Chapter 118 A Clever Refusal
Chapter 118 A Clever Refusal
Grandmother Dawson furrowed her brows when she saw Anna’s solemn expression.
"Anna, what is it that’s so important? Is there some problem between you and Bryan?" Grandmother Dawson was sharp enough to notice something was off. Content provided by NôvelDrama.Org.
Anna's eyebrows twitched. There had been problems for a long time. Even so, they had to maintain a superficial relationship due to their family situations.
"Grandma..." Anna's voice quavered the moment she opened her mouth.
She had never wanted the situation to develop to this stage. In the end, she still felt melancholic that things could not remain as they were. She might not have been the happiest, but she could have lived the plain and ordinary life she had always loved.
She had a fiance who pampered her and a little sister who always followed her around despite playing little tricks on her occasionally.
Nonetheless, the truth had to get out. The ugly scene revealed from behind the curtains made Anna shudder.
It made her pessimistic. She began to question everything, wondering what was true and what was not.
Anna sighed helplessly. "Grandma, let’s put aside my marriage with Bryan for now.”
Anna's words shocked everyone in the room.
What? Did Anna just say she wanted to delay the wedding?
They heard that correctly, right?
Chloe and Nicole did not know what Anna was thinking. Nonetheless, they were delighted to hear that.
"What? Why?" Grandmother Dawson was awfully perturbed. "You have been engaged to Bryan for so long. And you are graduating soon. We should've been discussing your wedding a long time ago."
"Anna, tell me, is it because Bryan did something wrong? Did he upset you? Or is it..." Grandmother Dawson turned to Chloe. She had always felt like the brat was overly fervent toward Bryan. She had been suspicious about some things for a long time already.
Grandmother Dawson thought about the time when Chloe and Nicole orchestrated the scandal between Anna and Byan Sanchez. She feared that their reason for doing so was not as simple as trying to frame Anna.
Grandmother Dawson did not need a thorough investigation to guess what kind of ulterior motives those two were harboring.
Chloe felt distressed by Anna and Grandmother
Dawson's gazes. She shifted around uneasily. The smile on her face looked forced and stiff. Her palms were covered in sweat.
She was scared out of her wits. She feared that Anna would reveal everything right then and there.
Some things were not meant to be revealed yet; if they were, it would surely consign her to eternal damnation.
Chloe was terrified. She turned to Nicole for help, but Nicole shook her head slowly, hinting at her to endure it for now.
Anna could clearly see the fear in Chloe's eyes. Turned out that she knew what fear was too!
Haha!
She yearned to expose all of Chloe's secrets right then and there, giving her no place to hide.
Nonetheless, she must not be rash!
The Lincoln Group was not in her hands yet-she needed to hold on to the pillar of support that was Grandmother Dawson.
Anna took a deep breath and slowly opened her mouth. "Grandma, Bryan isn’t the problem; it's me."
Grandmother Dawson's expression darkened. "Anna, tell me honestly, what happened exactly!"
Amelia scoffed. Her ear-piercing voice shot into the air. "What? Ms. Hamilton, do you think the Dawson family isn’t good enough for you? Or are you saying you had a change of heart?" "Of course not!" Anna quickly defended herself." Grandma, my feelings toward Bryan have never changed. I just feel sorry for Bryan. Look at my current state. I don’t deserve him."
Anna hung her head low and wiped away the tear in the corner of her eye.
"Anna, don't think like that! I like you for who you are, not for your eyes! Besides, you’ll recover your vision soon! It's only temporary," Grandmother Dawson assured as she gazed at Anna woefully.
She lifted her wrinkled hands and held Anna's daint face in them. She wiped away the tear in the corners o f Anna’s eyes.
"Grandma, your words only make me feel worse. I know that you’ve always liked me, but I... Grandma, can we please delay my marriage with Bryan for now?"
"Anna..."
"Grandma!" Anna tried her best to force a faint smile onto her face.
In a soft voice, she said, "Besides, I hope that I can see with my own eyes the moment Bryan puts the wedding ring on my finger. I wish to witness with my own eyes, the happiness I am about to share with Bryan. I hope that you can let me fulfill this dream of mine, Grandma.”
Grandmother Dawson's gaze softened. She sighed
quietly.
At the moment, rumors about the family had been giving her headaches. Anna’s wedding with Bryan could serve another purpose of dispelling the rumors about Liam having his eyes on Bryan.
At the same time, she was worried that Anna would stay blind forever. In that case, she would not be able t o take over the Lincoln Group and the main purpose of this arranged marriage would not be fulfilled.
Grandmother Dawson sighed. In a regretful tone, she said, "Anna, you have always been the future granddaughter-in-law I approve of. Everything about you is flawless-be it your background, or your character."
Grandmother Dawson held Anna’s hand. Her voice turned a pitch higher.
"Only a woman like you is worthy of marrying into the Dawson family.”
Chloe’s face turned pink with rage. In her heart, she felt that none of this was fair. ‘What makes Anna any better than me? She just has a rich grandfather, that's all!’
"Anna, you are a wise and thoughtful child. Alright, let's delay the wedding! We will talk about it again when your eyes heal!"
Grandmother Dawson continued, "Anna, you must believe that your eyes will definitely heal! Bryan always talks about how he will throw a huge wedding for you and make you his most beautiful bride. He loves you a lot. I am very optimistic about this union."
Anna felt a sudden bitterness in her heart.
She had once waited in anticipation for her romantic wedding with Bryan too. After Bryan's betrayal, her enthusiasm had vanished into thin air.
Anna lifted her head and put on a beautiful smile." Thank you, Grandma. I know our marriage will be full of joy."
Grandmother Dawson gently caressed her fair and beguiling face. "Oh, good girl. I'm just worried that you might have been upset..."
"Grandma, both you and Bryan love me so much. How can I be upset? Besides, I want everyone to be happy for us on our wedding day. 1 don't want them to reproach us when they find out about my eyes. I don't want them to talk bad about you and Bryan, saying things like the Dawson family being so wealthy and successful, yet ended up with a blind granddaughter-! n-law."
"I won't let you berate yourself like that!" Grandmother Dawson scolded. Shortly after, her gaze softened again. She turned to Anna with warmth in her eyes.
"Anna, I know that you have pondered upon him earnestly, all in consideration of the Dawson family." Grandmother Dawson's liking for Anna grew even deeper.
Anna had a faint smile on her face. Her long lashes were pointed downwards, hiding away the glisten in her eyes.
She could afford to lose her marriage to the Dawson family, but she could not afford to lose the gratitude Grandmother Dawson was feeling right now. As long a s she could secure a spot in
Grandmother Dawson's heart, she might still get her help even if her proposed marriage with Bryan fell apart.
Daniel felt a little unease growing. After Grandmother Dawson returned to her bedroom, he dragged Anna to the guest room and shut the door.
"Anna, Grandma Dawson brought up the marriage herself. Why did you reject her?” Daniel questioned in a whispered tone.
Anna gazed at Daniel silently. Only then did Daniel realize his tone came off as a little rude.
In a softer and warmer tone, he said, "I know you're worried that the Dawson family will be displeased with your current state. I have once worried about the same thing too. I was afraid that they would think we are still trying to climb the social ladder through them despite you losing your eyesight. I thought that they would feel guilty about suggesting a delay, so we must be the ones to bring it up first.
"However, Grandmother Dawson had clearly stated her support for your marriage despite everything. So why didn't you agree to it, but thought of some clever way to refuse instead?"
"Daddy, do you really think Grandma was discussing the wedding with us?" Anna's suggestive words helped Daniel reach an epiphany. His eyes widened.
He was so busy hoping for Anna's marriage with Bryan that he forgot to evaluate Grandmother Dawson’s true intentions.
Daniel was thrown into confusion. He walked to and fro around the room. "You're right. There’s no way she asked us here today to talk about the wedding!
Otherwise, she wouldn't have chosen a day when Bryan has gone on a business trip. She's trying to ingratiate herself with the Hamilton family!”
"The Dawson family is a compassionate and understanding family that respects their relationships with others. Even after I have lost my eyesight, they still honor the marriage arrangements they had made and are willing to bring in a blind bride into their family," Anna stated in a monotonous voice. Her face was expressionless.
"If they don't make their family appear in that light, any outsiders, including the senior shareholders of Lincoln Group, will reprimand them for being fickle and cold-blooded."
Daniel walked around in circles. His mind was in a mess.
"Madam Dawson isn't a simple lady! Her husband and son passed away at a young age, leaving her to govern the huge Dawson family for many years. Even though she is old now, her mind is still as sharp as ever.
"But I am lucky to have you here today, Anna. You were able to analyze the situation and think sensibly about the situation. Unlike me, who was so easily thrown off by joy."
"Don't say that, Dad. You were thinking about what's best for me too! I know you were worried that the Dawson family would withdraw from this marriage because of my current state. Even so, in today’s situation, it would be best for us to reject it. Otherwise, Grandma will think she can trample all over the Hamilton family.”
"That’s right, that's right! Now that we have given the Dawson family a way out, she will think well of us too!" Daniel shook his head. He did not say more but i n his heart, there was a disappointment he could not bury.
Daniel was in no hurry to see Bryan and Anna get married. After all, their marriage would give Anna the means to take over the company with ease.
However, since Anna lost her eyesight, Grandfather Lincoln had allowed Daniel to continue managing the company for the time being. In that case, he wanted those two to get married quickly. Firstly, it would be beneficial to the company. Secondly, with Anna becoming Mrs. Dawson and staying at their home to recover, she would be able to secure her status in the Dawson family.
Nonetheless, it seemed like his hopes were empty
after all.
"Don’t be rash, Dad. Sometimes, you have to give up some things to gain more," Anna comforted him in a soft tone as she hid away the triumphant feeling in her heart.
"Indeed! Grandmother Dawson will remember this day and treat you well in the future! At the same time, she will treat the Hamilton family with respect!"
A look of commendation appeared in his eyes as he glanced at Anna.
Previously, he had always thought of Anna as a nerd who only knew how to regurgitate information from books. It turned out that Anna was not just book smart but street smart too.
Who knew that Anna was so brilliant!
Deep within his eyes, a subtle look of caution appeared.
He needed to be careful. Otherwise, he might someday become the victim of Anna's schemes.