Book 2 : She Becomes Glamorous After the Engagement

Chapter 33

Chapter 709: The Great Master Orchidiance

Herman pushed her away. “I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?” Lauren persisted and said, “What kind of secret do you have with her that even I can’t know about? Dear, we are husband and wife, you know!”

“There are some things that even husband and wife can’t talk about!” Herman was firm. He pushed her hand away. “Alright, let’s go over to my mother’s earlier and have dinner with her!”

Lauren looked at him from the back, a sharp look flashing across her eyes.

Ha.

Did he really think that she wouldn’t know the truth if he didn’t tell her about it?

The only reason why she had asked him was just so she could see if Herman was still hiding anything from her even after spending twenty years together.

Unexpectedly, she still hadn’t completely entered the man’s heart.

Lauren took a deep breath, feeling the need to vent her pent-up emotions. When the two were about to walk over to Mrs. Hunt’s villa, the security guards suddenly stopped them. They said, “Sir, the two of you must move out today. You are not allowed to enter this place either.”

Herman and Lauren were stunned.

Lauren frowned. “Do you know who you are talking to?”

The security guard replied stiffly, “I do.”

“Yet you still have the audacity to say that? You’ve got a lot of gall! Who gave you the courage to say something like that?”

As soon as Lauren spoke, she heard a low voice: “I did.”

Lauren and Herman were both stunned. They turned around abruptly to see Justin striding over. He had a cold and sullen look on his face, and his deep-set eyes were as filled with aggressiveness as an eagle’s.

Herman frowned. “Justin! How dare you dishonor your parents just because you’ve become the successor to the Hunt's!”

Justin strode up to the pair. With a fierce and piercing look in his eyes, he pointed at the exit and said firmly and loudly, “This is the Hunt Manor, and you are someone whom Grandpa has kicked out. I am just following Grandpa’s will. How would I possibly dare to be unfilial with my parents?”

“You!”

Since Herman was using his seniority to pressure him, then he would bring out Grandpa Hunt. This shut Herman up at once.

Justin stared at the man in front of him and narrowed his eyes dangerously.

He had left the two of them here to provoke Iris on purpose.

That was why he’d instructed the bodyguards not to stop them when they went to visit Iris earlier in the day. Firstly, he wanted to hear their conversation and see if he could sound them out about the truth behind what had happened back then.

Secondly, he wanted to push Iris into a corner and give her a sense of crisis.

But in the end, he found that even though Herman obviously knew the truth, he refused to make any mention about what had happened. Iris also refused to say a single word about it.

It seemed that this method of his was useless.

Moreover, it had even brought his precious daughter trouble. Although he had deleted all the negative comments on the Internet, there would be some trouble for him to deal with in the aftermath.

In that case, why let the two of them stay any further?

Therefore, he couldn’t even be bothered to act anymore.

Justin said straightforwardly, “If you don’t leave by yourself with dignity, then I can only make you leave in an undignified manner.”

As soon as he said that, a few bodyguards swarmed up from behind him.

Herman and Lauren frowned, and both of them took a step back. Herman pointed at him and cursed, “You’re so cold-blooded! I’m your father, you know! How dare you treat me like this! … Don’t touch me, we will leave by ourselves!”

Justin couldn’t be bothered to waste his breath on them. The bodyguard next to him also took a step forward, so Herman and Lauren couldn’t say any more, either. The two of them could only leave.

“Herman and Lauren have moved out of the Hunt Manor?”

When Iris received the news the moment she woke up the next day, she became even happier. She was sitting in the greenhouse with a pair of scissors in her hand and trimming her plants.

After she was done, she smiled and put down the scissors. Then, she suddenly sighed.

A puzzled Mrs. Landis asked, “Ma’am, what’s the matter?”

Iris replied, “Justin has grown up.”

Mrs. Landis was taken aback. “Why do you say that?”

Iris glanced at her, her pale and slender fingers gently touching the orchid next to her. She asked, “Why didn’t he drive Herman and Lauren away when they first arrived at the Hunts’? Why didn’t anyone stop them when they came here? Yet he drove them away after they went back and the incident with Cherry’s live-stream broke out?”

Mrs. Landis shook her head. “Why is that?”

“Because… he was trying to push me into a corner. He wanted to force me to make a stand.” Iris’s words confused Mrs. Landis. She scratched her head and asked, “And then?”

“Then, I saw what happened in Cherry’s live-stream and realized the truth. He understood at once that these things wouldn’t be able to trigger any feelings in me anymore. In that case, wouldn’t having them around no longer be of any use?”

Although Mrs. Landis didn’t really understand, she still said happily, “Mr. Hunt has taken your side!”

“Of course.”

Iris said proudly, “That’s my son we’re talking about, after all!”

Then, she stared at the pot of flowers beside her that wasn’t blooming very well and heaved a quiet sigh. “Say, if I approach my daughter-in-law with this pot of flowers and ask her for advice, would she hate me?”

Mrs. Landis: “…”

“Forget it.” Iris seemed to have given up somewhat. She said, “Some things are meant to be yours, and some things aren’t. I’m already so old; how long can I live? In that case, I’d better not make any more trouble for the children! These orchids will accompany me for the rest of my life instead!”

Mrs. Landis glared at her. “Your remaining time in this world is pretty expensive, then. Who knows how many houses you can buy with just these plants!”

Iris smiled and replied, “These are nothing. The best is still that pot of Jade Orchid. It should have arrived in New York by now, right? Why hasn’t it been delivered yet?”

Almost as soon as she said that, her cell phone rang suddenly.

Iris was a little taken aback. When she answered the phone, a voice came from the other side: “Mdm. Iris, I’m really sorry!”

Iris was surprised. “Matthew, what’s wrong?”

Old Matthew, like Iris, was also an expert in cultivating orchids. Not only did he like orchids, but he was also rich. That was why he could cultivate so many orchids. The Jade Orchid in question was Matthew’s.

Iris had pestered him for very long before he finally relented and agreed to sell it to her at a high price.

Matthew heaved a huge sigh. “Originally, I’d already found a professional to deliver that pot of flowers to you in New York, but I must sell it to a lady named Lauren Hunt now!”

Lauren Hunt?

Lauren again?

Iris frowned. “That’s not how you do business, Matthew. I was the one who bought it first, you…”

“Let me finish.” Matthew said, “It’s not that I don’t want to sell it to you, but rather, something has gone wrong with my pot of Ghost Orchids. Lauren is an expert gardener, and she said that she can nurse it back to health for me. Mdm. Iris, you are also someone who loves flowers, so you should know what that pot of Ghost Orchids means to me, right? Lauren said that she will treat the orchids with alternative medicine.”

Iris said huffily, “She’s just imitating Orchidiance!”

Matthew nodded. “Yes, I know, but I don’t care. I just want my Ghost Orchids to be cured. Do you know this pot of orchids has been with me for three years? It bloomed during the year that my wife passed away. Not only is this pot of flowers expensive, but it is also of special significance to me. Mdm. Iris, unless you can find me Master Orchidiance, I really can’t sell that pot of flowers to you anymore. I must let you down this time!!”

Iris: “!”

How was she supposed to find Orchidiance at such short notice?

Next to her, Mrs. Landis was in a panic. “Ma’am, why don’t we consult Ms. Smith about this? She can also cure orchid diseases!”

Chapter 710: Let Me Tell You A Story

Iris paused for a moment when she heard Mrs. Landis. Then, she said to Matthew, “Give me a day. Tell me about the Ghost Orchids’ symptoms, or take a photo and send it over. I… I’ll find someone to take a look at it for you!”

Matthew was surprised. “Do you really have a solution?”

Iris sighed. “I recently met a young friend who is very skilled at treating orchids, I will go and ask her for advice. You can give the orchids to Lauren after if my friend can’t cure them!”

Matthew knew about the dispute between Iris and Lauren. Hearing this, he kept quiet for only a second before he said, “Okay! Mdm. Iris, we have been taking care of orchids for so long, so I trust you and am willing to give you a chance. If it weren’t for the Ghost Orchids, I wouldn’t have broken our agreement. But if you still can’t solve the issue by tomorrow, then you can’t hold that against me anymore.”

Iris nodded. “I understand.”

People who truly loved orchids regarded the flowers as their life. Matthew was one of the best gardeners in the industry, and the Ghost Orchids were his very life itself, so she could understand why he did what he did.

After hanging up the phone, Matthew told her the orchids’ symptoms. He was very detailed in the description-after all, he had become very experienced after cultivating flowers for so long. He included details about what he had done to the flowers in the past, the soil he planted the flowers in, and so on.

Iris stared at the description for a while before she raised her head and looked at Mrs. Landis. “That pot of Ghost Orchids has indeed encountered quite a difficult issue. I’m afraid that even Orchidiance would find that pot of flowers rather difficult to save. In that case, let’s take a gamble!”

Mrs. Landis was a little taken aback. “What gamble?”

Iris took a deep breath. “A gamble on my destiny. If Nora can save this pot of flowers, then that pot of Jade Orchids will be mine. What’s meant to be mine will definitely be mine.”

Mrs. Landis didn’t understand what she was hinting at. She nodded and said, “Of course!”

She didn’t know that Iris had made a decision at this instant.

If Nora could save that pot of orchids, then she would have pretty much made a miracle.

If so, then she would tell them the truth about what had happened back then.

She didn’t want to give the younger generation trouble, but her blood ties with her son were right there. There was one thing that Lauren had been right about—Cherry liked her grandmother.

She could cruelly push Justin away when she was young, but now that she had gotten on in her years, she was no longer as bold and resolute as she had been when she was young.

She also craved the heartwarming and gentle moments of being with Cherry and the others.

With that in mind, Iris took out her cell phone and sent a text message to Nora. First, she sent Nora the symptoms of Matthew’s orchids, and then she sent another sentence: ‘Can you take a look and see if you can save this pot of flowers for me?’

–

Nora was currently at the Andersons’ and looking for something in her mother’s room.

Despite the unexpected incident at Iris’, and Herman’s return, Nora had not forgotten what she was the most anxious about right now.

Her mother had left her information about the V16’s whereabouts, yet she wasn’t capable enough to find it. When she thought of how Xander was still sick, she was filled with impatience and irritability.

Mrs. Anderson was standing at the door. As she watched her turn the study upside down, she asked, “Nora, what are you looking for?”

Nora asked, “Grandma, did my mom leave anything important behind?”

Mrs. Anderson nodded. “Yes, of course!”

Nora suddenly looked up. “What did she leave behind? Show me!”

As soon as she said that, Mrs. Anderson smiled gently and kindly at her, all the wrinkles on her face squeezing together. She said, “She left you! You are the best gift she left the world.”

Nora: “…”

The corners of her lips spasmed and she sighed silently. “Okay, Grandma, I’ll look for it myself!”

She was about to take out the dust-covered things under the bed and flip through them when her cell phone suddenly beeped.

She picked it up and saw the messages Iris had sent to her:

‘Can you take a look and see if you can save this pot of flowers for me?’

‘If you can, I will tell you a story.’

Tell her a story?

Was Iris finally going to reveal her troubles? A touch of joy flashed across Nora’s eyes and she immediately replied: “I’ll come to you right away.”

Si

Chapter 711: Take A Gamble!

When Nora came to the villa, Iris was sitting in the greenhouse with a tea bar in front of her. She was sipping on a cup of tea, but her eyes were fixed on the greenhouse.

At the sound of footsteps, she turned and looked over. When she saw Nora, she gestured to the seat opposite her and asked absentmindedly, “Can you save them?”

“I can try.” Nora had never been one to make absolute promises.

After all, Ghost Orchids were awfully delicate. A little carelessness could easily lead to problems.

Iris took a sip of tea and sighed silently. She looked at Nora. “Do you really want to hear that story?”

Nora nodded.

Iris fell silent for a while. Then, she asked, “Even if it really brings you guys a lot of trouble?”

Nora nodded again.

Even so, Iris was still worried. She pressed on and asked, “Have you asked Justin about it? Is this also what he wants?”

Before Nora could speak, Justin’s voice came from the door: “Yes, it is.”

Seeing that he was also here, Iris was stunned.

She stared at her son.

Justin had already grown to a height of a little over 6’2″, and was a full head taller than her. Her small and thin son from twenty years ago had already grown into a man with an indomitable spirit.

Iris clenched her fists.

She suddenly asked, “Don’t you hate me? No matter what my reasons are, I have ultimately been absent in your life for so many years.”

Justin’s jaw was strained, and the beauty mark at the corner of his eye was shimmering in the light. After a short silence, he answered, “I did when I was a kid, but not anymore.”

Iris was taken aback.

Justin turned his head to the side and looked away. Apart from being able to say some mushy things to Nora, he was actually a little uncomfortable saying such things to others.

The man stood up straight. As though he was talking about work matters, he said to Iris, “When I was a child, everyone had a mother except me. When I got into arguments with Roger, his mother would stand in front of him unreasonably and push me, but I didn’t have anyone like that. Not only did I not have a mother, but even my father was gone. At that time, I did indeed hate you for being so cruel.

“But now, it doesn’t matter anymore, because all of that has passed. I know you have your own difficulties and reasons for doing so.”

Justin’s voice was actually very calm and dispassionate. There wasn’t any emotion in it at all.

It was as if he was just narrating something that had happened in the past.

But his words painted a very lucid picture in both Iris and Nora’s minds.

The little Justin had been bullied. His father had been kicked out of the family. His mother was clearly still in New York, yet she did not come home. He obviously had a father and a mother, yet he became an orphan in the Hunt's.

Perhaps the little boy had cried in private. Perhaps on many nights, he had run to this very villa and looked up at the person inside, hoping that Iris would open the door and give him a hug.

But she hadn’t.

Just like that, he had grown into an adult…

Nora took Justin’s hand and held it quietly.

Iris felt as if her heart was being wrung tightly. However, she was already accustomed to the pain-because every night he came over, she knew he was there.

What he didn’t know was that she had also been looking at him from upstairs. It was just that she couldn’t go down.

The most intimate relationship in the world was the one between a mother and her child.

Children’s love for their mothers was purer than their mothers’ love for their children.

Because in the world of children, their mother was the only thing that mattered.

But in their mothers’ world, there would always be things to weigh and evaluate, as well as worries and reservations.

Iris’s eyes reddened. She lowered her head and said, “Justin, I will give you another chance. You now have children and a wife. If I tell you those reasons, your days in the future may not be peaceful anymore. But if I don’t… there are only so many days I have left in my life. Isn’t it good the way we are now?”

That was how Iris had always seen the situation.

Wasn’t it good for them to stay the way they currently were, where mother and son didn’t meet, and each kept to themselves peacefully?

When Justin heard her mention that he now had a wife and children, he looked at Nora.

Nora held his hand tightly, the look in her eyes firm and determined.

Justin could sense her encouragement towards him. He nodded to Iris and said, “We have made our decision.”

Iris’ jaw tensed up.

After a while, she finally sighed and said, “Alright, in that case, then let’s take a gamble. If Nora really can save that pot of Ghost Orchids, then I will tell you two the truth!”

Orchidiance’s way of curing orchids was actually very miraculous. Additionally, because they were giving medical treatment to orchids, the dosage was even harder to control.

Not every alternative medicine practitioner could do that.

Even Orchidiance would probably find it rather difficult, let alone Nora.

It would be nothing short of a miracle if Nora could cure the Ghost Orchids.

Iris didn’t want to lead such a dull life either. She didn’t want to pretend to be all calm and unaffected here. She could harden her heart towards Justin because he had already grown up, but she also wanted to have fun with Cherry.

Thinking of this, she looked at Nora with light in her eyes.

This was the mentality of a gambler.

When Justin saw her reaction, he knew that Iris had already relented somewhat. To be honest, if he gave her another push at this point, she would tell him the truth.

But he didn’t want to use such schemes against his mother.

Thus, he looked at Nora.

Nora felt great pressure from both of them looking over. The corners of her lips spasmed and she looked at Iris. She said, “Iris, you can start thinking about how to word the story.”

She took out a piece of paper and handed it to Iris. “This is the prescription.”