usually get along, starting to fight now. He had asked Wilma to retire for the night and she shouldn’t be in the kitchen. He really hoped she was not in the kitchen.

"Yes, Sir." the staff answered and Gregory took in a deep breath.

"Bring her here."

---

Talia who sneaked near the kitchen could hear that woman gleefully boasting how she had gotten the Brunton dog. She actually thought that even if her master is notified, nothing would come off it since she is a very loyal and favourite staff of Gregory Sinclair. She even implied that Gregory would be secretly happy that she did good.

"So let’s see whose side papa takes today," Talia who calmly listened to everything, showed herself. She wanted to confront Wilma and that’s what she did. The entire kitchen paused realising they were made and even then Wilma didn’t have any fear in her face.

"Oh, so you’re here..." Wilma who was leaning on a counter leisurely eating walnuts from a bowl, stood straight.

"Why? " Talia shook her head. "Do you realise you’ve humiliated your Master by treating his guest this way?"

This brought some fright in Wilma’s eyes. " You’re such a mannerless clown. You may be a Princess, but you cannot talk this way to us. We work for Gregory Sinclair. You are not welcome here. You should know that!" Wilma tried to be in control of the situation.

At that time the staff sent by Gregory, asked Wilma to go to the dining room and Talia with a smirk walked to the front.