CHAPTER 22: CHAPTER 22: HER SON DEFENDS HER

The Hawthorne Gardens, as a private garden villa, is extremely particular about its design and construction, breathtakingly beautiful, even the street lamps on both sides of the path are specially made into ancient-style lanterns.

Tanya walked in the middle, a surreal feeling of time travel emerging in her mind.

In fact, every time she came here before, it indeed felt like time travel, as if she had returned to the feudal period hundreds of years ago. She had to observe everyone’s expressions here, living like a servant, even the old housekeeper at home could order her around.

Just as this moment, Tanya saw Uncle Langdon’s figure standing at a distance at the entrance of the main hall.

A brazier was placed in front of him.

"Master Vincent, you are back." The housekeeper smiled warmly at Vincent Hawthorne, turning a noticeably colder face to Tanya, "Madam, congratulations on your recovery."

Vincent Hawthorne glanced at the brazier on the ground: "Uncle Langdon, what does this mean?"

Before the housekeeper spoke, Mother Hawthorne’s voice rang out first.

"I arranged it, crossing the brazier to ward off disasters." Mother Hawthorne approached and stopped at the entrance, dressed elaborately today, wearing a full set of jade bracelets and pendants.

Tanya’s scattered gaze moved past Mother Hawthorne, noticing several people sitting on the living room sofa.

Besides Father Hawthorne, Theodore Hawthorne, and Yvonne Hawthorne, even Vincent Hawthorne’s uncle—Titus Hawthorne’s family had come.

The Hawthorne Family appeared calm and harmonious on the surface, but Tanya knew well, the inside of a wealthy family is deep like water, Father Hawthorne and Titus Hawthorne were also secretly competing within the group, splitting into factions.

Initially, both Titus Hawthorne and Theodore Hawthorne wanted to promote their son to the position of general manager, which led to an ugly confrontation between the two families, even throwing dirt at each other. Eventually, it was Tanya’s marriage to Vincent Hawthorne that helped him secure the position of general manager.

The Titus Hawthorne family certainly didn’t come for her, which left only one reason.

—For that so-called honored guest tonight.

Originally, Tanya didn’t care at all, but now, seeing the grand gesture the Hawthorne Family made to receive the guest, she was quite curious about who this esteemed person was.

"Tanya!" Mother Hawthorne’s slightly displeased voice brought Tanya’s thoughts back.

Tanya returned to her senses, forced herself to endure the discomfort, and obediently called out, "Mom."

Mother Hawthorne snorted lightly, speaking indifferently, "Old Lady Hawthorne hasn’t been feeling well lately, and you’ve been lying in the hospital for five years, plagued with misfortune, cross the brazier to dispel it."

"Old Lady Hawthorne isn’t well?" Tanya’s face changed slightly at these words, concerned she asked, "Is her head problem acting up again? I’ll go check."

No wonder Old Lady Hawthorne did not come to greet her...

In the Hawthorne Gardens, the only one who gave Tanya warmth and truly cared about her was Old Lady Hawthorne.

And she was the only person who sincerely treated her as the Hawthorne daughter-in-law.

Mother Hawthorne was a bit impatient, "The family doctor has seen her, Old Lady Hawthorne is resting now, you don’t need to worry. First, cross the brazier."

"..." Tanya’s eyes reflected the fiercely burning brazier.

And Vincent Hawthorne had no objection to this, "Tanya, Mom is doing this for your own good, lift your skirt a bit and just cross over it. I’ll wait for you in the living room."

After he finished, he even let go of Tanya’s hand, stepping into the living room ahead, leaving her standing alone.

Yvonne Hawthorne peeked out from the back, secretly laughing while holding up her phone to video this side.

"..."

Tanya clenched her fist.

Now is not the time to clash with the Hawthorne Family, she had to endure a little longer.

Tanya lifted her skirt, taking a step to cross the brazier. Just steadying herself, the housekeeper grabbed a prepared willow branch and forcefully whipped it on her.

"Madam, please forgive me." He pretended to say, then continued to whip and scold, "You’re an ill-fated disgrace, hurry and get out of the Hawthorne Family! Dirty things such as you don’t belong near the Hawthorne doors!"

These words seemed like he was dispelling evil, but in fact, he was targeting her with veiled insults.

An ill-fated woman, get out of the Hawthorne Family as soon as possible...

Tanya had accidentally overheard Mother Hawthorne on the phone with a friend, saying such things about her.

Tanya clenched her palm tightly, telling herself to endure.

"Stop hitting her!" Suddenly, Caden’s small figure rushed over.

He forcefully pushed the housekeeper, his little face flushed with anger, "Willow branches are for hitting ghosts, is she a ghost? If she’s a ghost, then what am I? Am I a little ghost?"

Tanya was stunned, seeing Caden opened his small hands to protect her, she was moved, her eyes reddening with emotion, suddenly all the grievances seemed worth it.

"Caden..."

"Caden, you misunderstood Uncle Langdon." Mother Hawthorne squatted down and drew Caden into her arms, coaxing, "Uncle Langdon wasn’t hitting her, he was following tradition to ward off the dirt around her. My precious grandson is not happy, then let’s stop hitting, shall we?"

Mother Hawthorne lovingly hugged Caden inside, and as she passed Tanya, she gave her a cold glare.

Tanya no longer had the mind to argue, her mind was full of the image of Caden rushing to protect her, her heart felt a softening sink.

Joy had been happily playing with her dolls on the sofa, but seeing her brother protecting that bad woman, she got upset, gripping her doll and hopped off the sofa, turned, and ran into a small room beside, even closing the door behind her.

She laid on the tatami and called Cindy Lynn with her toy phone.

Cindy Lynn quickly answered.

"Hello, little Joy, what’s wrong?"

Joy said angrily, "Mommy Cindy, Brother is such a big fool! Just now when that bad woman bullying you was being whipped, he actually went to protect her!"

Cindy Lynn paused, slightly helpless, gently advising, "Joy, you can’t call her a bad woman. Ms. Tanya is your birth mother, and the injury on my hand wasn’t intentionally caused by her..."

Joy didn’t believe it, "Dad said so, she did it on purpose!"

It’s just because Cindy Mom is always kind like a princess that bad woman dares to bully her!

Looking at the doll in her hand from Cindy Mom, with Joy’s name embroidered on the dress, personally stitched by Mommy Cindy!

Joy secretly made up her mind, since her brother sided with that bad woman, she would protect Mommy Cindy, drive that bad woman out!

"Mommy Cindy, Joy will always be on your side! You wait, Joy will protect you!"

On the other end, Cindy Lynn was sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window of an upscale restaurant, listening to Joy’s determined words, she lowered her eyes, gently smiled, warmly doting, "Alright, then I’ll wait for Joy’s protection. Joy is my guardian little angel."

Upon hearing this, Joy felt an even stronger sense of duty.

After saying a couple more sentences, Cindy Lynn hung up the phone, put down her mobile, Nina Leslie sat across from her.

She knew Joy was the one calling Cindy Lynn.

"Kids see people sincerely, even little Joy knows her birth mother is no good!" complained Nina Leslie, "You’re so kind-hearted, your hand is hurt like this, yet you still speak for that cheap Tanya!"

Nina Leslie grew angrier, "The face of that woman, Tanya, is thicker than a city wall! After doing those things to you, how can she still have the face to show off to you? Did she forget what she used to..."

"Alright, Nina." Cindy Lynn interrupted her, "I know you’re trying to protect me, but I don’t want to bring up the past anymore."

Nina Leslie took a deep breath, resentfully said, "You, you’re just too kind. Just wait, if that shameless Tanya dares come to the development department, I’m definitely not letting her have it easy! Anyway, who doesn’t know President Hawthorne’s true love is you, you becoming Mrs. Hawthorne is just a matter of time!"

Cindy Lynn listened quietly to Nina Leslie’s words, neither refuting nor echoing.

Her gaze fell on her right hand, a barely noticeable curve tugging at the corners of her mouth.