Chapter 75
Isn't she better than Sophia Sullivan?
Aunt Chloe Sullivan Sullivan worked at the power bureau.
She had a secure job, a leisurely life, and a plump figure.
She wore a bright green sweater with permed short hair, puffy like a Christmas tree.
"Keep it down," her husband Charles Sullivan pulled her back.
Charles was tall, wearing a beige sweater and suit pants, his slicked-back hair gleaming.
Nearly fifty, he showed no signs of aging, instead appearing quite dashing.
All three Sullivan brothers were handsome.
Chloe Sullivan pursed her lips. "Am I wrong? Sophia hasn't come back for New Year's in years. David and Isabella must miss their daughter."
She warmly took Sophia's hand. "A girl changes greatly from childhood to adulthood. You've grown more beautiful. Coming from the capital really makes a difference. Such good poise."
Sophia took off her long white down coat, revealing an apricot-colored sweater and a light brown woolen skirt with brown boots.
Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, secured with a bow hair clip.
She looked clean, well-behaved, and sweet.
Grace Sullivan couldn't help but purse her lips. "Mom, you talk too much."
Chloe Sullivan glared at her. "Always on your phone. Learn from your cousin. You could take notes on her style!"
Grace wore a crop top and a JK skirt with snow boots, heavy eyeliner accentuating her eyes.
Her figure took after Chloe Sullivan's, with a thick waist and short legs, which this outfit highlighted.
Grace rolled her eyes.
"Where's William?" David Sullivan asked, not seeing William Sullivan.
Sophia Sullivan explained, "He's on a client call in the study. Even during the holidays, he's busy."
The grandmother said, "William is the boss. It's normal for him to be busy. We'll eat after he's done."
The grandfather nodded. "We can wait."
Sophia hesitated. "But that's not right..."
The grandmother insisted. "I said we wait!"
"Alright then. It's better to have everyone together for New Year's. Please sit, sister-in-law."
Sophia gestured for Isabella to sit.
"You go ahead, sister-in-law," Isabella said, taking a seat far from the elders.
Isabella was an orphan David had rescued from a river.
She had lost all her memories, her origins unknown, with no family.
David was the only Sullivan son who had gotten into Q University, once his parents' pride.
They had wanted to set him up with a factory director's daughter.
But he insisted on marrying Isabella, who had nothing.
The elders believed Isabella had seduced their son, called her a temptress, and held a grudge to this day.
Among the three daughters-in-law, Sophia was virtuous, Chloe Sullivan was sweet-tongued, but only Isabella was disliked.
Even David was cold-shouldered.
The eldest son was a boss, providing for them, far better than the youngest.
Sophia sat next to her mother.
Since her grandparents didn't like her anyway, why bother trying to please them?
She'd just eat this meal quietly and leave.
"Sophia, your bag is quite pretty. Is it a brand name?" Sophia Sullivan put down the fruit plate and suddenly asked.
All eyes turned to them.
Chloe Sullivan spoke first. "That logo is... Iouv, right?"
Grace corrected her. "It's Hermès."
"The one from TV that costs tens of thousands?" Chloe Sullivan gasped.
She'd seen it in dramas; all the wealthy ladies had one. Very expensive.
Sophia's Hermès was left at Ethan Roscente's villa. This was just a Picotin bag she bought herself.
She carried it to match her outfit. It had no logo; she hadn't expected anyone to recognize it.
Sophia Sullivan was surprised. "Is it really that expensive?"
She and her husband had worked hard to get where they were; they didn't care about brands.
They certainly didn't carry luxury bags.
The grandmother glanced over.
The grandfather also looked.
Sophia said, surprised, "I bought it on sale at a roadside leather goods store for just a few dozen."
Chloe Sullivan pursed her lips. "Even a good fake costs thousands. Yours must be a low-tier imitation."
Sophia nodded. "I just bought it because I liked it."
Grace lifted her eyelids to look at her.
Sophia Sullivan offered, "Everyone, have some fruit."
The discussion about the bag ended.
Chloe Sullivan said, "The cherries sister-in-law bought are so sweet and big. Are they 4J?"
Sophia Sullivan replied, "I don't know about J ratings. I just picked the most expensive ones. Ryan and his father love them."
Ryan Sullivan was the eldest uncle's only son.
"Is Ryan not back?"
Sophia Sullivan said, "He's busy running his company in Kyoto. Too swamped to come back for New Year's."
Chloe Sullivan said enviously, "Ryan is so capable..."
Sophia Sullivan smiled. "Just a young man fooling around."
"Too busy to come home, truly ambitious. No wonder Mom and Dad favor their eldest grandson."
The elders favored the eldest son's family. Ryan was their only grandson.
Chloe Sullivan was both envious and jealous.
She wished she had a son herself.
Thinking that the third brother also only had a daughter, she felt instantly balanced.
Earlier, Sophia had top grades while Grace was at the bottom, which bothered Chloe Sullivan.
Now, Sophia had graduated with a bachelor's degree but hadn't continued her studies or found a job, becoming unemployed.
At least Grace could rely on family connections to get a job at the power bureau and coast along, then marry a good man.
Isn't she better than Sophia Sullivan?
Chloe Sullivan pressed her lips into a faint smile.
Her gaze swept over the fruit David Sullivan had brought.
"Sister-in-law, you bought cherries too?"
"They seem quite a bit smaller than the ones at Eldest Sister-in-law's place."
Isabella Sullivan's smile faded slightly.
"Our family's circumstances are modest."
"How could we compare to Eldest Sister-in-law?"
Chloe Sullivan let out a light chuckle.
"That's certainly true."
"Big Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law's family... truly, no one can compare."
Sophia Sullivan's lips curved into a slight smile.
"Aunt Chloe Sullivan, what fruit did you bring?"
Chloe Sullivan's smile stiffened.
Sophia seemed not to notice.
She leaned over to look at the bag at her feet.
"Apples, pears, oranges..."
All common, affordable fruits.
"Aunt Chloe Sullivan, you really know how to pick."
"These are all the everyday staples."
The words pricked Chloe Sullivan's ears, yet she couldn't find fault.
"I thought to buy what everyone usually eats..."
Her family was well-off.
Both her parents were officials at the power bureau.
An only child, she had never lacked for money growing up.
But when it came to her own family, she was always calculating.
Sophia gave a light laugh.
"Aunt Chloe Sullivan is so considerate."
Chloe Sullivan fell silent.
Sophia Sullivan (Eldest Sister-in-law) cleared her throat softly.
"Don't just talk, have some fruit."
"Thank you, Aunt Sophia." Sophia Sullivan (Sophia) picked up a cherry.
"It's very sweet."
Chloe Sullivan found her own fruit tasteless.
She looked at her husband, seeking some comfort.
Charles Sullivan wasn't even looking at her.
"Mom, have a few more, they're especially crisp!" Grace Sullivan urged her.
Chloe Sullivan felt stifled.
"Eat, eat, eat, that's all you know!"
"You and your father are deliberately trying to upset me!"
Grace Sullivan: "?" Utterly baffling.
Charles Sullivan: "??" Completely unreasonable.
It was nearly noon.
The housekeeper had come to ask several times when to serve the meal.
Sophia Sullivan (Eldest Sister-in-law) looked at her in-laws.
"Shall we wait a little longer? William isn't finished yet."
The old lady nodded.
"Let's eat once everyone is here."
Another hour passed.
Sophia Sullivan (Eldest Sister-in-law) glanced toward the study.
"Mom, Dad, should we start? It's the New Year, we shouldn't let everyone go hungry."
"I'm not hungry," the old lady said, looking at her husband.
"Are you hungry?"
"Not hungry."
"Who's hungry?" The old lady scanned the room.
Silence.
"Then we'll wait a bit longer," the old lady decided.
Suddenly, a woman's voice came from the entryway.
"Wait for who? For me?"
A woman took off her down jacket, revealing a black suit.
Her hair was coiled into a neat, severe bun.
"Victoria?!" The old lady stood up.
"I thought you were on duty and couldn't make it?"
Victoria Sullivan was a bank branch manager.
She had originally said she was on duty.
"I had a subordinate cover for me."
"I'll just stay for the meal, then go back."
She bent to change her shoes.
"Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, Second Brother, Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law..."
Her eyes fell on Sophia Sullivan.
"Sophia, you're back?"
"Aunt Victoria." Sophia nodded.
"You've grown up, become quite beautiful."
She examined Sophia's face.
Her gaze swept over Sophia's handbag, and she frowned slightly.
"Victoria, come have some fruit," Sophia Sullivan (Eldest Sister-in-law) called out.
Victoria Sullivan smiled.
She held out a small box.
"A New Year's gift."
"Eldest Sister-in-law, you've worked hard this year."
Sophia Sullivan (Eldest Sister-in-law) was surprised.
"For me?"
"Of course."
"This is too extravagant!" Sophia Sullivan (Eldest Sister-in-law) accepted it and set it aside.
Victoria Sullivan offered, "It's a solid gold bracelet."
"If you don't like it, you can exchange it for a different style at The Gilded Pavilion."
Chloe Sullivan tutted.
"Victoria, so generous..."
"Gifting a gold bracelet just like that..."
Victoria Sullivan raised an eyebrow, her tone modest.
"Eldest Sister-in-law has seen all the finest things."
"My little gift is nothing."
"We're both sisters-in-law."
"Eldest Sister-in-law has one, what about me and Third Sister-in-law?"
Chloe Sullivan smiled, half-joking, half-serious.
"You're a bank manager now."
"You wouldn't be unaware of social niceties, would you?"
Victoria Sullivan wasn't having it.
"Second Sister-in-law, you want one too?"
Chloe Sullivan's smile didn't waver.
"Who wouldn't want a gold bracelet?"
"Sister-in-law, don't you think?"