Faux Vows, True Desires

Chapter 416

The person who rolled up on an electric tricycle was none other than Edith.

Edith pulled up right in front of Madeleine and parked her quirky ride.

She didn't bother to dismount, but instead called out to the security guard from her seat, "Is this Ms. Porter?"

The guard nodded affirmatively and gestured for Madeleine to approach.

"Do you always pick up your VIPs in these contraptions?" Madeleine asked, her voice laced with disdain.

She truly loathed the idea of riding in an electric tricycle. It was completely foreign to her; in all her years, she had never set foot in such a vehicle.

The staff of the Porter family, from which she hailed, wouldn't be caught dead on a three-wheeler— they all drove cars, proper four-wheeled ones at that.

How could she, the distinguished daughter of the Porter family, possibly be seen in an electric tricycle?

Edith chuckled, "Oh no, this is just something I bought for convenience. The estate is massive, and having an electric vehicle makes getting around much easier, plus it can carry a couple of extra people. Ms. Porter, rest assured, when we host esteemed guests, we usually roll out the red carpet and send Nelson to escort them in a luxury car."

Madeleine's face fell. "Are you trying to humiliate me?"

Not only was she being made to enter through a side door, but there was also no luxury car to receive her.

"What is your role here?"

"I’m the estate's gardener," Edith replied, still smiling as if she had no clue her actions were inappropriate in the slightest. "Nelson saw me on his way out and just tasked me with fetching Ms. Porter. I didn't feel like walking all the way to the parking lot to get a car, so I rode this electric trike over. Does it bother you?"

Madeleine was fuming on the inside.

She hadn't even met Lucinda yet, and already she was being treated with such contempt. When Lucinda returned to the Blue family, this woman was undoubtedly going to side with her own mother against Madeleine.

For a split second, Madeleine felt a murderous rage.

Thankfully, she had the sense to remember she was at Pinehurst, on the sprawling grounds of the Anderson family—the unrivaled titans of the area. Should she cause a scene here, she'd gain nothing.

Hadn't she seen how even a glimpse of Lucinda was denied to her?

Back in Skywatch, she, Madeleine, would strut in and out of places like the Blue family's without a hitch.

But here in Pinehurst, within the boundaries of the Anderson estate, she kept hitting walls.

The Andersons didn't treat her like a VIP at all, which infuriated her to no end.

Lucinda thought, "A mistress, that's all she is. What makes her a VIP? She should count her blessings I didn't set the dogs on her. Does she really expect me to welcome her with open gates? Dream on!"

"Ms. Porter, get on the trike. I'll take you to see our lady of the house. If we're late, she might be having breakfast, and you'll have to wait. You won't see her until she's finished," Edith pressed.

Madeleine replied icily, "Tell Lucinda to come for me. Does she not know who I am? My relationship with her father..."

She trailed off, unable to boast about being Lucinda's stepmother since she wasn't married yet.

"Ms. Porter, our lady of the house is very aware of who you are," Edith said. "She mentioned that if Ms. Porter is willing to ride my trike, then ride; if not, the gate is right there for you to leave the way you came."

Madeleine's face darkened, "So you're telling me Lucinda knows you came to pick me up on this... junky electric trike?"

"Nelson sent me out, so of course, Lucinda knows."

Madeleine seethed, feeling utterly dismissed by Lucinda.

"Ms. Porter, are you getting on, or not? If you're not interested, I'll be on my way. I've got a lot to do."

Madeleine clenched her teeth.

A gardener, someone who dealt with dirt and plants all day, dared to speak to her with such insolence.

If anyone dared call her, Madeleine, arrogant again, she'd send them to the Ascend Estate to see what real arrogance looked like!

She wanted to storm off in a huff, but remembering her purpose for coming, she swallowed her pride, huffed angrily, and climbed onto the electric tricycle.

Just wait!

When Lucinda returned to Skywatch, revenge would be sweet.

Today, her main goal was to see Janice, and she couldn't let Lucinda's deliberate slights deter her.

Seated on the electric tricycle, Madeleine was in no mood to admire the scenery. All she could feel was the blazing sun on her skin.

The summers and early autumns in Pinehurst were scorching hot, and although it was just the beginning of fall, the early sun was already sending waves of heat her way. She could only imagine how hot it would get by noon.

In Skywatch, people were already using light blankets at night because of the chilly breeze.

"How much longer until we arrive?" Madeleine inquired, feeling the estate was just too vast.

It felt like she had been on the tricycle for an eternity and they still hadn't reached their destination.

"This old trike isn't fast. Others might take ten minutes, but I need twenty," Edith explained nonchalantly.

Madeleine groaned inwardly.

"Can you speed it up? I'm roasting here."

"This is the morning sun, Ms. Porter, it won't kill you. It's not like it's the midday sun."

Madeleine fell silent, her patience wearing thin.

True to her word, Edith took a full twenty minutes to reach the main house.

By the time Madeleine arrived at the main entrance, Lucinda and her family had already finished breakfast, spared from the discomfort of her presence.

Even at the doorstep of the main house, Madeleine couldn't just walk in. Edith dropped her off and went about her business, leaving her with a casual, "Ms. Porter, hang tight. Someone will notify the household of your arrival. Once they give the okay, they'll come to bring you inside." ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

"I'm just a gardener. I don't dare step into the main house unless necessary—I wouldn't want to dirty the floors."

With that, Edith left.

Madeleine was beyond exasperated.

She strongly suspected this was Lucinda's way of showing her who was boss.

After several more minutes, someone finally came out to usher Madeleine inside.

Strolling through the garden-like courtyard, Madeleine approached the understated yet luxurious main house of Ascend Estate. Despite her disinterest in the opulence that surrounded her, she couldn't help but inwardly admit that the place was as breathtaking as the rumors suggested.

Upon entering the house, she found only Lucinda sitting on the sofa, waiting to meet her.

The rest of the Anderson clan was nowhere to be seen.

They were probably avoiding the meeting.

Seeing Madeleine enter, Lucinda didn’t rise from her seat, which irked Madeleine considerably. After all, Madeleine was Nathan’s girlfriend, and should she marry him, she’d become Lucinda’s stepmother. Was this the way Lucinda treated her elders?

Not even standing up to greet a visitor – the lack of manners!

Clearly, a girl from a less distinguished background, ignorant of proper etiquette. Madeleine couldn't fathom what the esteemed young Mr. Anderson saw in Lucinda, bestowing upon her the coveted title of the lady of the house.

Lucinda’s voice cut through Madeleine’s thoughts with a dry humor: “The mistress of drama arrives. Ms. Porter has graced us with her presence.”

Acknowledging the servant with a nonchalant hum, Lucinda dismissed them with a wave of her hand.

Hiding her distaste, Lucinda politely said, “Ms. Porter, please take a seat.”

Madeleine plopped down unceremoniously, her words laced with sarcasm: “Lady Anderson truly knows how to make an impression. Such grandeur. It's a challenge for poor little me, Madeleine, to even get an audience with you.”

“I’m giving you quite the honor by even agreeing to see you, Madeleine. Many would kill for the chance to step foot inside Ascend Estate,” Lucinda retorted with an air of superiority that seemed to say, 'Yes, I’m putting on airs, what are you going to do about it?'

Madeleine was taken aback.

“Ms. Porter, let’s not pretend we’re anything but strangers. We both know why that is. So let’s cut to the chase, shall we? I have to be at work in twenty minutes,” Lucinda said, eager to get to the point and dispense with any false pleasantries.