Chapter 505: Chapter 505: My Sweetie
About an hour later.
Ann Vaughn gazed at the Viridian Palace in front of her, appearing understated yet everywhere showcasing the deep heritage of her family, and fell silent for a moment.
The scene lived up to its name, with the Viridian Palace surrounded by fiery red maples, blooming passionately amidst the dormant winter landscape, adding much vitality.
Except...
The "dinner invitation" she spoke of and the "dinner invitation" Ian Vaughn understood seemed to not mean the same thing?
Noticing the confusion in her eyes, Ian Vaughn guided her into the Viridian Palace while explaining, "I heard the manager at Eland mention that you have a particular fondness for rare medicinal herbs. We have some rare herbs on our family’s mountain, so I thought I’d take you to see them."
"I see." Ann Vaughn breathed a sigh of relief. If she didn’t believe in Ian Vaughn’s character, she would have thought he had other intentions toward her.
Otherwise, who directly takes someone to their home?
Ian Vaughn realized this move was overly hasty. If he hadn’t remembered there were some good things on their mountain in time, he wouldn’t have been able to explain to Ann Vaughn.
Since he initiated the conversation, Ian Vaughn greeted the family butler, prepared the necessary tools, and took Ann Vaughn to the mountain.
He initially worried whether she would know how to use the tools, but seeing her effortlessly leap over a low slope and pull out a Paris polyphylla with the roots in one move, Ian chose to remain silent.
He almost forgot that although she looked fragile, she was a tough character who stayed calm even when facing the plague.
Meanwhile, Ann Vaughn realized Ian Vaughn was indeed quite modest.
The medicinal herbs on the mountain were enough for the Vaughn Clinic to use for almost half a year, not to mention the rare herbs like dendrobium and gastrodia, which were scarce but in quite a significant number.
"Big Brother Vaughn, are you sure this isn’t someone else’s medicinal herb plantation? Is it okay for us to just take these herbs?" Ann Vaughn suddenly remembered, and she turned to Ian Vaughn to ask.
"Don’t worry, this mountain is my family’s property."
Ann Vaughn: "..." Is everyone this rich nowadays, having their own mountain??
Feeling exhausted, Ann Vaughn refused to communicate further with Ian Vaughn. After finding some herbs to replenish Qi and foster health around the outer mountain, she suggested leaving.
Ian Vaughn, though a bit surprised, didn’t ask further questions and led her back to the Viridian Palace the way they came.
Having spent nearly an entire afternoon at the mountain, they returned just as the Viridian Palace prepared for dinner.
However, when Ann Vaughn went to the guest room Ian Vaughn arranged for her, freshened up and came to the dining room, she only saw Ian Vaughn sitting alone at the table.
"Do you live alone?" Ann Vaughn asked, a little surprised. Although not as extensive as Sherwood Manor, the place was exquisite and not at all like a single person’s residence.
Ian Vaughn shook his head slightly and gentlemanly pulled out a chair for her. "My mom’s health isn’t great, and her mobility is limited, so she rarely comes downstairs to eat. The servants bring her meals upstairs on schedule."
"My dad worries about my mom being lonely, so he always accompanies her for meals, so it’s just me dining here alone."
After hearing this, Ann Vaughn felt a tinge of what seemed like envy settle in for some reason.
Grandpa Saxon once said that her biological mother, Paige Sherman, met her tragic end due to Stanley Sheridan, and she also went missing during an unexpected accident.
Judging from Paige Sherman’s family background, the then-penniless Stanley Sheridan being able to marry her and rise to the richest in Marinia likely had much to do with support from the Sherman family.
But after Stanley’s success, the thriving Paige Sherman and her infant daughter perished in an accident...
This indicated that Paige might have truly loved Stanley, but Stanley was probably mostly after her family’s wealth and influence.
Such a couple never had any true affection for each other.
Thus, Ann Vaughn had always intentionally avoided probing into her background, knowing only that she was Paige Sherman’s daughter, nothing more.
She had only just managed to escape from the clutches of Jade Shepherd and Howard Vaughn.
She had no desire to fall into another trap.
After coming to terms with this thought, Ann Vaughn felt more relaxed, picking up her chopsticks to start eating. As the delicious food entered her mouth, she couldn’t ponder why a treat had turned into her being the guest.
The familiar taste gently unfolded on Ann Vaughn’s taste buds. She was taken aback slightly, savoring each bite of the vegetables.
...Why did this dish taste much like that bowl of vegetable noodle soup someone once gave her in M Country?
Ann Vaughn tried the other dishes but found only the steamed vegetables carried a similar taste.
How peculiar.
Noticing Ann Vaughn’s apparent preference for the steamed vegetables, Ian Vaughn subtly turned the dish towards her and glanced out of the dining room over his gold-rimmed glasses.
As he turned his gaze in that direction, Ann Vaughn also felt something and looked back.
But she didn’t find anything unusual outside the dining room.
"Strange, it seemed like someone was there just now..." Ann Vaughn furrowed her brows in confusion. But after all, it was someone else’s home, and she didn’t investigate further, continuing her meal.
If she had just risen slightly to look outside, she would have seen an elderly woman sitting in a wheelchair, hair pinned up high, choking back her voice to prevent disturbing the girl inside.
Tears traced along the marks time had engraved on her face, blurring her vision and soaking her hands.
When Old Mr. Vaughn hurried to come find her in the dining room, she had already silently cried to the point of breathlessness, chest heaving, shaking all over, nearly frightening him.
In recent years, his wife’s mental clarity had dwindled, often speaking incoherently to no one, and any inquiry was met with silent tears that worried them endlessly.
However, she had never lost control over her emotions like this.
Just as Old Mr. Vaughn was about to lead her away to spare her from further distress, he saw Old Mrs. Vaughn tremblingly pointing towards the dining room, sobbing into her chest while saying to him.
"That’s Sweetie! That’s Sweetie... my Sweetie..."
Paige Sherman was tranquil and quiet from birth, never crying or causing a fuss, exceptionally obedient, thus the Vaughns called her "Goodie" as a nickname.
And Sweetie... was the name meant for the daughter and granddaughter lost in the incident from both the Sheridan and Vaughn families.
Who was none other than Ann Vaughn.