Chapter 19
Chapter 19 The Crawford Family's
Dinner
In the end, Evie said with a grunt.
"He will pay. My boss... He is very generous." Athena smiled and pushed a cup of ice cream to Evie. "Calm down, Evie."
"You have such a good temper, so the bastards of your company throw the blame on you!"
Athena was able to find out the account of Dylan's mother,
thanks to Evie.
After dinner, Athena and Evie walked back arm in arm.
"When I was young, our family of three often held hands after meals and walked on this road." Evie patted a thick sycamore tree by the road. "At that time, these trees were not so strong."
Evie's father died in a car accident when she was ten years
old.
A few years later, her mother met a wealthy businessman and
remarried.
It was also that year, with the help of her stepfather, Evie went abroad to study.
"You miss your father?" Athena asked gently.
Evie bit her lips but still nodded. "Very much."
Athena stroked Evie's back lightly to comfort her.
Athena didn't know who her father was.
Athena's mother was pregnant and ran back to Greeli City
back then.
Even Athena's grandparents did not know her father.
Later, Athena learned from her mother's drunken words that
her father had just proposed and was found cheating.
After that, Athena never asked about her father again.
But her mother exhausted her life in day-to-day drunkenness.
Evie didn't stay overnight.
Athena locked the door and retreated into the corner of the
sofa.
She turned on the phone and sent a message to Byron.
[Mr. Crawford, I have already moved out of Moonlight Villa. And the key is on the cabinet.]
After the message was sent, nothing happened.
Athena didn't expect him to reply anyway.
She slowly tidied up the things she needed to bring on a
business trip to Salin City tomorrow.
Halfway through, her phone buzzed.
She immediately took the phone. And the caller was Gabe.
Athena felt a little ridiculous about she actually thought that it was Byron who called.
She answered it.
"Gabe, I'm sorry. I've been too busy recently, and I forgot to
treat you to dinner and your birthday presents."
"Never mind!" Gabe was as cheerful as ever. "That's just fine. Will you invite me to dinner tomorrow?"
"I can't, I'm afraid!" Athena said helplessly. "I'm going on a
business trip to Salin City early the next morning, and it will
take about a week."
"Salin City?"
"Yeah," Athena responded.
"I see. Since you have to go on a business trip early in the
morning, I won't disturb your rest. Good night, Athena."
"Good night, Gabe."
Gabe quickly hung up the phone.
Athena didn't take the phone call seriously.
At the same time, in Crawford Manor, the banquet to welcome Heather was coming to an end.
Byron sent away a respected elder and walked back.
In the flower hall, the lights were bright.
Lola Crawford, Byron's mother held Heather's hand and was
overjoyed.
"Miss Ross, if you have requests for the engagement banquet,
just tell Byron. We'll be good to you!"
"Engagement? Who?"
Sitting in a wheelchair, the gray-haired Alivia Crawford was initially playing with a wooden doll.
Hearing the engagement, she immediately looked up.
Her cloudy eyes showed excitement.
"Mom, Byron is getting engaged!" Lola said with a smile.
"Byron is going to get engaged..." Alivia lowered her head blankly, looked at the woolen doll in her hand, and then became happy again. "Byron is going to marry Athena? Good! Very good!"
The smiles of everyone in the flower hall froze.
Byron just walked to the door.
"Sophia! Where is the gift? Where is the gift I prepared for Athena? Bring it here!" Alivia shouted happily.
Heather looked at everyone.
"Who is Athena?"
"Forget it. Madam Crawford is confused!" Lola said hastily, "Mom, your granddaughter-in-law is here!"
Alivia's eyes fell on Heather.
After watching for a while, Alivia suddenly burst into tears.
"Where's Athena? Byron, where's Athena? This isn't Athena. I'm looking for Athena!"
Byron felt uncomfortable in his heart.
Alivia was diagnosed with Alzheimer's three years ago.
Once, Athena went to the nursing home to stay with Alivia for
a few days when Byron didn't have time.
He didn't know why, but Alivia liked Athena very much.
In the past two years, occasionally, no one could comfort
Alivia.
Byron could only come to Athena.
"Grandma, Athena is working." Byron walked up to Alivia and
held her hands. "When she finishes working, I'll ask her to accompany you, Okay?"
"Video call. Video call!" Alivia shook her head repeatedly.
It seemed that her granddaughter-in-law was not Athena,
which greatly stimulated her.
Byron had nothing to do.
He took out his phone, and there was an unread message
from Athena.
Byron frowned. He quickly opened the message.
Then his face quickly darkened.
Moved away?
He immediately made a video call to Athena.
Not surprisingly, Athena hung up.
Then she sent: [?]
Byron replied: [Grandma is sick, and she is clamoring to see you.]
It was almost as if his message had just been sent before Athena took the initiative to make a video call.
Byron sneered.
When the video was connected, he saw Athena's hair was loose and looked much better.
Behind her...
She really wasn't anywhere in that apartment.
"Thea!"
Alivia snatched the phone.
"Alivia." A sweet voice came from the phone.
"Thea, why don't you come to see me? I miss you!" Alivia was like a spoiled child.
Athena coaxed her softly, "Alivia, I miss you so much. I've been
so busy with work recently that I even don't have time to eat. When I finish my work, I will accompany you, Okay?"
"Okay!"
"Alivia, do you want to be good?"
"Yeah!"
"Alivia is the best!"
Byron listened to Athena's sweet and lovely voice, and his
gloomy face greatly improved.
"Grandma, Thea has to work. Don't bother her, Okay?" Byron
asked to get his phone back.
"Bye, Thea. Come to see me!"
"See you. Alivia, I will."
Byron took the phone back.
He hadn't had time to see her before Athena hung up.
Byron was speechless.
"Sophia, take Grandma to rest."
Sophia knew Alivia had caused a disaster tonight, so she
hurriedly pushed Alivia away.
Byron stood up and glanced at Heather.
"Miss Ross, don't get this wrong. Alivia is sick and has some cognitive problems," Lola explained to Heather.
"I understand." Heather smiled softly. "I'm not an unreasonable person. I don't mind Byron's previous love life."
Lola was delighted. "What a kind girl! It is God's gift for our family to have you as a daughter-in-law!"
Byron never said much.
After staying for a while, he returned to the room on the
pretext of having something to do.
He sat on the sofa for a long time, holding his mobile phone, staring at Athena's chat interface in a daze.